[eindiran]

The original one uses a red ribbon throughout the zoom; is there a reason why that helps visually maintain the illusion? Is it just a stylistic choice?

The second one doesn't contain a static object that travels with the camera in the frame at all times, and the zooming in effect is still visually compelling, so it doesn't seem necessary. But I really liked the constant ribbon in the first.

Also, who did the art for them? Was it a team effort or just a single person?

[EDIT] It looks like Arcadia also has a sort of ribbon effect, though it is more subtle than the single, same color ribbon in the original.

[baumgarn]

Zoomquilt 1+2 was done by a bunch of illustrators. A person would paint a single frame, which would be scaled down and given to another person to continue painting around while blending into the previous frame. The picture would develop much like the Cadavre Exquis surrealist drawing game, and part of the fun is to continue and transform what the person before you left. Arkadia I painted together with my friend Sophia Schomberg.

[codetrotter]

I remember those trees with the faces. I think I read about Zoomquilt in the mid 2000's in one of the magazines I used to buy. And I think they included a copy of the swf on the cover disc, which was nice because I probably didn’t have Internet on my computer back then.

The magazine where I read about it and got the swf from was I think either Digital Creative Arts magazine, or Digital Arts magazine, or Computer Arts magazine. All of those were different magazines I used to buy from time to time. Could also have been ImagineFX magazine or in one of the web design magazines.

[tartoran]

Very pretty, thanks for sharing.

In Arkadia spacebar pauses the zoom. After a few minutes of watching the illustrations zoom in the scene appears to be zooming out but of course it is not, just neat illusion.

[core-questions]

That effect carries through to anything else you're looking at (i.e. for me the HN comment box is shrinking right now...)

[olejorgenb]

I think the color cycling (doesn't pause) might play a role also.

[tartoran]

Yes, that enhances the illusion for sure