One of the most widely reported effects of taking psychedelics is colorful and kaleidoscopic visuals. Just thinking of the word “psychedelic” conjures up images full of dazzling colors and mind-bending, trippy patterns. Now, with the help of technology and human ingenuity, psychedelic art can be found almost anywhere with just a click of a button. From the artistic visionaries popping up on Instagram to AI learning how to generate artificial visuals similar to taking DMT–”high” art is everywhere.
Trippy Patterns? Yes, please.
There’s still a lot we don’t know about the science of psychedelic visuals, but can all agree that trippy patterns are enjoyable to look at. So whether you’re currently tripping or you are just a fan of mind-bending visuals, take a few minutes to center yourself, breathe, and appreciate some of our favorite trippy patterns.
Loop Star
This abstract GIF of a dotted star pattern rising and falling may have you contemplating your existence in this vast galaxy if you stare at it for too long, but we can’t help marveling at its simplicity. Combine this endless loop with your favorite psychedelic music for optimum viewing and prepare for liftoff.
READ: We Can’t Stop Staring at This Trippy Psychedelic Art
The Sky Is Pink
While we can’t guarantee that everyone’s trip experience will include watching the world around them slowly melt and resume shape, we can say that watching this oily, flowing mass of color shift around our screen makes us feel all warm and tingly inside–like a kitten who’s fallen asleep in a sunbeam.
DMT
Psychedelics often bring about stunning visuals of geometric forms and kaleidoscopic patterns that can be incredibly vibrant and pleasing in the correct setting. We challenge you to observe this hauntingly trippy animation for a few moments and not feel a greater sense of spiritual balance.
Weed Tripping
While we have yet to consume a cannabis strain that caused the world around us to literally melt, we can always dream.
READ: 57 Greatest Psychedelic Quotes of All Time
Mandala
Mandala art is a form of spiritual and ritualistic art that originated in Hinduism and Buddhism. It typically involves the creation of intricate geometric patterns within a circular design meant to represent the universe and the interconnectedness of all things.
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The word “mandala” comes from the Sanskrit language and means “circle” or “center.” In spiritual traditions, mandalas are used as a meditation aid to help practitioners focus their attention and enter into a state of deep contemplation. In GIF form, mandalas are extremely soothing to watch while tripping–especially when they’re neon.
Patterns Beware
Trypophobia is a condition that brings on feelings of disgust or fear when you see patterns with lots of holes. Although flowers, sponges, and certain fruits are known to cause this response, we checked WebMD, and there wasn’t any mention of this GIF.
Op Art in Motion
There’s something about watching an aqua-colored cube morph into a corkscrew that reminds us of our own fragile lives. Just like the ocean’s ebb and flow this GIF feels timeless—like it will be around long after we are gone. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stop for a second and admire its beauty.
3D Perfect Loops
Our favorite part of any sci-fi film is a tie between seeing epic planets teeming with alien life and seeing people travel at the speed of light. This GIF features the latter in an electrifying loop that we can’t stop watching. Does this tunnel lead to the cold, dark vacuum of deep space? Or, was it never about the destination but the friends we made along the way? Only time will tell.
Dance Party
The disco ball stands as one of the most iconic symbols of the disco era. Charles “Charlie” Adams created the first disco ball in the late 1960s using small pieces of glass set in a round frame to create a reflective surface. The disco ball quickly became a popular fixture in nightclubs and discotheques, where its dazzling and immersive light show helped inebriated guests dance until the sun came up. The swirling color palette in this groovy pattern reminds us of the epic “dancing elephants” scene from Dumbo, while the 70’s vibe makes us feel like we are cutting a rug at Studio 54.
Loop Nft
M.C. Escher fans, this one’s for you. Watching these stairs transform in machine-like fashion reminds us of the hustle and bustle of traffic in a big city. Each angle plays its own role, like gears inside a factory, to give us a spectacularly attention-hogging psychedelic pattern that begs us to question which path to take.
Neon Eye
While the exact origin of tie-dye is unclear, it is believed to have been used for thousands of years in various cultures around the world. In the United States, tie-dye became popular in the 1960s and 1970s as part of the counterculture movement and is often associated with the psychedelic fashion of that era. To us, this tie-dye pattern is a symbol of peace, love, and a great way to get lost staring into its technicolored eye.
Trippy Echo
Watching this spiraling GIF slowly unravel reminds us of a majestic purple flower or the ripples in a pond during a rainstorm. Whatever this trippy pattern reminds you of, we can all agree that it’s calming, trippy, and definitely worthy of its place in our list.
Geometric Black And White
Sacred geometry describes the belief that certain geometric shapes and patterns have divine or spiritual significance. It is based on the idea that certain shapes and patterns reflect the underlying principles and order of the universe and that by understanding and using these shapes and patterns, one can gain insight into the nature of reality and the cosmos. So, whether you see sacred shapes or tiny cells dividing at an alarming pace, this trippy GIF provides hours of entertainment.
Van Gogh Stare
Seeing the textures and shapes of objects morph, warp, and “breathe” during psychedelic trips is an effect known as “drifting”. If you’ve ever wondered what drifting looks like but have yet to experience it, take a few moments to view the hypnotic pattern at the top of this gif before viewing the painting below it. Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” was inspired by the view from his window at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy, in southern France.
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