Self Portraits Challenge: The Troxler Effect

If you do not know what the troxler effect is- please read this description before looking at my self portraits. 

A couple weeks ago I was on instagram... (@ me bro: www.instagram.com/alexmaria2468/), And I came across a post talking about the Troxler Effect. 

Wikipedia describes Troxler's Fading: "When one fixates on a particular point for even a short period of time, an unchanging stimulus away from the fixation point will fade away and disappear." 

Now apparently, this effect can occur when staring at human faces- or ones own face in a mirror! 

According to what I read on Psychology Today, a researcher named Dr. Caputo conducted a study where participants were asked to stare at their dimly lit reflections for 10 minutes, and almost half of them experienced the Troxler effect to the point where they "Saw fantastical and monstrous beings" in place of their own reflections! 

So I tried it out myself! And wow! What a cool (but creepy experience). I found you have to kind of fixate on one particular feature, because if your gaze roves across your face, everything stays pretty much unchanged. But I was able to experience some very severe distortions.

They were simultaneously unsettling and fascinating- to the point where I've been staring at the "troxler-monster-me" in the mirror just about every night, usually for a lot longer than ten minutes. 

I drew some self portraits- the first one is a pretty good representation of how I look at first glance. But as you scroll down you will see a progression of my troxler distortions, as they appear to me....

Now, I was kinda hesitatnt  to post these at all... Because I felt like they might be sorta... too revealing. I mean they don't fully understand why the troxler effect happens with faces... 

And I'm not sure whether science can rule this out- but when I'm looking into my own distorted eyes it almost looks like I'm staring at some of the suppressed parts of the real me- parts of my personality that are usually kept well hidden. 

I know that sounds ridiculous- but that's how it feels- like these portraits are little snapshots of parts of my personality which might normally be a little bit disguised in proper daylight. 

Anyway, the cats out of the bag... So here's to unwithheld honesty- take a look at the monster in my mirror:

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First my regular portrait:

That's me! Alex Maria, as his family and friends know him.

Next, some minor distortions. My face becomes a bit longer and my eyes a little deep-socketed. Almost skeletal. But it looks like me if I were on my deathbed or something.

That's also me! Alex Maria, with minor Troxler Distortions

Next one up is me with major Troxler Distortions. If I stare at the mirror long enough there's a deeper change and it's quite a leap, beginning to look less like a sickly version of me and more like some kind of vampiric monster. 

And me again! Alex Maria with Major Troxler Distortions

The last one coming up is certainly the weirdest... My face kinda collapses if I stare at the mirror long enough- my eyes are like caverns and my teeth are like insect mandibles. It's like a cross between a skull and an grasshopper's head.

And me one final time- with Severe Troxler Distortions. 

So... I hope you don't think less of me if you see me like this- in such compromising positions.

And-

I think it might be fun to issue a challenge- to anybody who reads this, but especially the scientists and artists!

Part one of the challenge: Go to a dimly lit room and stare into the mirror. Fixate on one part of your face and stare upwards of ten minutes. You might see the "real" you...

Part two of the challenge: draw some portraits and share them! You can link them in the comments here and I'll take a look, or you can #troxlerportraitchallenge on instagram and I might come across it. 

I'd love to see what other people think and draw! I have a real fascination with this stuff.

PS- here's my other art pieces!