all 114 comments

[–]NeverAdopted 37 points38 points ago

I can't even begin to understand how.

[–]r0mster 14 points15 points ago

I imagine he has a process, but it seems like there would be a lot of trial and error.

[–]Glorfon 32 points33 points ago

Just a guess, maybe he sculpts it in place and watches the reflection instead of the real object.

[–]LEGITIMATE_SOURCE 5 points6 points ago

My assumption is that it's computerized and mechanically 'sculpted'.

[–]emperorOfTheUniverse 14 points15 points ago

That's the first thing I thought of. Do it with clay so it's very manageable, then once you see a frog, fire it in the kiln.

I don't understand why people think this is magic? It's a steadied dedicated hand for sure, but not magic. I'm sure it's very time consuming, and it's a neat idea, but it's not magic. It's possibly done with computers and shit, but I bet it would be easier the way we are describing.

[–]justicepanda 17 points18 points ago

But wait, is it magic?

[–]Smalz22 8 points9 points ago

Yes, yes it's magic.

[–]Akasazh 2 points3 points ago

THEN WHERE ARE THE MAGNETS?

[–]Smalz22 7 points8 points ago

Whoa whoa, we're not talking about miracles here, just magic.

[–]Akasazh 0 points1 point ago

butbutbut.... why am I so attracted by it then? I get confused...

[–]Smalz22 0 points1 point ago

Its okay, its only because you haven't reached the rank of a level 5 Laser Lotus

[–]roboguy12 0 points1 point ago

Psht, that's easy for you to say, Emperor

[–]tomtheimpaler 0 points1 point ago

I would just get a shiny surface that gave the opposite reflection and a regular shaped frog/toad and then take a picture of that and sculpt the distorted version into reality

[–]Karmamechanic 2 points3 points ago

Here's the 2 dimensional approach. Typically you start with a normal and a warped pantograph. Our 3d artist might use software and a Maker. http://toonistansviews.wordpress.com/tag/pantograph/

edit: It's important to note that the posterior of the piece is completed and unnecessary. This may imply that it was done as described above, or the artist is just very thorough.

[–]thundaclappa 0 points1 point ago

could just be 3d printed from a solidworks model or something

[–]FunkMeSoftly 0 points1 point ago

Perspective is an amazing thing, eh?

[–]EhictheLoon 27 points28 points ago

Seriously! How in the fuck?

[–]another-social-freak 31 points32 points ago

with computers I guess

[–]FreeDirt 16 points17 points ago

[–]Badgermeister 5 points6 points ago

[–]cailihphiliac -1 points0 points ago

I love that little gleam on the unicorn's horn at the end

[–]THREEinINK -1 points0 points ago

I fucking love this gif

[–]ssocks 0 points1 point ago

Magic - ftfy

[–]keeperofthegroove 7 points8 points ago

I was thinking the same thing. But what if he just creates the frog, and then stretches it?

[–]EhictheLoon 8 points9 points ago

That could be the case. Although, the task would pretty much be the same. How do you know how far to stretch it to keep a rationally proportioned image at the end. Still amazed.

[–]ZZZrp 17 points18 points ago

Math.

[–]Smalz22 1 point2 points ago

Magic.

[–]bodert 2 points3 points ago

look at the pole it's reflecting off of..

[–]Deracination 0 points1 point ago

I'm really confused. You said "But what if..." like he would stretch it without computers. You also said "just" like it's a simple matter. I thought stretching a frog by hand to look perfect on a pole was anything but a simple matter.

[–]CCNezin 2 points3 points ago

3D printing perhaps?

[–]werdan 0 points1 point ago

A real frog and a truck.

[–]Dis86 0 points1 point ago

probably with a concave mirror and a pic of a normal frog, than with lots of trials and errors turned it into a sculpture.

[–]Zahel 80 points81 points ago

Would be easy to replicate. You could easily create something like the toad in a 3d application like maya, write a script that deforms the mesh in a manner to where it appears to be reflected in a concave cylindrical mirror, and then 3d print it. Or, if you want it hand sculpted, do the above, and use it for reference instead of printing. Voila, you're an artist.

That aside, these really are neat.

