Zoomquilt: weird website review & sites like it

Zoomquilt is one picture that never stops being a doorway. You arrive on a painted scene, and the image begins to zoom forward. Just as you think you have reached the center, a new painted world opens up inside it, and then another, each handing you off to the next in a continuous dive.

The piece is a collaborative artwork, built from hand-painted scenes blended together so the seams disappear. Nothing needs to be clicked and nothing needs to be solved. You simply watch, or nudge the zoom speed, and let the images drift past.

It is one of the calmest sites in our collection and a fine way to take a two-minute break from a busy screen. Full-screen on a big monitor with the lights low is the best way to see it, although it also runs on phones. If you finish and want more tunnel, there is a follow-up at /site/zoomquilt-2, and more soothing picks in the /category/art-visual collection.

Tips for getting the most out of it

Go full-screen for the full dreamlike effect.
Use the controls to slow down the zoom if it feels too fast.
Look for how each scene hides the doorway into the next.

Questions about Zoomquilt

What is Zoomquilt?

Zoomquilt is an endlessly zooming artwork made from a sequence of hand-painted scenes. Each scene blends into the next, so you appear to fall continuously through different painted worlds without ever reaching an end. Plan on about 5 min. It works on phones.

Does Zoomquilt ever end?

No. The sequence loops, so the zoom continues indefinitely. You can watch for as long as you like, and there is a sequel, Zoomquilt 2, for another endless dive. Plan on about 5 min. It works on phones. You can find it at zoomquilt.org, and we check the link daily.