Gianni A. Sarcone (born March 20, 1962) is a visual artist and author who collaborates with educational publications, writing articles and columns on topics related to art, science, and mathematics education. He has contributed to several science magazines, including Focus JuniorIl Club della Magia, Sarcone’s column in Focus Junior magazine (June 2014). (Italy), Query-CICAP (Italy), Rivista Magia (Italy), Alice & Bob / Bocconi University (Italy), Brain Games (USA), and TangenteIllusions et trucages, Sarcone’s column in Tangente magazine (June 2013). (France). Sarcone has over 30 years of experience as a designer and researcher in the areas of visual creativity, recreational mathematics and educational games.
Visual research
Considered a leading authority on visual perception by academic institutions, Sarcone was invited to serve as a jurorPrevious Judges of Best Visual Illusion of the Year Contest. at the Third Annual "Best Illusion of the Year Contest" held in Sarasota, Florida (USA). His optical illusion projects 'Mask of Love'Mask of Love, nominated top 10 Best Illusions of the Year 2011. and 'Autokinetic Illusion'Autokinetic Illusion, nominated top 10 Best Illusions of the Year 2014. were named among the top 10 best optical illusions in the 2011 and 2014 "Best Illusion of the Year Contests", respectively. In 2017, he placed third in the contest for his ‘Dynamic Müller-Lyer Illusion’. Dynamic Müller-Lyer Illusion, won the third place in the Best Illusions of the Year Contest 2017.
Amongst other notable projects, he created and designed an “hypnoptical”"Hypnoptical" is a portmanteau word invented in 1999 by G. Sarcone that blends the words ‘hypnotical’ and ‘optical’ together. visual illusion that was used in the logo and institutional signage of the 2014 Grec Festival of Barcelona,Grec Festival 2014, presentation of the logo with the optical effect created by G. Sarcone. a significant cultural event featuring avant-garde musical, dance, and theater performances.
His joint work, “Moona Lisa”, a mosaic of lunar images that, when viewed from a distance, forms the iconic portrait of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, was featured as NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) twice: on October 16, 2021,APOD: 2021 October 16 - The Moona Lisa. and again on September 14, 2024,APOD: 2024 September 14 - The Moona Lisa selected again. in celebration of International Observe the Moon Night.
Since May 16, 2022, in honor of the International Day of Light established by UNESCO, the University of Florence (UniFi) has permanently hosted Sarcone's optical art works in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in Sesto Fiorentino. This exhibition, titled “Enlightening Mind”,Enlightening Mind - An exhibition at the University of Florence dedicated to optical illusions. is freely accessible and organized by the Degree Course in Optics and Optometry.
Honors and awards Award Organization Year Result Best Illusion of the Year 2011 Best Illusion of the Year Contest 2011 Top Ten Finalist Best Illusion of the Year 2014 Best Illusion of the Year Contest 2014 Top Ten Finalist Best Illusion of the Year 2017 Best Illusion of the Year Contest 2017 Won Royal Society Young People's Book Prize 2018 Royal Society Prizes for Science Books 2018 Won Best Illusion of the Year 2019 Best Illusion of the Year Contest 2019 Top Ten Finalist
Educational project G. Sarcone has authored and published numerous educational textbooks and illustrated booksSarcone’s partial bibliography, in WorldCat catalog. in English, French and Italian on brain training and the mechanism of vision. He is the founder of Archimedes-lab.orgArchimedes’ Laboratory, is part Open Education Consortium. a consulting network of experts specializing in improving and enhancing creativity - for which he has been commended with a long list of accolades and awards, including the 2003 Scientific American Sci/Tech Web Award2003 Sci/Tech Award, for the communication of mathematics to the general public. in Mathematics and received recognitionAccolades and awards that Archimedes Laboratory has received. in the US from: CNN Headline News, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and NewScientist.com.“Short Sharp Science”, New Scientist, Best illusions: Masked face conceals a kiss (May 2011).