[–]AlmightyMexican 12 points13 points ago

You probably don't have to write a script. I imagine this working with Lattice Points on Maya

[–]harriswill 11 points12 points ago

How the..... what the... how the fu....

oh, it's easy.

[–]Upvote_Responsibly 55 points56 points ago

It's not so much the execution, it's the idea. No one has thought of this before and it's pretty creative

[–]Loanhighknight 75 points76 points ago

Dali would disagree. You should know better than to say something is totally unique!

[–]Upvote_Responsibly 6 points7 points ago

Nice, I was unaware of this, thanks for sharing

[–]Myrv 2 points3 points ago

Not to mention, Guinness did it with a beer coaster.

[–]Picardgonewild 16 points17 points ago

Yeah, thank you for posting this. People seem to think this is a new idea but anamorphic imagery showed up in fine art as early as 1533.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ambassadors_(Holbein)

[–]cricketpants 2 points3 points ago

Learning about this painting is one of the reasons I'm glad I took 400 level Sociology of Art and Society. Memento Mori.

[–]krustok 38 points39 points ago

Thank you for saying this. Art does not have to be difficult. It is always about the idea. It's always funny when someone looks at art they don't understand and say that they could have done that. Well you probably could have.. but you didn't and now it is no longer new.

[–]xdewx -1 points0 points ago

It's like magic. It's always fucking amazing until you figure out how they do it. At that point it just becomes, "eh."

[–]austinburns -1 points0 points ago

Still pretty amazing even after you see how it's done.

Penn and Teller Cups and Balls

[–]valleyman86 3 points4 points ago

You probably dont need a script. You could use a projection matrix.

[–]ieGod 1 point2 points ago

Soooooooo easy. Look at me.

[–]arup02 0 points1 point ago

You said it would be easy...

[–]flsurf7 0 points1 point ago

hold on and let me get out my 3d printer to try this...

[–]Iwabu 17 points18 points ago

[–]Bradburn777 10 points11 points ago

Not in sculpture form.

[–]I_make_things 8 points9 points ago

[–]ProfTroll 7 points8 points ago

Remember this is the bastard who charges 4214% APR on a loan and actively promoted on his website 'Wonga' that students should borrow from him to pay off their student loans...

This guy, however talented an artist you think he is, is a greedy cunt.

[–]DirtyDutchPoser 7 points8 points ago

[–]Maximumscore 3 points4 points ago

Seriously? It hasn't even been a week!

[–]androidsixteen 2 points3 points ago

It's like the pole is dyslexic

[–]SkepticHD 2 points3 points ago

I need to learn to art.

[–]brotherwayne 2 points3 points ago

Bro you don't even art? Art harder.

[–]MFKrime 0 points1 point ago

this was awesome the first 4 times I saw it on reddit

[–]jahee 2 points3 points ago

Toadaly amazing

[–]SonumSaga 2 points3 points ago

What the fuuuck have you done to that frog?

[–]jonra 3 points4 points ago

SCULPTURE TRUTH: First draft, basically the whole design is done in 3D Studio Max. You could stretch that frog into that shape in 2 minutes. Add the mirror texture to the cylinder, render, Jonty Hurwitz Sculpture...then you have to sculpt it. Your "AMAZING" 3D computer model. Just lettings you know, great idea, but the 3D Studio Max does all the work. TRUFF

[–]ItsBobsledTime 3 points4 points ago

All the work except the sculpting, right?

[–]brotherwayne 0 points1 point ago

3D printing?

[–]charles_drawin 0 points1 point ago

Or output to .step or such and cnc cut...

[–]tgellen3692 2 points3 points ago

why is this amazing? it's a cool trick but hardly anything more artistic.

[–]blankname21 0 points1 point ago

When you take apart any form of art it becomes a series of neat tricks. What makes it amazing is that people are able to figure these things out and then execute it.

[–]SwimminAss 2 points3 points ago

I simply cannot upvote this hard enough

[–]apexpro 0 points1 point ago

Ok...that's seriously cool.

[–]noneo 1 point2 points ago

I haven't the slightest idea how he did this...

Maybe he drew the sculpture digitally with a rendered reflective post and just kept tweaking it until it was perfect.

But that does not explain how he actually made this a reality.

I am very impressed.

[–]DorothyJMan 1 point2 points ago

Holy shit, someone else called Jonty!

