Digital Op Art

I can't believe I haven't posted this project before! I tried it for the first time with my Computer Graphics class this year and it was a keeper. We covered art history, graphic design, and practiced some new skills in photoshop.
When I show the first slide without the Op Art title, I ask the students if they know what that style of artwork is called or if it reminds them of anything to gauge their prior knowledge. We talk about the "mother" and "father" of Op Art and what we can learn to apply to graphic design.


Next, I demonstrate some techniques in photoshop that the students can try out but ultimately they choose what style of Op Art they want to use. We talk about color combinations, grid/ruler tools, gradient tools, distortion filters, etc.
The technique that the most students want to use is to put text into their Op Art. I recorded a quick video this afternoon of the steps we use. I obviously need to practice screen recording since I flubbed the beginning and end, but at least it will be handy to direct students to that video when they've forgotten a step!


Here are some of the student examples!

4th Grade Shape Paintings

Last year I had all my 4-6th grade students vote on their favorite projects to help me decide which ones were "keepers".  My 4th grade students voted for Geometric Shape Op Art (click on the link to see last year's projects) and landscape paintings that blended watercolors and had salt sprinkled on it to make bright colors with cool texture.  I wasn't totally satisfied with either project.  The landscape idea came from my cooperating teacher during student teaching and though I changed it a little bit and loved the bright, finished paintings, I thought it was lacking.  The Op Art project was very frustrating and didn't turn out the best even though I felt I had good intentions of covering lots of material- shape, complementary colors, math tie in, etc.  I decided to combine the two projects and I am much happier with it!

I got a list of the geometric shapes that are on the 4th grade math assessment to start.  I printed the shapes off on colored card stock, laminated, and cut so that each table would have a set of tracers.  I also had compasses available to make larger circles.  At the beginning of the first class, we reviewed organic and geometric shapes and the students named the geometric shapes as I held them up in the air.  I explained the first step: trace geometric shapes on your paper to create an interesting composition with overlapping.  The students traced with pencil then traced the pencil with fine point sharpies.  I was looking at the drawings and saw something that would become a problem with the next step- the negative space was one giant shape!  I had the students get rulers and use the straight edge to make 3 or 4 lines at different angles go clear across their paper.

On day 2, I introduced analagous colors.  I showed the students the colors that are next to each other on the color wheel are also next to each other in the watercolor paint trays.  I spent a couple minutes quizzing them to check for understanding.

Iif you are only using analgous colors would you ever use red and green?

If you are using orange, what two colors could you combine with it?

Etc.

I pointed out how new shapes are created when the geometric shapes or lines overlapped.  I told the students that each shape should have two analagous colors in it.  I demonstrated carefully painting in half of a shape and then while the paint was still wet, painting the other half with an analagous color so that they would blend in the middle.  I showed the students how to sprinkle a TINY bit of salt on the wet paint to create a texture.  They always think it's like magic to see the salt soak up the paint.  I suggested that the students skip around their paper instead of painting shapes that were touching for two reasons.  1- That gives the paint a chance to dry so colors don't bleed into other shapes.  2- It's one of my "artist tricks".  If you run out of time and things are balanced, it looks like it's on purpose.  If you run out of time and one half is painted and the other half is empty, it's obvious that you ran out of time!

I was only planning on 2 classes for this project but had to add another one.  Some students achieved a nice balance between the colored and white spaces but most did not and they looked unfinished.  About 2/3 of the students were able to get every shape painted in the 2nd class.  Learned helplessness is a big problem at my school.  We have discussed it as a staff and try things like encouraging the students to see what others are doing bore they ask the teacher for help.  I had lots and lots of students coming up to ask me if two colors were ok to use together after we spent a good amount of time on it.  I didn't want to just say yes or no, I wanted the studnets to figure it out!  I started asking them "Are they next to each other on the color wheel?"  Then they would go look and get to work.

I have one 4th grader who is quite a character. He LOVES Art (last year he asked me every single time he came to class if we were going to do an Art contest!) but is not the best at following directions or using good craftsmanship. Needless to say, he kind of struggled with this project.  I also had a student turn his wet painting totally sideways up in the air to show me.  He learned cause and effect as his paint blurred together and dripped down his paper!



4th Grade Geometric Shape Op Art

Op Art is a style of art that confuses the visual senses by generating optical vibrations or ambiguous or undulating spatial relationships. I created the Op Art picture above to introduce the style of Op Art we would be creating to my students.

4th grade students brought together art, math, and science when they created their own Op Art using geometric shapes and complementary colors. First the students practiced measuring skills by using a ruler to create a grid. Next, the students chose geometric shapes and arranged them over the grid. I had a list of shapes that will show up on the Math State Assessment so I created (labeled) laminated shape stencils for them to trace. Finally complementary colors were chosen and added to the artwork. Complementary colors are opposite on the color wheel so the color relationship enhanced the optical vibrations.

This is probably the most successful student example.

I don't know how successful this project was overall. Most of the students acted like they had never used a ruler before. Maybe they haven't. Maybe I'll try it again after they have had me as an art teacher for a couple years. Even after I demonstrated measuring, marking every inch, using the ruler to draw a straight line, reviewing, reviewing, and reviewing some more, I couldn't believe how many different ways the students came up with to not follow directions! Some didn't measure all. Some got WAY off on their measurements. Some only measured on one side and tried to eyeball it to make a straight line to the other side. Some measured all four sides but didn't use the ruler to draw the connecting line. Some measured correctly but didn't line up the ruler.

Then the color part was tricky and I understood that. I really don't think it was too hard for the students but a lot of times they convince themselves that it is before they even try! The project was done in about 2 and a half 40 minute class periods and almost all of them could have used more time. The project had to end with the semester so several students took their drawings with them to finish.

Most of the examples I used to introduce Op Art were found on the Scientific American website in the article from November 18, 2008 called

Art as Visual Research: 12 Examples of Kinetic Illusions in Op Art

The article included useful information and a slideshow of examples.

Other useful links: Victor Vasarely, Leader of the Op Art Movement

Bridget Riley and Op Art <--- Cool recording of her speaking about colors