Pop-Op: A Pop-up Book of Optical Illusions

Slide, spin, pop, and puzzle your way through a gallery of illusions.

In his inventive new pop-up book, artist and paper engineer David Carter transforms optical tricks into dazzling three-dimensional experiences.

Open a spread and watch patterns pulse, lines twist against logic, and arrows point in impossible directions.

Pull, lift, and peek as the pop-ups spring to life, each one daring you to trust what you see—then proving you wrong.

Carter’s clever constructions burst with bold color and surprising movement, inviting readers to laugh and marvel at how easily the eye can be deceived.

Children will delight in the shifting images, while adults will rediscover classic illusions reimagined in ingenious forms.

Part puzzle, part design object, and full of play, this book invites endless exploration. Its inventive paper engineering makes each spread a sculptural surprise, a miniature gallery of visual trickery rendered in three dimensions.