Sorry guys, this doesn't happen very often.

[–]Fuglypump 0 points1 point ago

First I imagine the artist took a model frog and put it next to the metal pole, then figured out a way to photograph the entire reflection observed on the pole. Then used that image to create an inverted model of the reflection to make its reflection the original shape of the model frog.

Maybe he/she did it another way, but that's how I'd imagine doing it.

[–]verbalsoze 1 point2 points ago

Later we find out they're just stickers on the poles

[–]LlamakazePilot 1 point2 points ago

Here's some more of his work with some words from the artist himself.

Colossal is one of the best sites I've ever stumbled upon. Enjoy!

[–]ChemCrafter 1 point2 points ago

Here are some more, a link from r/art

[–]SamWise050 -1 points0 points ago

That is fucking ridiculous. Seriously, amazing

[–]rumathlete 0 points1 point ago

do one with the tardar sauce. that would be funny to see. wow thats looks..NO

[–]Carmicblurz -1 points0 points ago

We can't see behind the stretched piece, maybe there is just an actual frog chillin there?

[–]JohnnyBoyMartini 1 point2 points ago

Oh! This sculpture is downstairs in the lobby at work :) I work in Tower 42 London

[–]Mike0802 -1 points0 points ago

hey everyone...if this is so fucking easy, why don't you go make this with your theories of 3D printers and other things and post what you've made. I can't wait to see your sculptures, skeptics.

[–]FiigNag 0 points1 point ago

I like to imagine this is how things look in a universe with different laws of physics than ours.

[–]franstoobnsf 0 points1 point ago

COME ON!!! How the fuck does someone's brain work this way?!

[–]dylvital 0 points1 point ago

At first I was like "WOAH", and then I was like, "WOOAAHH".

[–]ProudGinger 0 points1 point ago

If you move around, will the image of the frog get distorted? Basically can the frog only be seen from a specific range is what I'm asking.

[–]K0rilla -1 points0 points ago

its not a sculpture, he created the model in a 3d modeling computer program and printed it using a 3d printer.

[–]delirium98 0 points1 point ago

I was really confused, until i looked up the artist's site.

[–]NitroNick93 0 points1 point ago

One of those curvatures looks like bad joke eel on the end.

[–]thehigherlow 1 point2 points ago

Jabba probably used a reflective pole as a mirror.

[–]direwolfed 0 points1 point ago

Thoughts while looking at sculpture, what the hell is this craphhuck me .. Good Lawd! It's a frog!

[–]taters_n_gravy 0 points1 point ago

huh?...oh!...wait...what the...how?

[–]Kronos6948 0 points1 point ago

I had a toy/game/thing like this when I was a kid, that you would put a special drawing under the cylinder to see what the drawing really was. I played with it about 5 minutes and got bored.

[–]thinknic 0 points1 point ago

this shit fists my mind

[–]BITCH_ASS_NIGGAS 0 points1 point ago

Nice try, Jonty Hurwitz

[–]actlikeyoudontknowme 0 points1 point ago

He should make a huge park bench like this...

[–]ferrhis 0 points1 point ago

If anyone wants more of these kinds of sculptures, Chuck Close does them too with portraits. They're pretty nifty.

[–]reborn8u 0 points1 point ago

[–]Otumscray 0 points1 point ago

Thats TOADaly a frog !

[–]theholyroller 0 points1 point ago

William Kentridge made an amazing video animation using this same idea. His is cooler. http://www.dia.org/object-info/51711f2f-4e95-4cc3-b3ff-1cd37821b0d2.aspx

[–]halloni -2 points-1 points ago

Wow he really is stretching his talent in this one!

[–]colewrus -2 points-1 points ago

[–]KEGEL_reminder -5 points-4 points ago

So what, we're just reposting all his work individually for karma now? Fuck off

[–]LlamakazePilot 1 point2 points ago

Shhhhhh... That fleeting moment of pleasure they're having at hundreds of strangers approving of something they had no part in creating might be all they have.

[–]stupidrobots -3 points-2 points ago

I wish I was autistic enough to do stuff like this

[–]LNZ42 0 points1 point ago

After he squished a frog with his 2,5 ton truck he thought: "Hey! This is totally awesome! I bet I can make money with this"