1. Optical Art Exploring Rational Number Equivalents through Art

2. Mathematics & Art?  There is a clear connection between the disciplines of art and mathematics, particularly in the work of abstract art.  Through Op Art (Optical Art), you will be asked to model rational numbers in pictorial form.  This activity will allow you to develop your understanding of rational numbers by creating a visual model.

3. Rational Numbers  A rational number is any number that can be written as a decimal that either terminates or goes on and on in a repeating pattern.  ½ can be written as 0.5  ¼ can be written as 0.25  6 can be written as 6.0  1/3 can be written as 0.333333333…  0.245245245245245…

4. Irrational Numbers  An irrational number is a decimal number that goes on and on without any repeating pattern.  Pi (3.14159265358979323846…)  √2 = 1.4142135623730950488016887242097…, a decimal that goes on and on without repeating.

5. Optical Art (Op Art)  Op Art is short for optical art.  The makers of Op Art aim to deceive the eye by means of geometric patterns in which colour contributes to the optical illusion.  The origins of Op Art go back to the mainly European tradition of trompe l’oeil (French for deceives the eye).  Measurement and subdivision of the canvas are hallmarks of this form of abstract expressionism.

6. Piet Mondrian  Dutch painter (1872-1944) who created a geometrical abstract style known as neoplasticism, which had widespread influence on modern painting, architecture, and design.  “Composite Dambord, donkere Kleuren” / “Checkerboard Composition, Dark Colours” (1919)  The piece is based on a basic grid, modeled after the popular checkerboard.

7. Piet Mondrian

8.  Valued at $21,008,000

9. Victor Vasarely  Hungarian-French artist (1906- 1997)  Studied medicine for 2 years, then transferred to the Podolini-Volkmann Academy where he studied painting and modern art  “Ambigu-B” (1970)  Worked as a graphic artist in the 1930’s and created what is considered the first Op Art piece “Zebra”  “The art of tomorrow will be a collective treasure or else it will not be art at all.”

10. Victor Vasarely: “Zebra”

11. Victor Vasarely

12. Ellsworth Kelly  American painter and sculptor (born 1923)  Known for Hard-edge and Colour Field painting  “Colours for a Large Wall” (1951, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)  This piece combines 64 solid- coloured painted squares into a grid  He placed a variety of warm and cool colours against one another to create optical effects on the canvas

13. Ellsworth Kelly

14. Julie Karabenick  American painter who studied art at Eastern Michigan University  Current editor of an online scholarly resource and international forum called Geoform  “Composition 71” (2007)

15. Julie Karabenick  “I have long been fascinated by the expressive power of simple geometric shapes. These immutable forms are known to us on a deep level; as such, they are richly evocative. In non-objective art, they can function as familiar signposts that ease our passage into novel visual terrain.”

16. The Art Task:  Create an abstract piece of artwork based on a 100- square grid  You are required to use at least 3 colours of squares, chosen from 6 possible different colours  Any squares you choose to leave blank can be counted as white  You will be given time to design and colour your squares on the background paper provided

17. The Math Connection:  Once your design is complete, count the number of squares of each colour and compute the fraction of your total art- piece represented by that colour  Later, you will be required to figure out the percentage and decimal fraction of your total art-piece represented by each colour

18. Optical Art meets Math