Anamorphic Illusion is a technique which is getting exceptional attention in the media lately. Although the technique itself has been around for a while, it is gaining popularity as an innovative art technique.

The technique involves the use of a drawn object which is at first distorted. It is then viewed from an alternative perspective which reconstructs the image to make it appear as before and make sense again. The word is derived from a Greek word which means shape or form.

Within the technique there are two types of practices, the Perspective or Oblique and the Mirror or Catoptric. Perspectival Anamorphosis dates back to the early Renaissance period in the 15^th Century. There are many examples of Mirror Anamorphosis that originate from the late 16^th Century Renaissance. With Mirror Anamorphosis in particular, a cylindrical mirror is positioned on a painting or drawing which then transforms a flat image into a 3D image that can be a looked at from many angles. A deformed image is drawn onto a surface which surrounds the mirror; just by looking solely into the mirrors, the images will appear reformed.

As well as the new media hype around this technique, certain design companies such as Instant Print are also developing a taste for using the technique. Instant print is a company who pride themselves on using innovative design techniques and having a design team who think outside of the box. They use this technique to help create unique and innovative business cards and letterheads that will be sure to leave a lasting impression. You can visit their blog to find out more about the anamorphic illusion technique and other exciting techniques for artists at: http://enjoy.instantprint.co.uk.

Many contemporary artists have used the anamorphic effect in their work. In 2010, during the 3D street paint event called Fringe MK, the Dutch artist Leon Leer created a painting that was an optical illusion involving a life-sized mirror cylinder. Another form of the technique is often called ‘Skate Art’. The technique also has its practical uses, such as in Cinemascope of wide screen formats in which it is used to take a wide image from a flat screen.