Mini-Project: Op Art
As my students are finishing up their 3D plaster letters my room becomes overloaded with half-done plastered pieces everywhere and while some letters are in progress being painted and others still have to finish plastering, and my tables are dusty, and kids are absent and everyone's on a different step, my art room quickly begins to look like an organized mess.
During those end-of-project days when the 3D letter forms are being finished and students are "done early" I introduce this mini Op Art project.
Since by now we have already discussed pattern and repetition, students use this idea to create an Optical illusion. (When I say, "mini," I mean that these are pretty small. My students created these on a piece of 9" x 12" paper cut in half so it's tiny and not too over-whelming.)
We look at the work of Bridget Riley and Victor Vassarely and learn about the visual impact of complementary colors. Students then create a optical illusion that uses a concentric circle and opposite colors for MAXIMUM IMPACT!
