The Coffer Illusion - how many circles do you see?

[roomwithaview]

@knappa

Took a bit for me to see the circles.

I still see no circles, just rectangles, wtf?

[Auld_Lang_Syne]

If you want to be that precise, nobody has ever seen a circle.

[Auld_Lang_Syne]

Choose a pair of (sets of nested) rectangles, one directly atop the other. In between them is the pixelated circle that @ugh posted.

[Cunk]

Me just now: “What the hell? There’re no circles – holy shit!”

[s2redux]

I just see blue & white lines. Wait…dammit. I just see gold & white lines. Wait…dammit. I just see blue & white lines. Wait…dammit. I just see gold & white lines. Wait…dammit. I just see blue & white lines. Wait…

[ugh]

@danimagoo

That is merely one definition of a circle. Words often have multiple definitions. Circle Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

@markfrauenfelder

All visual representations of circles are approximations, so I often use the term “circle” as shorthand for “shape that suggests a platonic ideal of a circle.”

@Auld_Lang_Syne

If you want to be that precise, nobody has ever seen a circle.

I know. I was just trying to make a math joke.

[anon55609254]

@JamesBean

I can slightly defocus and see the rectangles and the circles at the same time.

Me too, but the second my eyes move slightly, the circles disappear.

[knoxblox]

OK, I saw the circles in about two seconds.

However, I’ve been oil painting for a few hours now, and have been consciously “unfocusing” (not really the same as Magic Eye, just looking for planes and major shapes while ignoring fine details). I wonder if that had anything to do with it?

[roomwithaview]

That was the clue I needed, I see them now, TYVM!

Interesting, really, I don’t think I’ve ever had any trouble seeing this sort of thing, illusions like that always work for me in all the ways they’re supposed to and I can see all the options simultaneously or at will. Now I’m really curious what was so durned special about this one!

[roomwithaview]

@ugh

I know. I was just trying to make a math joke.

Aw, I know the feels.

[tlwest]

Okay, something is up. I scrolled through the picture, seeing the obvious 16 circles. At the bottom, it says 16 circles, and I’m trying to figure out what was the illusion.

Except now that I glance back up at the image, all the circles are gone. Really gone. I can’t make them re-appear and I’ve been trying for 10 minutes.

Is this some sort of very mean trick with javascript replacing the image or something?

[okand]

I saw 16 circle-like shapes immediately and while reading I then started to think I might be looking at the wrong thing because they’re very blocky instead of like perfect circles.

[FGD135]

The curtain on the far right looks like there is someone hiding behind it.

[hecep]

[FGD135]

[anothernewbbaccount]

Same here. But of course they are not circles, but more like minecraft approximations.