Stretch Picture - from Science Arts

Materials:

magazine picture
scissors
glue
paper

Art Experiment:

1. Cut a magazine picture into four strips.

2. Arrange the picture on the paper leaving space between each strip.

3. Glue the strips onto the paper. See how the picture has stretched and how it makes the eyes feel to look at the stretched picture.

Variations:

• Cut a picture in more than four strips.
• Cut the picture in wavy or jagged strips.
• Cut a hand drawn picture instead of using a magazine picture.
• Use one piece of colored paper to cut out a shape instead of a magazine picture. Cut it into strips or pieces and "stretch" the shape. Glue the pices on another piece of colored paper.

A Stretch Picture is an OPTICAL ILLUSION or a trick the eyes play on the brain. The eyes are not accustomed to seeing a picture that is cut into curvy strips or strips cut and spaced apart. The brain receives this unusual image and tries to make sense out of it by "filling in the gaps" in the picture and trying to make it seem more like a normal picture. The brain may even think the Stretch Picture seems to be moving or wiggling when it is really holding still.

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