What is going on here? I was confused as well when I took this picture. That is, I wondered about this strange drawing until I had circled it, coming upon this view.
This style of drawing has become increasingly popular, and is showing up in many places. Check out this example of an amazing illusion. Looks like a stream and a waterfall. Look again! It's just a regular street! How about this one where it looks like a man is getting eaten by a shark!
These optical illusions are true to their name. They are indeed illusions. They use a part of our brains where, when we view drawings like these from a certain angle, we process them as being real and physical things.
This illusion continues outside of street drawings, as is shown by an artist known by his YouTube name "Brusspup". Brusspup took pictures of three ordinary objects, a shoe, a roll of tape, and a Rubiks cube. He then digitally stretched out the images, and printed out the pictures. He proceeded to show, in a YouTube video, how the images look real when viewed from a certain angle. To check it out, follow this link: http://www.eyern.com/tag/rubik-cube-anamorphic-illusion/
Besides street drawings and pictures, anamorphic art is also found in the form of pencil drawings. Here it looks like a pair of actual glasses is being placed on the paper. It's amazing! The artist, Ramon Bruin, specializes in the anamorphic technique. He has done multiple pencil drawings in this style. You can find more of his drawings at this link: http://www.demilked.com/3d-pencil-drawings-ramon-bruin/
The anamorphic style of drawing, whether it be on paper or on a street, is an amazing concept. The idea that something can look real and three dimensional when it is just drawn is mind boggling. Anamorphic art has great potential. I hope it continues to be used and admired.