Notable inventions
Sarcone has developed a number of visual puzzles, games, and conceptual objects that combine elements of geometry, color, perception, and philosophical reflection, often grounded in mathematical principles. Quirinus – The Amazing Paradoxical Puzzle (1992) – A 16-piece geometric puzzle from the *Quadrix* series that presents a vanishing-area paradox: an additional square appears to fit within a completed shape without altering its perceived dimensions.Quirinus, the paradoxical square puzzle. TangraMagic Puzzle – A reimagined ten-piece tangram that introduces L-shaped elements and a small square to produce an optical illusion of area disappearance. The puzzle includes a 20-page illustrated booklet designed for educational and recreational use.TangraMagic, a tangram with a magic touch. Trama – A two-player abstract strategy game designed in the early 1990s. Played on a triangular board with black, white, and neutral gray pieces, the game introduces a shared neutral component that adds a layer of tactical depth.Trama, when neutrality is a strategy. Architempo – The Hological Watch – A conceptual watch using a two-color pattern to visually represent the passage of time in an hourglass-like display. Conceived in the late 1980s, the design explores alternative ways of perceiving time through graphical interaction.Architempo, the hological watch.Architempo, European patent.
Media and broadcasting Some of Sarcone's artworks such as The Other Face of ParisViral Sarcone’s Other Face of Paris. or Flashing StarViral Sarcone’s Flashing Star. have gone viral on the Internet. His works were also presented in several national and international television programs, including 'Rai 3' Italy, 'RTL 9 Channel' France, 'TSR 1 Channel' Switzerland, and in the following TV series: ‘Nippon Television Network’ / NTV (Japan): "Fukashigi"; Japanese: 不可思議探偵団 (2012). ‘National Geographic Television’Sarcone’s illusion Hypnotic Vibes, shown as interactive exhibit at ‘Las Vegas Adventure Dome’(USA, National Geographic TV, June 2014). (US): "Brain Games Science" (2014). ‘Beyond Production’ PTY LTD (Australia): "Wild But True" – Season 1 (2014). "Masahiro Nakai’s Useful Library";Sarcone’s Mask of Love, presented in ‘Masahiro Nakai’s Useful Library’ TV show (Japan, June 2015). Japanese: 中居正広の身になる図書館, a widely followed Japanese TV program (June, 2015).
Selected works
Bibliography
Recent published works (2014-20) G. Sarcone is the author (and co-author) of the following books: Fantastic Optical Illusions: More Than 150 Deceptive Images and Visual Tricks, Carlton, UK, 2020, . Ultimate Eye Twisters, Carlton, UK, 2019, . Amazing Optical Illusions, Carlton, UK, 2018, . Optical Illusions, QED Publishing, UK, 2017, . You Can't Possibly Color This!, Moondance Press, US, 2017, . How to draw incredible optical illusions, Imagine Publishing, US, 2015, . Xtreme Illusions 2, National Geographic Kids, US, 2015, Super Optical Illusions, Carlton Kids, UK, 2014, Hidden Picture Puzzles, Imagine Publishing, US, 2014, Optical Illusions: An Eye-Popping Extravaganza of Visual Tricks, Dover Publications, US, 2014, Impossible Colouring Book: Can You Colour These Amazing Visual Illusions?, Arcturus Publishing, UK, 2014, Make Your Own 3D Illusions - 3D illusions pack: All You Need to Build 50 Great Illusions, Carlton Books, UK, 2014, Impossible Folding Puzzles and Other Mathematical Paradoxes, Dover Publications, US, 2014,
