File talk:Optical.greysquares.arp.jpg

Does thuis picture mean to show that the Letters A and B are of same coloration or the actrual Square??

The two squares that those letters are on are the same color. --CBDunkerson 22:25, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

If someone doesn't believe it, check it out using an editing software like Windows Paint. I've seen this picture before. It can be used to prove some ideas such as why "white" is not an absolute color and that a grey projection_screen can still show "white" colors. Shawnc 05:54, 6 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I tried using Photoshop with magnetic lasso to move Square B around, and it almost appears to change colors as you move it from dark areas to light ones.. it is the same color.

KV(Talk) 15:59, 6 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

It's good

It works fine; the colors are the same. I can check, you can check; anyone who has taken a psych class should know it to be true. Very good picture. Mind-boggling, to some.

Explained

How to Test: Copy the image and paste it into Windows Paint (pbrush). Use the eyedropper tool and select the 'A' Square. Goto Colors->Edit Colors and push the button that says define custom colors. That will show you the numeric RGB values (107, 107, 107). Repeat for the 'B' square.

Explanation: Basically, the shadow from the cylinder makes square the same color. However, it also makes the squares around it darker so the pattern is continued.

In the real world, our brains are designed to account for shadowing. Combine that with pattern extrapolation and you have the ingredients for a seemingly simple optical illusion.