Trompe-L’Oeil – Human Eye & Perception
For this exercise, I explored trompe-l’oeil, which is about creating an illusion that tricks the human eye. The idea is to make something flat or simple look more real or three-dimensional than it actually is. This interested me because VFX is mostly about illusion and how the viewer perceives space.
I wanted to understand how the human eye reacts to light, shadow, and perspective, and how small changes can completely change the way we read an image.
Process
I started by looking at real examples of trompe-l’oeil in paintings and architecture, where artists use light and perspective to create fake depth. I then tried to apply the same idea in 3D.
I used Maya and Blender to experiment with simple forms. I focused more on camera angle and lighting rather than complex modeling. By changing the camera position and light direction, I could make the scene feel deeper or flatter without changing the geometry.
Challenges
One challenge was that the scene often looked very flat when the lighting was too even. It didn’t feel convincing. To fix this, I adjusted the light angle and added stronger shadows. This helped the shapes stand out and improved the illusion.
Another issue was camera placement. A small camera movement made a big difference in how the scene was perceived.
Reflection / Learning
This exercise helped me realise that realism in VFX doesn’t always come from detail, but from how the human eye reads an image. Even simple shapes can look believable if the lighting and perspective are right.
It also helped me understand how important perception is in environment design. This idea later influenced my Memory Palace in 2025 project, especially when thinking about space, scale, and atmosphere.
