You'll have to stand up for this one, but it's worth it

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around an optical illusion involving a picture that appears to transform into an image of Marilyn Monroe when viewed from a distance. Participants share their experiences and perceptions of the illusion, exploring the effects of distance, zooming, and visual techniques on the interpretation of the image.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants report seeing Marilyn Monroe clearly from various distances, while others perceive a distorted image or an amalgamation with Einstein.
  • A participant mentions their pupil diameter as a potential factor influencing their perception of the illusion.
  • Several participants suggest techniques like squinting or adjusting the zoom level on their screens to enhance the illusion.
  • There are discussions about the effectiveness of different viewing distances, with some asserting that getting far enough away reveals a clearer image of Monroe.
  • Some participants express frustration at others resizing the image instead of physically moving away to experience the illusion as intended.
  • One participant humorously suggests that the moustache seen by some could be interpreted as a smile when viewed correctly.
  • There are mentions of creating a program to merge images in a similar fashion to the illusion discussed.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share varied experiences and perceptions of the optical illusion, with no consensus on the best method to view it or the nature of the image itself. Disagreement exists regarding the presence of features like the moustache versus a smile.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note limitations in their viewing space, which affects their ability to step back from their monitors. Others mention the influence of corrective lenses on their perception of the image.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in optical illusions, visual perception, and the interplay between distance and image interpretation may find this discussion engaging.

tribdog
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MonroeEnstein_AudeOliva2007.jpg


This is pretty neat. If you look at this picture from about 15 feet away is looks exactly like Marilyn Monroe. Seriously, get out of your chair and step across the room or down the hall and look. Then walk towards your monitor and watch Marilyn change. I saw this picture in an article about optical illusions when I clicked on the Scientific American Partner Network.
 
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I didn't quite see Monroe, but I did see some twisted, hellish amalgamation of her and Einstein. That was quite creepy.
 
I had to go 25 to 30 feet away, but it was totally Monroe. My pupil diameter is 7 cm, that might have something to do with it (I'm a squid, BTW).
 
matthyaouw said:
I didn't quite see Monroe, but I did see some twisted, hellish amalgamation of her and Einstein. That was quite creepy.

go further away then, or squint a little bit. Once you are far enough away it won't be an amalgamation it will be a perfect Marilyn.
 
You don't have to move away, at least if you use Opera :wink: Just press -
 
Borek said:
You don't have to move away, at least if you use Opera :wink: Just press -
I had to zoom down to about 10% (using gimp). Funny.
 
dammit, I'm trying to get you up off your butts. quit resizing my picture and take a walk
 
tribdog said:
dammit, I'm trying to get you up off your butts. quit resizing my picture and take a walk
I did that too. But being a physicist, my house is very small.
 
yay, I went for my weekly sport event and actually walked. Amazing. Now could we agree on advising Evo to stay put and resize the picture?
 
  • #10
Maybe someone can make an animated gif and post it here...? Ummm...I'm a little busy, at the moment. o:)
 
  • #11
Should be enough if you almost close your eyes, so that the picture becomes blurry. You loose fine lines, but you still see shape.

That's an interesting case when two methods of picture analysis in your brain (one based on the shape and one based on the fine details) compete.
 
  • #12
Borek said:
Should be enough if you almost close your eyes, so that the picture becomes blurry. You loose fine lines, but you still see shape.

That's an interesting case when two methods of picture analysis in your brain (one based on the shape and one based on the fine details) compete.

Might be the very basis of the song, "The Women, All Get Prettier At Closing Time".:rolleyes:
 
  • #13
Borek said:
Should be enough if you almost close your eyes, so that the picture becomes blurry. You loose fine lines, but you still see shape.

That's an interesting case when two methods of picture analysis in your brain (one based on the shape and one based on the fine details) compete.
That's what I did, Borek. Squinting to lose detail worked well - I only have about 8' of space to move away from my monitor. Even better was CTRL- (I use Firefox) to shrink the display and a little squinting.
 
  • #14
tribdog said:
go further away then, or squint a little bit. Once you are far enough away it won't be an amalgamation it will be a perfect Marilyn.

My house isn't that large! I've tried zooming out though. Pretty cool illusion.
 
  • #15
No matter how far back I get, she still has a moustache.
 
  • #16
Very nice!
So anyone already wrote a program to merge two pictures this way?
 
  • #17
That is pretty good.

I squinted, and rubbed my eyes and let my blurred vision run riot with the water in my eyes - and viola it was either Marilyn Monroe or Gretchen Mol couldn't really tell the difference. No mustache, and the necktie vanished into a necklace. Albert never looked so good - to me anyway.

http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/gretchen-mol-2005-vanity-fair-oscar-party-1jtxw3.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #18
Evo said:
No matter how far back I get, she still has a moustache.

If you get far enough away (or shrink it enough) the moustache becomes her smile.
 
  • #19
TheStatutoryApe said:
If you get far enough away (or shrink it enough) the moustache becomes her smile.
I see it is supposed to be a smile, but I can still tell it's a moustache, if I have my glasses on. I probably can go 20+ feet because it's backs into another room and a hallway. It's the only feature that stands out.
 
  • #20
Evo said:
I see it is supposed to be a smile, but I can still tell it's a moustache, if I have my glasses on. I probably can go 20+ feet because it's backs into another room and a hallway. It's the only feature that stands out.

if I have my glasses on? sheesh. You could probably go 100 feet and see the moustache with a good pair of binoculars. The idea is to get far enough away that you can't see the moustache. Uncorrected eyesight should make it easier.
 
  • #21
Put your glasses upside down :smile:
 
  • #22
I didnt move away, I focused out and say it...
 
  • #23
Wooo view attachment. Same picture zoomed out to about 8%.
 

Attachments

  • monroe.jpg
    monroe.jpg
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  • #24
moose said:
Wooo view attachment. Same picture zoomed out to about 8%.
I found around the same scale where the effect becomes impressive (10% or so)
 
  • #25
Evo said:
No matter how far back I get, she still has a moustache.

Ha! Totally..
 
  • #26
That's not Marilyn with a moustache, that's http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4079000320/nm0000349" !
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #27
Whats the first picture on this page?
 
  • #28
tribdog said:
dammit, I'm trying to get you up off your butts. quit resizing my picture and take a walk

If I remove my glasses, I can roll my chair back about 3 feet to see Marilyn. My butt doesn't even flex one millimeter.
 
  • #29
Redbelly98 said:
My butt doesn't even flex one millimeter.
Oh, I want to say something, but it would be totally inappropriate for a mentor. :biggrin:
 
  • #30
Indeed! Mentors must set the example for us peons. :rolleyes:
 

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