Op Art: Educator Resources
Resources for any educator wishing to incorporate Op Art into the curriculum. Age/grade recommendations are included, but all plans and ideas should be easily adaptable for younger or older students.
Exploring Optical Movement in Art
A lesson plan for two 40-minute sessions, including standard, materials, background information, vocabulary and, of course, the activity itself. Geared toward students in elementary grades 4-6, and part of the larger ArtsWork site.
A lesson plan for two 40-minute sessions, including standard, materials, background information, vocabulary and, of course, the activity itself. Geared toward students in elementary grades 4-6, and part of the larger ArtsWork site.
Op Art Activities
There are quite a few of them (activities, that is) listed on this long, long page. It's never mentioned, but most seem appropriate for middle-school and above. There are some excellent illustrative graphics throughout, and a good bibliography toward the bottom of the page.
There are quite a few of them (activities, that is) listed on this long, long page. It's never mentioned, but most seem appropriate for middle-school and above. There are some excellent illustrative graphics throughout, and a good bibliography toward the bottom of the page.
Web Quest: Create an Optical Illusion
Although this lesson is "anchored in third-grade art" it is, as the author writes, easily extended to other grades. This page, for teachers, is jam-packed with standards and a nice table with which to evaluate your students' results.
Although this lesson is "anchored in third-grade art" it is, as the author writes, easily extended to other grades. This page, for teachers, is jam-packed with standards and a nice table with which to evaluate your students' results.
Op Art Circles
A pretty straightforward lesson plan for secondary-age students, the focus of which is to create a piece of Op art. From the much larger site KinderArt.
A pretty straightforward lesson plan for secondary-age students, the focus of which is to create a piece of Op art. From the much larger site KinderArt.
Psychedelic Checkerboard Op Art
A lesson plan for creating a "checkerboard" design using vertical lines and concentric circles. The top of this page contains the lesson as written for grades 4-6, while the bottom has the adaptation for grades 3-4.
A lesson plan for creating a "checkerboard" design using vertical lines and concentric circles. The top of this page contains the lesson as written for grades 4-6, while the bottom has the adaptation for grades 3-4.
Optical Illusions: A Lesson for Computer Art
Four activities detailed in a graphics-intense page, with an emphasis on integrating math. The software used isn't anything fancy, just a basic Paint program. These seem to be written for secondary-school aged students, but could be adapted to lower grades. From a project of the National Science Foundation Center for Graphics and Scientific Visualization.
Four activities detailed in a graphics-intense page, with an emphasis on integrating math. The software used isn't anything fancy, just a basic Paint program. These seem to be written for secondary-school aged students, but could be adapted to lower grades. From a project of the National Science Foundation Center for Graphics and Scientific Visualization.
Using Escher in Classrooms
"...a resource for those who are interested in teaching about Escher and integrating his artwork into a school curriculum." There are lots of lesson plans here (most involve tessellations), articles and links to all things Escher.
"...a resource for those who are interested in teaching about Escher and integrating his artwork into a school curriculum." There are lots of lesson plans here (most involve tessellations), articles and links to all things Escher.
Vasarely and Op Art Lesson Plan
A lesson plan for two 45-minute periods, aimed at students in grades 4-6. The plan has a lot of detailed edu-speak throughout, but it looks like the whole concept boils down to teaching the artistic principle of repetition.
A lesson plan for two 45-minute periods, aimed at students in grades 4-6. The plan has a lot of detailed edu-speak throughout, but it looks like the whole concept boils down to teaching the artistic principle of repetition.
Victor Vasarely Biography, Activities and Lesson Plans
This page, from the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, contains a brief biography of the "Father" of Op Art, along with several lesson plans and activities. The one entitled "Creating Rhythm and Movement in Art" would be especially well-suited to kinetic/kinesthetic learners and those with high "musical intelligence".
This page, from the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, contains a brief biography of the "Father" of Op Art, along with several lesson plans and activities. The one entitled "Creating Rhythm and Movement in Art" would be especially well-suited to kinetic/kinesthetic learners and those with high "musical intelligence".
Vasarely Bubble
This is just a nice little applet created in JavaSketchpad that illustrates the distorted grids with which Vasarely so frequently worked. One needs only the ability to drag one's cursor.
This is just a nice little applet created in JavaSketchpad that illustrates the distorted grids with which Vasarely so frequently worked. One needs only the ability to drag one's cursor.
Licium's Technology Resources: Optical Illusions
If you're looking for an all-in-one page of optical illusion graphics, this is a good starting point.
If you're looking for an all-in-one page of optical illusion graphics, this is a good starting point.