Double Letters

thingiverse

I came across several examples of 3D letters used to produce two distinct words depending on the perspective from which they are viewed. I attempted to search online for more ideas and implementations but struggled to articulate what I was looking for. The first time I encountered this phenomenon was a few years ago at an exhibit showcasing optical illusions. The centerpiece of the room consisted of lines with no inherent meaning, yet when suddenly turned around, one could read "YES" on one side and "NO" on the other. For this art project, the emphasis lay in the importance of not misconstruing a "Yes" for a "No," as well as the potential for misunderstandings and misjudgments among people. I'm focusing here on the techniques that make such illusions possible, given our makers' background. More recently, a colleague of mine spotted one at a company entrance, where from one vantage point one could read "Welcome" (a common greeting upon arrival) and from another angle, the company's name was visible. This sparked my interest in creating similar examples. Another instance involved a skewer with letters replacing fruits or meat, featuring two distinct words. Both versions were comprised of solid letters. Soon you'll see a version incorporating cube and hollow letters. And maybe one day, if I grasp how to implement it, you'll find an OpenScad version for editing your own words.