A Lifetime of Color: Study Art

Contrast reversal after-image

More...cool color tricks
An artist named Josef Albers invented these color exercises to show how colors can trick our eyes. Stare at the black dot in the yellow circles. Wait for the yellow circles to disappear (about 15 seconds). Then stare at the black dot on white. What do you see?

Did you see the yellow and white shapes flip-flop? You should see yellow where the white spaces used to be. You may even see faint violet circles. Your eye is seeing an after-image of the yellow circles!

Horizontal color shift
Each band of color seems to shift from light to dark. But each band is actually one solid color! Why?

Colors seem to change when placed next to lighter or darker colors because of contrast.

A color looks lighter when placed next to a dark color. The same color looks darker when placed next to a light color. See for yourself below!





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