Images where an optical illusion or effect causes a candle to be lit.
So far, I have produced two series: one, linocuts using afterimages light the candle (2017), and the other, red and blue pen drawings using the purkingje effect to light the candle in a darkened room (2018).
Light the Candle Linocuts: Afterimages (2017)
To light the candle, stare at the flame without moving your eyes for about 30 seconds, then move your eyes to the candle’s wick. Note the different flame colors, which are the complement to the linocut’s ink colors, as well as the soft edges of the flame – a lot more realistic than most drawings and paintings. All linocuts are hand-carved, hand-pulled, and printed on 8.5×11 paper in editions of 10 per color.
Full article about the project: Stare at the Flame // Light the Candle With Your Mind.
Light the Candle using Night Vision (2018)
This series of original marker drawings uses the purkinje effect to light the candle as it gets dark. As our eyes adjust to low light, our color vision fades, but what was formerly red becomes dark and what was blue becomes light. Since this demonstration can’t be seen on a bright computer, I have simulated the effect below.
Full article on the project: An Optical Illusion For Your Inner Nocturnal Animal.