19 Pics That Are Actually Deceptive Optical Illusions

There’s nothing like taking your brain to the circus to experience an array of logic-defying optical illusions. The best part about certain optical illusions is that the more that you stare at them to try and make sense out of what you’re seeing, the worse that they actually get. One should never feel bad about not being able to crack the code of a particularly tricky optical illusion. And these optical illusions are certainly set at a max level difficulty.

1. “These aren’t spirals.”

A hypnotic optical illusion with concentric circles made up of black and white geometric patterns. Alternating blue and white triangles radiate outward, creating a mesmerizing spiral effect that appears to move towards the center.
u/mattatplaton/via reddit.com

“Impressive, have to trace them out to see that they’re not spirals.” – u/nydan

“Dude, good find.” – u/lll

2. “This is one photo.”

A white egret stands in shallow water divided into two distinct colors, blue on the left and yellow on the right. The division creates an illusion as if it was manipulated, but it is a real, unaltered photo taken by photographer Keinichi Ohno.
u/mywitchdr/via reddit.com

“That’s brilliant.” – u/dando_calrisian

“Took a sec. Very cool shot.” – u/coolnerdd_

3. “Need to make this illusion myself, as soon as possible.”

A detailed, patterned image with a mix of dark and light colors, mainly consisting of small floral designs. Instructions at the top read: "1) Put your nose to the screen. 2) Stare at the image for several seconds. 3) Start to pull back slowly and notice what appears!
u/sheriffthtpri/via reddit.com

“Magic eye.” – u/houdinis_ghost

“This is the first one that has ever worked for me.” – u/Sirsagely

4. “What.”

An optical illusion artwork features a series of interconnected, three-dimensional bars creating a visually confusing, infinite loop. The text "follow the blocks" with an arrow appears on the left side, directing the viewer's attention to the loop's starting point.
u/reactionbox777/via reddit.com

“This made me uncomfortable.” – u/velocijoey23

“Not okay. This is such a weird effect.” – u/Fire9Ball

5. “Yes, this fascinated me.”

Text-based optical illusion with instructions to close one eye, tilt the phone back, and look at the screen from the charging port to reveal the message. The hidden message reads: "You're doing great and I'm glad you exist.
u/ruby666/via reddit.com

“So uplifting.” – u/dark6888

“This is cool, but it tests the bounds for being an optical illusion.” – u/TheEmpire

6. “Look normally, and then hold at arms length.”

A bouquet-style arrangement featuring two cheeseburgers with lettuce, tomato, and sesame seed buns, accompanied by a serving of french fries, all wrapped in red and white paper with a ribbon design. The background is a dark wooden table.
u/bien-helena/via reddit.com

“This is really good.” – u/jadds1874

“I hugely regret looking at this.” – u/LivermoreP1

7. “An oldie, but a goodie.”

Three water bottles cast shadows on a wall, creating the illusion of three ghostly figures, accompanied by the caption "My water bottles almost just scared me to death" with crying face emojis.
u/cflorest/via reddit.com

“That’s terrifying.” – u/CeruleanRuin

“No way.” – u/pensuad

8. “Just your average chromostereopic illusion.”

A circular abstract design featuring three concentric rings. The outermost and innermost rings are composed of red speckles, while the middle ring is made up of blue speckles. The background is black, which accentuates the vibrant colors of the rings.
u/jeezarch/via reddit.com

“How do some people not see it though.” – u/LeviathonMt

“The blue looks like it pops out for me.” – u/chillpill_23

9. “So simple, yet so cool optical illusion.”

Four wooden triangular frames of varying sizes are nested concentrically, resting against a concrete wall in a dimly lit space. The careful alignment produces intriguing shadows, enhancing the geometric shape and adding depth to the minimalist arrangement.
u/evaraw666/via reddit.com

“More art but neat.” – u/dafones

“Wow, took me multiple steps to realize what I’m looking at.” – u/Feztopia

10. “Wholesome pic turned into an illusion.”

