Behold, the ultimate optical illusion for designers

Optical illusion
(Image credit: @RasmusNielsen on Twitter)

You'd think by now we'd be immune to optical illusions, such is the volume we encounter here at Creative Bloq. But here's one that's hitting a nerve more than most – not necessarily thanks to the quality of the illusion itself, but instead because of the somewhat triggering subject matter.

Every designer has experienced the despair of getting lost in a see of layers – and when those layers are unnamed, things can get complicated, fast. Enter the following illusion, shared to Twitter as a timely PSA for designers everywhere. Shake your head while looking at the image below, and a pertinent message will emerge. (Looking for more mind benders? Check out the best optical illusions of all time.)

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Spoiler alert: the text reads 'NAME YOUR LAYERS'. And it seems plenty of designers are finding the creation by UI designer Rasmus Nielsen a little close to home. "This message is haunting me all my life," one user comments, while another adds, "I needed to read this today."

From people who look they're falling but aren't falling to cubes that look like they're spinning but aren't spinning, we've had our brains blown, bent, melted and fried (etc, etc.) by all manner of optical illusions lately. If you're inspired to create your own, take a look at our guide on how to download Photoshop.

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Daniel Piper
Senior News Editor

Daniel Piper is Creative Bloq’s Senior News Editor. As the brand’s Apple authority, he covers all things Mac, iPhone, iPad and the rest. He also reports on the worlds of design, branding and tech. Daniel joined Future in 2020 (an eventful year, to say the least) after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more. Outside of Future, Daniel is a global poetry slam champion and has performed at festivals including Latitude, Bestival and more. He is the author of Arbitrary and Unnecessary: The Selected Works of Daniel Piper (Selected by Daniel Piper).