Carol is walking down a busy street, mostly paying attention to her phone. She suddenly notices that she has walked onto an abstract chalk painting. Even though Carol is firmly footed on the concrete, from a few feet away, it looks like she is walking on air over a canyon-like hole in the ground. What technique has the chalk artist used to create this effect?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Perspectival anamorphosis is a technique used to create distorted images that can only be seen properly from a particular angle or viewpoint. In this case, the chalk artist has created an abstract image that appears as if Carol is walking on air over a canyon-like hole in the ground, but it is only an illusion from a particular viewpoint.

Carol Is Walking Down a Busy Street, Mostly Paying Attention