Anamorphosis

I mentioned in my previous post another street chalk artist called Edgar Müller. He’s a German 3D chalk illusionist painter, inspired by Kurt Wenner in his artworks. They both use the same “anamorphosis” technique in their art. This type of geometric technique when viewed from different viewpoints, can make a painting seem three dimensional on flat ground. Wenner revolutionized this idea by using it in sidewalk chalk art, Müller is a internationally recognized master in this technique, but by no means were they the first ones to use something like this. In fact, some of the earliest examples of anamorphosis came from none other than the famous Leonardo da Vinci himself. 

It comes alive, doesn’t it? Vivid colors, beautiful design, and of course the brilliantly ingenious geometric design makes this fresco seem otherworldly, especially in a time when there was no computer graphic designing or complicated technologies. Only paint, a bare ceiling, and the mind of the likes of da Vinci.

Back to the present day. One of my favorite pieces of 3-d chalk art is made by Müller: his famous “crevasse” painting. He did it over the span of 3 days back in December 2008 for a Festival of World Culture. He posted some videos on Youtube of the production of this: 

The finished product, is, once again amazing. When a person stands on one of the ice blocks seemingly floating in the abyss, they seem like they are about to fall right into the dark crevasse below. Something created by mere chalk can come alive with the hand of an artist. And that’s what anamorphosis is all about. Making something that is originally 2-d and flat come alive through geometry and colors. Breathing life into a still painting.