Hollow Face Illusion Dragon Without Leaving Your Desk!

by Chartreusesnot

317K19965

Intro: Hollow Face Illusion Dragon Without Leaving Your Desk!

Ever seen those illusions where there is a face that seems to turn toward you? I've seen it in theme parks and museums like the Exploratorium, and the Disneyland Haunted House thing. But, now you can make your own. All you need is a printer and some scissors!
RATE PLEASE, IF YOU LIKE IT.
The drawings came from grand-illusions.com, I have no idea where that guy got them from.

And here is a stopmotion I made for fun. The camera captures the illusion effect at the end.


STEP 1: Download and Print the PDF

Download the attached PDF files. There are 3 colors, red, green and blue, pick one, pick all, doesn't matter, but open it, and print it.

STEP 2: Cut Out the Dragon.

Cut carefully along the outside, and don't forget to cut into the middle of the dragon at the white line under the head.

STEP 3: Fold Your Dragon

For this step it helps to have the PDF file open on the computer, or to have printed out another copy. Around the outside of the dragon drawing, there are lots of instructions on the folding (since you have already cut this out, it might be hard to get it right, so look at the computer pdf). They say mountain fold and valley fold. These are pretty self explanatory, but just in case, a mountain fold looks like this: /\ a valley fold looks like this: V.

Mind that I think there is an error on the head of the dragon where instead of a valley fold, it is actually a mountain. Make sure that along with checking the fold orientation, also check it with the image below.

When you are done folding, tape on the tabs around the mouth and base of the dragon.

STEP 4: Operating the Illusion

This is pretty simple. Just close one eye, and stare at the dragon's head. Move it or yourself around a little, and watch as the head pops out and follows you!

If you hadn't just made the dragon would you be able to tell the dragon's head in the image below is concave?

60 Comments

3177636 3 years ago

I does not work, im not sure if I did it wrong or something but can u look through it to see if there are any problems😔😩

JonathanCB 8 years ago

I can't see the video. Any help?

boombo 12 years ago

thanks man its awsome but where are the dragons wings?

willrandship 13 years ago

Man, you've got sharp fingernails :P

Nice vid.

reverseBungee 13 years ago

anyone tried? i dunno if i did any thing wrong...
it doesnt seems to work. the dragon doesn't looks like its looking at me.

omnistructable 13 years ago

It did work for me either, I had the folds on the head the wrong way round the first time. I did not watch the video. After watching the video it all came clear to me. Nice Instructable.

reverseBungee 13 years ago

OOHHHH RIGHT!!!!

now after watching the video, it all seems so logical! for those who didnt get it, watch the video!

thanks omnistructable

reverseBungee 13 years ago

could be ... cause my office blocked off video streaming thus, i didnt get to see the video here.

well will watch the video tonight when i got home.

thanks!!

Quintonio 13 years ago

If you look at the dragon and look into its eyes for a while and try to think about it being 3d it should work.

Kiteman 16 years ago

It would be nice if you credited the original creator of the dragon illusion, which has been floating around the internet for some time. Plagiarism is frowned upon here.

Here's a slightly more contemporary version from DWA magazine:


Chartreusesnot 16 years ago

I got the drawings from grand-illusions, the guy has some pretty cool stuff there. I guess he scanned the originals, which came from the "gathering for gardner"...?

Chartreusesnot 16 years ago

"Purpose : The Gathering for Gardner is a non-profit organization whose goal is to promote the lucid exposition and discussion of new ideas in recreational mathematics, magic, puzzles, and philosophy." yup, thats just dripping with geek sauce...

njmalhq 13 years ago

One can't talk about g4g without mentioning Gardener himself. Who will be sorely missed, as he just passed away last year. I actually saw one of those dragons in his library, just as he was packing it up to donate to the local library, as he was moving into a retirement home.

For those who don't know, he used to run the Mathematical Recreations column in Scientific American. His puzzles collections are in a class by themselves. As are his collection of essays on everything from mathematics, science, philosophy, religion, ... A true intellectual giant of our times.

xenobiologista 13 years ago

Kiteman, I think you're being a bit harsh. Plagiarism is when someone not only copies another person's work, but tries to pass it off as their own. Unless Chartreusnot edited this Instructable between the time you saw it and the time I saw it, they clearly said they copied the design from another website and they weren't the original author. There are plenty of other Instructables where someone posts illustrated and detailed instructions on how to make something where they give credit for design/idea to someone else.

Kiteman 13 years ago

Since you replied to a three-year-old comment, I'd guess he did.

JakeTobak 16 years ago

You you have a link or something where I can print the cut-out and make my own K-9?

grafkaal 13 years ago

You can use this one. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5042745/papercraft-k9.pdf
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