Lesson Overview
Students will learn how artists create art that depends on the physiology of the human eye to be effective. Op Art is the common name for this art form. It is also referred to as the art of visual or optical illusion. In keeping with the units theme of "tricks" that artists use to create depth, students will explore the different types of optical illusions and create one of their own.
Lesson Essential Questions
ACTIVITY ONE
Using a smart-board, projector, or computer lab, students will view the following optical illusions. #1 is an illusion in motion. #2 through #7- Each illusion is selected from a website created by Michael Bach of Germany. Explain to students that the explanations for some of the illusions they are going to view are often complicated and that should be expected as the eye is a complex organ that interacts with the brain to help us perceive the world. Bach categorizes visual illusions into seven categories which we will use for this assignment.
Have students spend fifteen minutes looking at the other optical illusions at the Bach site. Once you are sure they have saturated their curiosity have them decide which type of illusion is their favorite kind. Have them WRITE down the illusion type and name of specific illusion they selected. They then should explain what appeals to them about this illusion and if possible explain how the illusion works. They should be reminded to use complete sentences.
ASSESSMENT
Based on depth of responses.
ACTIVITY TWO
Students will learn about artists that used optical illusions as their form of art. Below are the websites for four of the most prolific optical/visual illusion artists.
Julio Le Parc
Akiyoshi Kitaoka
Bridget Riley
Victor Vasarely
Students will create their own optical illusion poster for their bedroom. After studying all of the artists and examples above, students will make preliminary sketches of what they want to include in their poster. This lesson will take some time and to avoid boredom setting in, make sure you have the students add lots of shapes and variety to their composition.I suggest adding words,names, sports numbers, team names to change into 3D using one point perspective as they practiced in the worksheets in Lesson 1. Use the largest sphere you can find to make a large shape (hence the garbage can listed below).The posters are very striking when they are done and have meaning for the students if they individualize the content. Encourage interesting color schemes.
Materials
Additional techniques to show students. Students can adapt the technique in this LINK to create cool optical/visual illusions.
Assessment
Rubric for student self evaluation
Students will learn how artists create art that depends on the physiology of the human eye to be effective. Op Art is the common name for this art form. It is also referred to as the art of visual or optical illusion. In keeping with the units theme of "tricks" that artists use to create depth, students will explore the different types of optical illusions and create one of their own.
Lesson Essential Questions
- How do op artists manipulate space to create the illusion of movement?
- What are the different categories of optical illusions?
- Who are the artists working with optical illusions today?
- How does our physiology work with art to create illusions?
ACTIVITY ONE
Using a smart-board, projector, or computer lab, students will view the following optical illusions. #1 is an illusion in motion. #2 through #7- Each illusion is selected from a website created by Michael Bach of Germany. Explain to students that the explanations for some of the illusions they are going to view are often complicated and that should be expected as the eye is a complex organ that interacts with the brain to help us perceive the world. Bach categorizes visual illusions into seven categories which we will use for this assignment.
- View these (WARNING THESE MAY MAKE SOME PEOPLE DIZZY) ILLUSIONS that depend on eye movement to be effective. This illusion was created by a Japanese professor of psychology named Akiyoshi Kitaoka
- Light and Contrast - These illusions depend on how the center of the eye reads the stark contrast of dark and light. Herman Grid
- Color - These illusions depend on the colors that surround the lines and shapes and how the eyes mix them.
- Angle Illusions - These illusions depend on angles projected through lines
- Space Constancy - These illusions depend on the position of the viewer to change objects within the illusion
- Cognitive Effects These illusions depend on the brain filling in the missing information creating tension between what is actually drawn and how it is perceived by the brain.
- Specialties with faces or Is that Jesus in my toast? These images are created when the brain forms an opinion based on familiar shapes.
Have students spend fifteen minutes looking at the other optical illusions at the Bach site. Once you are sure they have saturated their curiosity have them decide which type of illusion is their favorite kind. Have them WRITE down the illusion type and name of specific illusion they selected. They then should explain what appeals to them about this illusion and if possible explain how the illusion works. They should be reminded to use complete sentences.
ASSESSMENT
Based on depth of responses.
ACTIVITY TWO
Students will learn about artists that used optical illusions as their form of art. Below are the websites for four of the most prolific optical/visual illusion artists.
Julio Le Parc
Akiyoshi Kitaoka
Bridget Riley
Victor Vasarely
Students will create their own optical illusion poster for their bedroom. After studying all of the artists and examples above, students will make preliminary sketches of what they want to include in their poster. This lesson will take some time and to avoid boredom setting in, make sure you have the students add lots of shapes and variety to their composition.I suggest adding words,names, sports numbers, team names to change into 3D using one point perspective as they practiced in the worksheets in Lesson 1. Use the largest sphere you can find to make a large shape (hence the garbage can listed below).The posters are very striking when they are done and have meaning for the students if they individualize the content. Encourage interesting color schemes.
Materials
- 22 x 28 inch blank white tag board
- yard sticks
- compass
- tempera or acrylic paint in fluorescent or complementary colors, lots of black, oil pastels, markers
- large circle template (the bottom of a typical metal garbage can works well)
Additional techniques to show students. Students can adapt the technique in this LINK to create cool optical/visual illusions.
Assessment
Rubric for student self evaluation
