fakus pencil case collection tricks the eye

fakus pencil case collection fools the eye
all images courtesy of jetpens

the ‘fakus’ pencil cases by japanese retailer sun-star trick the eye with a humorous optical illusion, forcing their appearance to look three dimensional when it’s actually flat. the colorful collection of cotton holders come in pink, blue, yellow, brown, purple and green and each feature fake embellishments — like hand-drawn stitching, snaps, zippers and tags — which enhance the visual trickery. thick black outlines frame each design, surrounding a brightly hued surface, bringing a cartoon-like color palette and scheme to every item. the product’s namesake combines the english word ‘fake’ and the japanese ‘kusu’ — an onomatopoeia for laughter. the trompe l’oeil art technique applies to the exterior of the cases; within, about a dozen pens and pencils can be held at a time, making the playful pouches both a functional and comical spin on stationary design.

the holder seems to be three dimensional

rectangular pouch in blue holding pencils and pens

green triangular pencil holder

detail of the trompe l’oeil stitching

the pink product, without items inside

pink tubular case holds pens and pencils

purple pouch holds items in various pockets

detail of the colorful pouch

brown features a trompe l’oeil zipper

the cotton pencil holder in brown

small yellow version

detail of stitching and label

h/t