Pareidolia: A Distraction or Superpower?
Do you see crocodiles in clouds, faces on hills or landscapes on stones?
Turns out there's a name for it... pareidolia.
According to NASA, pareidolia “is the psychological phenomenon where we see recognisable shapes in clouds, rock formations, or otherwise unrelated objects”.
Why? Well some experts say it’s our brain’s way of processing and making sense of the world. Some say its our Stone Age brain protecting us from camouflaged predators and potential harm. Others say it’s our brain's prewired ability to detect faces from birth (BBC News).
Reasons aside, I think pareidolia must be great for creativity and calming the mind. I was one of those ‘daydreamer’ kids who’d gaze out the classroom window searching for animals in the clouds. This often frowned upon trait has become an artistic muscle I now cherish and rely upon to be able to do what I do.
Where some see a distracted mind, others see creativity in training.
Without pareidolia, or my tendency to get ‘lost in Lisa land’, I wouldn’t see landscapes upon the surfaces of stones.
Pareidolia is a superpower.
It's a fundamental trait without which, artworks like my latest release titled ‘Back of Beyond’ (below) simply wouldn’t exist.
Scottish digital artist, Lisa Poulsen
‘Back of Beyond’ limited edition print
I create digital art with textures of stone and release limited edition prints to an international audience. The artwork above titled ‘Back of Beyond’ is available for preorder this weekend only. If you’d like to be kept in the loop of future artwork releases, you’re welcome to subscribe to my newsletter here.