A man with light hair and a red beard is sitting on a couch. A dog with reddish fur is sitting on his lap, making it appear as if the dog's ears and snout are part of the man's beard, creating a humorous illusion. A whiteboard with various notes is on the wall behind him.
u/youdavid/via reddit.com

“It took me way longer than I’d like to admit to realize that was a dog and not his face.” – u/MonarchofLight

11. “Someone just tell me what I’m seeing.”

A ginger cat is lying on a narrow ledge at the bottom of a carpeted staircase, peering down at the camera with its paws hanging over the edge. The surrounding walls are painted yellow and the ceiling is white with a smoke detector visible.
u/subject-complex-2120/via reddit.com

“Open steps, no backings.” – u/Lost_Minds_Think

“Bottom of a staircase that a cat is peeking through.” – u/Forsake-Income-2148

12. “So many mysterious shapes.”

A grayscale optical illusion featuring a pattern of repeating square and circular shapes with striped designs. The squares and circles alternate in rows, creating a visually striking and hypnotic effect.
u?hovik_gasparyan/via reddit.com

“All I see is rectangles, I feel like I’m missing something.” – u/Last05

“I have to force myself to see the circles.” – u/Topspinlob

13. “Laughing jester face.”

A deep-sea photo of a shark showing it with its mouth wide open, displaying numerous sharp teeth, and viewed from below. The caption at the top reads: "Because regular photos of huge sharks in deep water aren't terrifying enough!
u/dawn_irl/via reddit.com

“Well. The deep seas just got even scarier.” – u/KudosoftheFroodn

“Robot devil.” – u/Pope_A

14. “Excuse me.”

Two women, one in a green shirt and the other in a black tank top, smile as they pose for a photo outdoors. The woman in the green shirt has her hand around the other woman's shoulder. A man in a white plaid shirt stands in the background, smiling.
u/deleted/via reddit.com

The real question is why did this dude feel compelled to wear those shorts. No one is ever going to know but we can just speculate for now.

15. “One of the world’s oldest optical illusions.”

An intricately carved stone relief depicts two detailed elephants standing close together. The craftsmanship showcases ornate patterns and other smaller animals or figures carved around them, highlighting the artistry and cultural significance of the piece.
u/pranlikat/via rteddit.com

“This is located in the town of Darasuram, near Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu, India.” – u/PranaliKatwankar

16. “Just can’t wrap my head around how this works out.”

Optical illusion of a 3D honeycomb pattern with purple and gold hexagons, featuring a central sphere also covered with hexagons. The background shapes appear to distort around the sphere, creating a tunnel-like effect that gives a sense of depth and movement.
u/ramoulow/via reddit.com

“Ball isn’t moving for me, but purple funnel is moving like crazy.” – u/Aerolithe_Lion

“I don’t see anything moving.” – u/BeedleFromZelda

17. “Someone explain this optical illusion though.”

Two panels show a repeating black and white geometric pattern resembling interlocking shapes. The left panel has a straight white diagonal line running across it, while the right panel features a small rectangular white tag near the center.
u/v3npy/via reddit.com

“I think it’s that the lines look parallel even though they aren’t.” – u/deleted

“Maybe you’re meant to cross your eyes so that they overlap.” – u/Equilibriatorrr

18. “Towel or hair is the real question.”

A humorous poster in a store shows a woman's face with a triangular section above her forehead that looks like a pointed hairstyle. A caption above the poster reads, "I used to be able to see the towel on her head.
u/deleted/via reddit.com

“I cannot see the towel.” – u/j-raine

“Nope. Solid cursed image.” – u/anonymousseee

19. “Someone figure out what’s going on here.”

View from street level looking up at a tall building with a single dark window visible among many reflective panes near the top. Surrounding are other high-rise buildings, and the sky is clear with a soft evening blue hue.
u/dojacatmooo/via reddit.com

“Triangular building with a wind tunnel for stability.” – u/Oferial

“A triangular prism shaped building.” – u/deleted