ABSTRACT
Illusions are defined as experiences that are not in accord with physical reality, even though we perceive illusions as reality. Visual, auditory, and tactile hallucinations are extreme examples of illusion. Illusions, like puns, can be playful, interesting, and engaging. Since the Renaissance, artists and other image makers have worked with the illusion of depth on a 2D surface. Pictures, like words, can convey more than one meaning, which adds to their intrigue or confusion. Photographers can create thought-provoking ambiguities by providing titles for images that seem to contradict what we see in the image or that can be interpreted in several different ways. Some words called homonyms sound alike and can be used as puns. The visual equivalent would be words that look alike. The study of illusions has taught people that even on the most basic levels of perception, our mind sees things that do not actually exist in the physical world.
