Where’s My Car?

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Hey bud, where’s my car?

In this cool illusion, forced perspective makes it look like these two birds are searching the parking lot for their car.

This is a pretty simple, but cool example of forced perspective. If you are interested learning more about it, scroll down to read some more.

Where's my car?
Artist Pearl Whitecrow Brown


Table of Contents – Where’s My Car

What is Forced Perspective?

The “Where’s My Car” image is created using forced perspective which is a technique in photography, filmmaking, and visual arts that manipulates the perception of depth and space to create an optical illusion, making objects appear larger, smaller, farther away, or closer than they actually are. It is achieved by placing objects at different distances from the camera or viewer and adjusting their size and position relative to each other.

For example, in photography or film, a person standing closer to the camera might appear much larger than another person standing further away, even if they are both the same size in real life. Similarly, a miniature model of a building can be made to appear full-size by positioning it closer to the camera than other objects in the scene.

Forced perspective can be used to create dramatic or fantastical effects, or to trick the viewer into perceiving a scene in a particular way. It is commonly used in filmmaking for scenes where characters interact with objects or environments that do not exist in real life, such as in fantasy or science fiction films.

How does Forced Perspective Work?

Forced Perspective is used to create the “Where’s My Car” image works by taking advantage of the way our eyes and brains perceive depth and distance.

When we look at an object, our brains use various visual cues to determine its size and distance. These cues include the relative size of the object compared to other objects in the scene, its position in the visual field, and the convergence of our eyes as we focus on it.

By manipulating these visual cues, forced perspective can create an illusion that an object is larger or smaller, closer or farther away than it actually is. This is often achieved by placing objects of different sizes and distances in the same shot, and positioning the camera or viewer in such a way that the objects appear to be at the same distance.

For example, in a photograph or film shot using forced perspective, objects that are intended to appear closer to the camera will be placed at a larger scale than objects that are intended to appear farther away. The camera or viewer will be positioned so that these objects appear to be at the same distance, and the resulting image will create the illusion of depth and distance that the artist desires.

Overall, forced perspective is a powerful technique for creating visually striking and engaging images, and it requires careful planning and execution to achieve the desired effect.

Some Similar Illusions – Where’s My Car

In addition the the “Where’s my Car” image, there are several similar illusions that use visual cues to manipulate perception in a way that is different from forced perspective. Here are a few examples:

  1. Anamorphosis: This is a technique that distorts an image or object in such a way that it appears normal only when viewed from a particular angle or with a special device. Anamorphic illusions can be used to create three-dimensional or otherwise impossible images.
  2. Trompe-l’oeil: French for “deceive the eye,” trompe-l’oeil is a technique that creates realistic illusions of three-dimensional objects or scenes on a two-dimensional surface. This is often done in painting or sculpture, and can be used to create the illusion of depth and distance.
  3. Moiré patterns: These are visual patterns that appear when two or more overlapping patterns are viewed together. Moiré patterns can create the illusion of movement or depth, and are often used in textiles or graphic design.

All of these illusions use visual cues to manipulate perception in a way that is different from forced perspective, but they all rely on similar principles of depth, distance, and perception to create their effects.

Discovery of the Forced Perspective

The forced perspective technique used to create the “Where’s My Car” image has been used for thousands of years in various forms of art, architecture, and visual storytelling.

As such, it is not credited to a single person or time period. The earliest known examples of forced perspective date back to ancient Egyptian and Greek architecture, where columns and other architectural elements were designed to create the illusion of greater height or size.

Over time, the use of forced perspective has evolved and expanded, with artists and architects in many different cultures and time periods incorporating it into their work in different ways.

It is a technique that continues to be used today in many forms of art and media.


References and Resources – Where’s My Car

Check out our complete list of illusions.

Where's my car?