How to Draw an Impossible Trident

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Learn how to draw a great looking Impossible Trident with easy, step-by-step drawing instructions, and video tutorial.

By following the simple steps, you too can easily draw a perfect Impossible Trident.

​Step by Step Instructions for Drawing​ an Impossible Trident

How to Draw a Great Looking Impossible Trident for Kids and Beginners - Step 1

How to Draw an Impossible Trident Step 01

1. Begin by drawing three straight lines connected at right angles. Notice that the lines are of different lengths, the middle line being much shorter than the others. The figure should resemble a diagonal rectangle that is open on one end.

Easy Impossible Trident Drawing - Step 2

How to Draw an Impossible Trident Step 02

2. Draw an oval at the end of the nearest line. This forms the tip of the trident's prong.

Easy Impossible Trident Drawing - Step 3

How to Draw an Impossible Trident Step 03

3. From the bottom of the oval, draw a long straight line parallel to the original line. Then, connect it to the right angle of the figure using a short straight line. This outlines the side of the nearest prong.

Easy Impossible Trident Drawing - Step 4

How to Draw an Impossible Trident Step 04

4. Draw a small oval at the tip of the remaining line. This forms the point of the far prong.

Easy Impossible Trident Drawing - Step 5

How to Draw an Impossible Trident Step 05

5. From the bottom of the oval, draw a long straight line running parallel to the original line. This outlines the far prong of the trident.

Easy Impossible Trident Drawing - Step 6

How to Draw an Impossible Trident Step 06

6. Draw a straight line from the inner end of this prong, parallel to the back of the trident. Do not fully connect the line to the opposite prong.

Easy Impossible Trident Drawing - Step 7

How to Draw an Impossible Trident Step 07

7. From the line drawn in Step 6, extend a long straight line, parallel to the first prong. Extend this line beyond the tip of the first prong. This line forms both the top side of the first prong and begins the outline of the middle prong.

Add More Details to Your Impossible Trident Picture - Step 8

How to Draw an Impossible Trident Step 08

8. Draw an oval at the end of the line drawn in Step 7. This forms the tip of the middle prong.

Complete the Outline of Your Impossible Trident Drawing - Step 9

How to Draw an Impossible Trident Step 09

9. Draw a straight line from the oval back to the base of the trident, but do not connect it to the base. Instead, draw a short line from the end of this line to the opposite side of the middle prong. Then, connect the right angle where these lines meet to the right angle just above it.

Color Your Impossible Trident Drawing

How to Draw an Impossible Trident Step 10

10. Shade your impossible trident. Notice how the shading in our example lends visible weight to the optical illusion.

Would you like to draw more impossible objects? Check out our selection of manmade objects drawing guides,where you'll find other impossible objects; triangle, square, heart, cube, and more.

For more great Things to draw tutorials, see the 100 Cute Things to draw Designs post.

Easy, step by step Impossible Trident drawing tutorial
How to Draw an Impossible Trident Pinterest Image

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Learn More About The Impossible Trident Drawing

The impossible trident, also called the impossible fork, blivet, or devil's tuning fork, is a type of impossible object.

The two-dimensional drawing appears to be a three-dimensional rendering of "three cylindrical prongs at one end which then mysteriously transform into two rectangular prongs at the other end."

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This is due to the brain's tendency to "make sense" of the contours of the drawing, although they defy geometry.

This optical illusion appears to have arisen during the 1960s. The impossible trident appears in artwork such as Roger Haywards's "Undecidable Monument," the June 1964 issue of Analog of Science Fiction and Fact, and the 1965 cover of Mad magazine.

Explanations as to how to draw artwork based on the impossible trident were published in Worm Runner's Digest in 1967 and 1968.

What exactly is a trident, anyway? A trident is a three-pronged spear, typically used in fishing or as a weapon. In the mythologies of Greece, Rome, and Hinduism, gods wielded tridents and held power over the sea.

This theme remains in the DC Comics character Aquaman. Another famous use of the trident appears in the hands of Ariel's father in Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989).

Would you like to draw an impossible trident? This easy, step-by-step drawing tutorial is here to help. All you will need is a pencil, pen, or marker and a sheet of paper. You may also wish to color your finished drawing.

If you liked this drawing tutorial, see also the following guides: Impossible Triangle drawing, Impossible Square drawing, and Impossible Cube drawing.

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