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THE FAMILIAR

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Current status:Research Notes: 7
Participant Practices: 21
Personal Practices: 49
Experiments: ongoing
Cards developed: 43Independent ResearchNo institutional affiliation.
This project is developed independently through public experiments and open documentation.

Method

The Familiar methodology is currently being developed through repeated practice, participant sessions, field observations and ongoing research.Its core process remains intentionally simple:Create → Pause → Observe → Recognize → Continue → Develop → ReflectThe same core structure can be adapted to different ages and contexts through changes in language, facilitation and the level of reflection.The methodology remains exploratory and may continue to change as new observations emerge.

Research

What is The Familiar?The Familiar — An Independent Exploratory Research ProjectThe Familiar is an independent exploratory project investigating how people recognise familiar forms in ambiguous images and how their interpretations may develop through continued observation.A few lines can become a face, an animal, an object, or something entirely unexpected. Once a form is recognised, attention may begin to follow that interpretation. But does the first recognition influence what becomes visible next, or does it simply help guide further observation?The project explores these possibilities through visual perception practices, ambiguous drawings, metaphorical associative cards, and the documentation of individual observations and responses.Research ApproachThe Familiar uses open-ended visual practices to explore the relationship between recognition, attention, interpretation, and re-viewing.Rather than seeking a single correct interpretation, the project focuses on how people describe what they see, the order in which different forms are recognised, and whether interpretations persist, alternate, coexist, or change over time.The working hypotheses remain open to alternative explanations. Observations are documented and considered alongside relevant research literature as the methodology continues to develop.Practices and Visual ToolsThe project brings together several complementary elements:Participant Practices — structured visual activities designed to collect observations and responses from participants.Personal Practices — individual exploratory exercises used to examine the process, refine instructions, and develop further questions.Visual Experiments — ongoing explorations of recognition, interpretation, and the experience of looking again.Metaphorical Associative Cards — visual compositions designed to support multiple possible interpretations and encourage further observation.These elements serve different purposes within the project. Their development and use contribute to an evolving methodology rather than a fixed or completed system.Documentation and DevelopmentThe Familiar is documented as an ongoing process. Research Notes record observations, emerging patterns, interpretations, limitations, and questions for further exploration.The project also draws on relevant scientific literature to examine its working hypotheses and consider alternative explanations. Individual responses and observations are treated as exploratory material, not as proof of a general psychological mechanism.Periodic research bulletins provide updates on the project's development, including changes to the methodology, new observations, relevant literature, and planned next steps.Independent ResearchThe Familiar is developed independently and has no institutional affiliation. The project progresses through self-directed exploration, participant engagement, and open documentation.Scope and LimitationsThe Familiar is an exploratory project, not a validated psychological assessment or diagnostic tool. Its practices are not designed to determine personality traits, diagnose psychological conditions, or establish therapeutic effects.The project aims to document experiences carefully, distinguish observations from interpretations, and develop its questions and methodology in response to the material collected.Follow the ResearchThe project's core questions and methodological principles remain ongoing areas of exploration. For developments, new observations, and periodic research updates, follow the Research Bulletin.The Familiar — an ongoing exploration of recognition, attention, interpretation, and the many ways we see.Read the Research Notes →

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ParticipateThe project is continuously collecting data through public perception studies.Your participation helps shape future experiments and publications.Take part in the current study →

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RESEARCH UPDATESMonthly Research BulletinThe Familiar is an ongoing exploratory project. Each month, a research bulletin documents its development, bringing together progress to date, emerging observations, relevant scientific literature, and questions for further exploration.The bulletin may include updates on the project's working hypotheses, the development of its methodology, observations from personal practices and participant sessions, and the evolution of its open visual practices.Each issue distinguishes between observations, interpretations, and questions that remain open. The aim is to make the research process transparent and document how the project develops over time.Follow the monthly Research Bulletin to explore what has been learned, what remains uncertain, and what comes next.

• Open Practices

The Familiar offers a growing collection of free, open visual practices for anyone curious about perception, recognition, and interpretation.These short activities invite you to explore what you notice in ambiguous images, how familiar forms emerge, and what happens when you look again. No artistic skills or previous experience are required.The practices are designed for individual exploration and observation. You can try them at your own pace, follow the instructions, and reflect on your experience. Some practices also invite you to record observations or share feedback, helping inform the ongoing development of the project.Participate in a PracticeChoose a practice, follow its instructions, and explore your own experience. Participation is voluntary, and you can engage with the activities without making a commitment to the project or providing feedback.The practices are free and openly available. They are part of an independent exploratory project and are not diagnostic tests or validated psychological assessments.An Open ProcessThe Familiar is an ongoing exploration. The practices may evolve as observations are collected, questions are refined, and new approaches are developed. Research updates document this progress and distinguish individual observations from interpretations and working hypotheses.You are welcome to explore the practices, reflect on what you notice, and follow the project's development.

• Open Practices

Practice
Explore The FamiliarThe printable card collections are practical tools developed within The Familiar research project.Each card begins as an abstract hand-drawn sketch and gradually evolves into an image containing multiple recognizable forms. Rather than offering fixed meanings, the cards encourage observation, recognition, and reflection.Every person may discover different shapes, follow different visual paths, and build different associations.The practice is not about finding the "correct" interpretation.It is about observing how recognition itself changes perception.Current CollectionThe first edition includes:• Set I – 12 metaphorical associative cards• Set II – 12 metaphorical associative cards• Set III – 12 metaphorical associative cards• Complete Collection – 36 cards, Companion Book, and a printable storage boxAll collections are available as high-resolution printable PDF files.From Sketch to PerceptionEvery card starts with a simple hand-drawn sketch.No object is planned in advance.Recognizable forms gradually emerge through observation, refinement, and visual exploration while preserving the original ambiguity of the drawing.The sketches shown below are part of that creative process.Available on EtsyThe complete printable collections can be downloaded through the official Etsy shop.View the collections →

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Every finished card once looked like this. Recognition was discovered—not drawn.

What is The Familiar?

The Familiar is an independent research project created by artist and researcher Dilyana Teneva.Rather than assuming a fixed sequence of recognition, the project explores how attention, prior experience, context and emerging recognition may interact during the process.

Research Bulletin #001

October 2026Current Focus:The Familiar is an independent exploratory project investigating how people recognise familiar forms in ambiguous images and how their interpretations develop when they look again.
The current focus is the relationship between initial recognition and subsequent perception: does the first interpretation influence what becomes visible next, or does it simply guide attention?Development So Far:The project brings together visual perception practices, participant observations, personal experiments, and 36 metaphorical associative cards. Research Notes document emerging observations, questions, and possible interpretations.
The methodology remains in development. Individual observations are treated as exploratory material, not as evidence of a universal mechanism.Open Practices:Three visual practices form part of the project's ongoing exploration. They invite participants to observe what they recognise, notice the order of their interpretations, and reflect on their experience.
The practices are open and free to explore. Participation is voluntary; feedback is welcome but not required.What Comes Next?The next stage is to refine the practices, gather further observations, engage with relevant research literature, and examine alternative explanations for how recognition and re-viewing interact.
The central question remains open: what happens to perception after something has already been recognised?Support the Project:The Familiar is developing through independent exploration, creative practices, and open documentation. If you would like to help the project continue to grow, you can support its development through the Ulule campaign.Support The Familiar on Ulule:

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