Color Tricks

These color illusions show some of the ways that color or shades can trick the eye. Results may depend on your monitor.

Light Diamonds (V. Vasarely)

This is made from smaller squares, and a light-colored “X” appears in the center. Are the corners lighter than the edges? Drag the squares.

Note: It is hard to drag the squares by the edges. Either drag slowly, or grab the square's left side to drag to the right.

green square green square green square green square green square green square green square green square green square green square green square green square green square green square green square green square green square

Dark/Light Bars (White's Illusion)

Compare the colors of the short bars. Drag the long or short bars—the short bars are on top.

black bar black bar black bar black bar gray bar gray bar gray bar gray bar gray bar gray bar

Compare the colors of the short bars.

black bar black bar black bar black bar gray bar gray bar gray bar gray bar gray bar gray bar

Color Ring (Koffka)

Both of the rectangles contain a colored loop. Are the loops the same color? Drag them apart, then match them up.

left loop right loop

Color Ramp

Do the thin bars vary in color? Are the small squares all the same color? Drag the bars and squares.

Note: There are extra gray bars at the bottom. Try the gray bars on the yellow and blue color ramps.

red ramp green ramp blue ramp yellow ramp orange ramp purple ramp long red bar short green bar short green bar medium blue bar medium blue bar short yellow bar short yellow bar short yellow bar medium orange bar medium orange bar medium orange bar short purple bar short purple bar short purple bar short purple bar short purple bar short purple bar short purple bar short purple bar short purple bar short purple bar short gray bar medium gray bar medium gray bar medium gray bar short gray bar short gray bar short gray bar short gray bar

Checkerboard Shadow Illusion (E. Adelson)

This board has white and black squares. Are any of the white squares the same color as a black square? Look at the white squares in the shadow of the green tower.

Drag the squares.

chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square green cylinder chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square chessboard square

Image from the Wikimedia Commons.

chessboard key Hint: Drag the shadowed white square near the green tower (the first whole square) onto the two top black squares.

Color Cube Illusion (Lotto)

The same cube is shown with yellow and blue filters. What colors are the center squares on each side of the cube? Which blue and yellow squares are the same color?

Drag the squares.

yellow cube filter blue cube filter yellow cube blue cube square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square square

Based on an illusion by Dr. R. Beau Lotto.

cube key Hint: Compare the orange and brown squares in the center of each side of the cubes.
Compare the blue square on the top right of the yellow cube with the yellow square on the top right of the blue cube.
Try removing the yellow filter, blue filter, dark yellow cube, and dark blue cube behind the color squares so the white background shows through.

Other color pages are located here: Color Play