Non-fiction books in other languages Optische Rätsel, Bassermann Verlag, Germany, 2026, Verbluffende optische puzzels, Deltas, Belgium, 2025, Fascinantes illusions d’optique, Chantecler, Belgium, 2025, Оптични илюзии, Publisher Фют, Bulgaria, 2024, Les millors il·lusions òptiques, Editorial Brúixola, Spain, 2020, Las mejores ilusiones ópticas, Editorial Bruño, Spain, 2020, Фантастические оптические иллюзии, KoLibri, Russian Federation, 2020, Optične iluzije, Tehniška Založba Slovenije D.d., Slovenia, 2019, Ilusões Óticas, Booksmile, Portugal, 2019, Varázslatos optikai csalódások, Ventus Libro Kiadó, Hungary, 2019, Optische illusies, Lantaarn Publishers, Netherlands, 2019, Ilusões de ótica, Quarto (Nobel), Brazil, 2018, Optische Illusionen, Ars Edition, Germany, 2018, Illusions d’optique, Fleurus, France, 2018, 錯視の魔術, Kyouikugageki, Japan, 2018, Optiska illusioner , Ordalaget, Sweden, 2018, Illusioni ottiche, Armenia, Italy, 2018, Vertigo: 50 Schwindelerregende Optische Illusionen, Moses Verlag, Germany, 2016, Optische Täuschungen XXL, Ars Edition, Germany, 2016, 謎解き錯視 傑作135選 (135 Mysterious Optic Artworks to Solve), Sogen-Sha, Japan, 2015, Libro para colorear figuras imposibles, Editorial HISPANO EUROPEA, Spain, 2014, 3D Optiset Harhat, Readme.fi, Finland, 2014, Incroyables Illusions d’Optique, Ça m’intéresse, France, 2014, 50 Illusions d’Optique 3D, Editions Ça m’intéresse, France, 2014, Illusions - Coloriage Créatif, Editions Bravo, Canada, 2014, 图中奥秘 : 挑战脑力的错视图 (Amazing Visual Illusions), Qingdao Shi, China, 2013, 图有玄机 : 挑战眼力的错视图 (The World of Visual Illusions), Qingdao Shi, China, 2013, Le Cabinet des Illusions d’Optique : 100 Illusions Stupéfiantes, Editions Fleurus, France, 2013, Удивительные оптические иллюзии (Amazing Visual Illusions), Art-Rodnik, Russian Federation, 2013, Рисуем оптические иллюзии (Drawing Optical Illusions), Art-Rodnik, Russian Federation, 2013, Kiehtovat Optiset Harhat, Kustannusosakeyhtiö Nemo, Finland, 2013, Optische Illusionen, Ars Edition, Germany, 2013, Pliages, découpages et magie, Editions Pole, France, 2012, De wonderlijke wereld van de optische illusies, Deltas Centrale uitgeverij, The Netherlands, 2012, Unglaubliche Optische Illusionen, Verlag an der Este, Germany, 2012, Artikel-Nr.: 019435 Spectaculaire Optische Illusies, Uitgeverij Atrium, The Netherlands, 2011, L’étrange univers des illusions d’optique, Editions Fleurus, France, 2011, Ilusiones Opticas, Circulo de Lectores Barcelona, Spain, 2010, Fantasticas ilusiones opticas, Editorial Libsa Sa, Spain, 2010, Optische Täuschungen, Bassermann F., Germany, 2009, Fantastische Optische Illusionen, Tosa Verlagsgesellschaft, Germany, 2008, FantaLogica, Edizioni La Meridiana, Italy, 2009, Neue Optische Illusionen, Weltbild, Germany, 2008, 阿基米德视幻觉游戏 (Archimedes' Visual Illusion Games), China Friendship Publishing Company, China, 2007, 视幻觉 (Optical illusions), China Friendship Publishing Company, China, 2007, Optische Illusionen, Weltbild, Germany, 2006, Niewe Optische Illusies, BZZTOH, The Netherlands, 2006, Nouvelles Illusions d’Optique, France Loisirs, France, 2006, MateMagica, Edizioni La Meridiana, Italy, 2005, L’Almanach du Mathématicien en herbe, Editions Archimède, France, 2002, La Couleur dans tous ses états, Editions Yva Peyret, France, 1995,
Personal life Sarcone has practiced and continues to practice various Martial arts and Combat sports, including Yoseikan budō, Kickboxing, Jujutsu), and holds a black belt in Taekwondo.Sarcone’s black belt session, June 2015.
References
Related links Best Illusion of the Year Contest Neuroscience Op art Optical illusion Recreational mathematics Thinking outside the box Visual thinking
External links
These Patterns Move But It’s All An Illusion by G. Sarcone The Optical Illusion That Makes Static Lines Look Like They're Pulsing G. Sarcone's autokinetic illusions on Scene 360 Archimedes-lab.org Rivista Magia 2011 Best Visual Illusions of the Year 2014 Best Visual Illusions of the Year 'Mask of Love' illusion by G. Sarcone G. Sarcone’s biography and bibliography on Amazon Sarcone’s works on Artstack gallery