Optical Illusion Paint by Numbers
Also: paint by numbers, art kits, fine art kits, museum merchandise, Jonty Hurwitz kits, anamorphic art kits, illusion art kits
Optical-illusion paint-by-numbers are fine-art kits for adults based on Jonty Hurwitz's anamorphic and illusion artworks, sold direct and as science-museum shop merchandise.
Definition
A range of paint-by-numbers kits for adults derived from Jonty Hurwitz's optical-illusion and anamorphic artworks.
Discussion
Frequently Asked Questions
What is optical illusion paint by numbers?
Optical illusion paint by numbers is a painting kit in which the finished picture is itself an illusion — an anamorphic or perceptual image that changes depending on how you look at it — rather than a conventional landscape or portrait. The numbered sections guide you through building the illusion stroke by stroke, so painting it also teaches you how it works.
How is it different from a normal paint-by-numbers kit?
Three ways: the source artworks are real gallery pieces by Jonty Hurwitz rather than stock imagery; the colour separations are designed around the optical effect, so the illusion only appears once the layers are complete; and the kits are sized and specified for adult painters who want a finished artwork, not a children's craft.
Are these kits suitable for adults and beginners?
Yes. They are designed for adults, but the numbered system means no drawing skill is required — the difficulty sits in patience, not technique.
Where can I buy optical illusion paint by numbers?
Directly from Sentient Art, and in the gift shops of science museums hosting the Point of View: Out of the Unseen exhibition.
Featured in
Related concepts
Anamorphic sculpture is a three-dimensional work that looks abstract from most angles and resolves into a recognisable image only from one exact viewpoint or in a mirror.
A turnkey touring exhibition of over fifty scientific artworks by Jonty Hurwitz and Dr. Yifat Davidoff, exploring perception, mathematics and the limits of human sight.
Anamorphosis is a technique in which an image is deliberately distorted so it resolves into its true form only from one specific viewpoint or when reflected in a curved mirror.
Retail products developed alongside an exhibition — for Point of View, a range including optical illusion paint-by-numbers kits.


