Masters of Deception : Escher, Dali, & the Artists of Optical Illusion

Rating:
Summary: Using the Mind's Eye to the Ultimate!
Review: Boy!,Al Seckel and Steling Publishing have really produced a first class book here.This is an oversized book which introduces us to 20 artists who have created some of the most startling art imaginable.Although several of the artists are often seen in books on optical illusions,we now see many more ,and many for the first time for me.
It's hard to pick a favorite,and really there's no reason to;but I was particularly taken by the work of Ken Kowlton.His mosaics using seashells,Braille,dice,spools of thread,pentominoes,symbols from decks of cards,etc., are fantastic.One real imaginative piece uses 32 sets of Tangrams to create Jerry Slocum,the leading authority and collector of mechanical puzzles.
If you enjoy puzzles,art,optical illusions,graphics,etc.,you'll love this book.I have never come across such a collection of this artwork in one book.
This book was produced by Sterling Publishing,and in my opinion the premier publishers of puzzle books.It should become the definitive book covering optical illusions.
Included are the e-mail addresses and web sites of several of the artists.In addition to this is a list of selected reading.
On behalf of all those who enjoy optical illusions and related artwork,I'd like to thank Seckel and Sterling for producing this excellent book.

Rating:
Summary: A Revelation: Artist Geniuses Open Our Eyes
Review: An Epiphany! Great fun! Stimulates your drowsiest braincells!
Beyond the Optical Illusions we've seen before!
Looking at these two-dimensional works can unlock the door to places your mind may never have travelled. I learned obscure and amusing anecdotes about funloving geniuses who incorporate(d) their fascination with mathematics, computers, religion, philosophy, physiology of the eye and brain, among other studies, into their art.
An excellent reference.

Rating:
Summary: ...but I know what I like.
Review: Here it is - the coffee-table book of eye-twisters!

Don't misunderstand, here - it's not the complete works of Escher, with all the best Dali and a couple of others thrown in. This volume contains only a very few examples of the most powerful works of a handful of major mindtwisting visual artists.

No, it's not just a gallery. Instead, what we have are explanations - the "why?" of Escher, the "what?" of Dali, and the "how the -?" of modern shadow-sculptures. (The sailing-ship of scissors on the back must be seen.) The origins and evolution of the school of illusion are described in detail, but in such a way that the reading is far from dry.

Buy it. You won't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book but incomplete
Review: The other reviewers are on the mark but there are 2 regrettable omissions:
1. The Art of Bev Doolittle.(???) In my opinion her work easily outshines several of the artists in the all male lineup chosen for the book. What was he thinking?
2. A CD containing moving pictures. After the book was published the author created this web site:
http://neuro.caltech.edu/~seckel/mod/
Where he explains:
"There are a number of incredible artistic works featured in Masters of Deception, which require movement to appreciate their full impact. Additionally, I had in my possession various interviews with some of the book's featured artists that I wanted to share with my readership. Unfortunately, the publisher was unwilling to produce a CD to accompany the book. I have created this web site, therefore, to augment and enhance the reader's experience by presenting those works and interviews that I could not present in book form."
Don't miss this web site.