NEW TRIER CONNECTIONS PROJECT
New Trier High School, Winnetka, Illinois

Anamorphic Art

Description:

Anamorphic pictures are drawings and paintings which appear distorted and almost unrecognizable to the unaided eye. However, when they are viewed from a particular perspective or using a "decoding device" they are easily interpreted as recognizable images.

Our anamorphic art exhibit has several components:

  • The exhibit shown above uses reflective plumbing cylinders as "magic mirrors" to decode framed images from the book "The Magic Mirror - An Antique Optical Toy."
  • A second anamoprhic art exhibit shows a Jules Verne type landscape. When a cylindrical mirror is placed over the moon in the landscape, it reflects a detailed image of . . . Jules Verne!
  • At another anamorphic "station," students are encouraged to create their own anamorphic pictures using guide grids.

Purpose:

These exhibits encourages students to think about how images are perceived. In creating their own anamorphic pictures, they utilize a mathematical translation system similar to graphing.

Applications, Connections & Extensions:

Several artists specialize in anamorphic art. The wonderful example below was created by William M. Cochran as part of the "Community Bridge Mural Project" in Frederick, Maryland. When viewed straight-on, the picture appears to be severely distorted flat image. However, when viewed at the correct angle (from an art gallery above, or the river below), the mural looks like a 3D angel sculpture.

Classroom Components:

Students can create their own anamorphic art using the by drawing a picture on a rectangular graph grid and then transfering it to a circular grid.

References:

The pictures used in our first exhibit come from the book "The Magic Mirror - An Antique Optical Toy" which was published by Dover Publications, Inc. 31 East 2nd Street, Mincola, NY 11501.

The Jules Verne poster was purchased from Tessellations, 688 W. 1st Street, Suite 5, Tempe, AZ 85281. (Phone: 1-800-655-5341, website = www.tessellations.com.) They also sell jigsaw puzzles portraying anamorphic scenes.

 

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