1. The Art of Optical Illusion
“Op” Art
The Art of Optical Illusion
Adapted From a Presentation Created by Rock Ledge Elementary Fine Art Program, Seymour, WI
Original Source:

2. What is “Op”?
“Op” is short for optical. Optical means having to do with the eye.

3. You may have heard of an “Optical Illusion.”
An optical illusion plays with the way you see something.
It is trying to trick your eye!
Is the ball moving?

4. Are the balls white or gray?

5. Op Art
Optical Art is a mathematically-themed form of Abstract art.  

6. Op Art
The point of optical art is to confuse the eye.

7. Examples of Op Art

10. Look at this picture again…
In Op art, the dark colors recede while the light colors advance.

12. The Beginning of Op Art
Optical Art started in the 1960’s with Bridget Riley!
Bridget Riley is one of the most well known British artists and creators of Op Art.

13. Bridget Riley She was born in 1931 in London.
In 1960’s she began working just in black and white.
In the 1980’s she started adding color.

14. Bridget Riley
She transformed art by exploring the dynamic effects of optical phenomena.
Later nick named “Op Art”

15. Bridget Riley
Movement in Squares
1961
Tempera paint on canvas

16. Bridget Riley
Blaze 1
1962
Emulsion on Hardboard

17. Bridget Riley
Arrest 1
1965
Emulsion on Canvas

18. Bridget Riley

19. Bridget Riley

20. Compare and Contrast Activity
Bridget Riley’s Op Art
Vincent Van Gogh’s
Starry Night

21. Your Project! You will be creating your own optical illusion!
We will be creating a design with pencils and rulers, painting that design with complementary colors, and then adding shapes to make the optical illusion.
These shapes will be raised from the painting, but will also be painted.

22. Artsonia Examples!