Optical Art- Y'all are gonna LOVE this!

WHEEEEEEEE!   I love this stuff.

Yeah, you have probably noticed that I tend to say that about everything.  Oh well.

Anyway, Optical Art, more popularly known as Op Art was an artistic movement which began in the 1950's in Britain and eventually made it to the United States.  By many accounts it  peaked in popularity between about 1965-1968.  Despite its brief lifespan as an artistic movement, we are still feeling its aftershocks in the contemporary works of artists such as Gerald Laing and in video games and puzzles (see http://fliiby.com/file/814231/br7isq3m1d.html ) or go to  www.op-art.co.uk  and check out the CRAZY animation http://www.op-art.co.uk/op-art-gallery/op-art-animation/nov-21-davidope.html .  Fashion in the 1960's and beyond was also influenced by Op Art.  Contemporary textile designers such as Helen Owen and designer Eley Kishimoto are also active in keeping the Op Art tradition alive and well.

Bridget Riley, Fragment 5/8

So what is Op Art?  You have seen and experienced it sometime in your lives. 
 According to wwar.com,

(http://wwar.com/masters/movements/op_art.html) "Op Art relies on optical illusions and is sometimes called optical art or retinal art. Op painters and sculptors used geometric designs in order to create feelings of movement or vibration, sometimes in vibrant colors and other times in simply black and white. The movement had its origins in the work of Victor Vasarely, who created tessellations and work with shocking perspectives. It also developed from the Abstract Expressionist movement that discredited the importance of subject matter. The term was coined in 1964 by Time magazine. A major Op Art exhibit in 1965, titled “The Responsive Eye,” caught the public interest. As a result, the style began appearing in print, television, advertising, album art, fashion, and interior decorating. Despite Op Art’s popularity, it never became a full-fledged mass movement of modern art like Pop Art. Op Art’s primary goal was to fool the eye. Works were composed to create the illusion of movement, although all Op Art pieces were flat and two-dimensional. Based on geometry, Op Art is almost completely non-representational. The color, line, and shapes were chosen for the purposes of illusion and not to evoke any emotion or mood. Colors and perspective and chosen carefully to achieve the desired effect, and both positive and negative spaces are of equal importance in the composition. "   Yaacov Agam Whew!  That's a lot to digest on the surface, but once you have experienced a few Op Art images, it all falls together and you will have a few questions of your own.  To some of you, these images might not be a big deal because you have grown up with Photoshop and similar programs which will allow you to create imagery such as this.  But when you consider that when Hungarian artist Viktor Vasarely started exploring bold, graphic images that were based on geometry and color back in the 1930's there were no computers...just pencils, rulers and the artist's brain to calculate and create.  The same is true for Bridget Riley, the British artist whose name is synonymous with this movement.  She was active in the '60s and is still presenting new works.  These artists had to do it all from scratch.    Here are a few websites that are contemporary examples of op art using digital technology.  They are crazy...and their creators proudly post the disclaimer that "looking at these images may make you sick.". A bit dramatic, but they are difficult to gaze upon for more than a few seconds, so gaze at your own risk LOL.    http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/~akitaoka/opart-e.html   http://www.op-art.co.uk/op-art-gallery/op-art-animation/  Check these out, too! OK.  So here is a little EXTRA CREDIT tutorial to get you going with this Op Art thing to get your feet wet.  It will only take you a few minutes to get it done.  You will need a piece of printer paper, a ruler and a pencil or pen.  I found it at http://library.thinkquest.org/6065/tech_ok.htm Bring it to class with on October 20 (A day) or 21 (B day) for full credit.   I will collect them at the end of class.  You may submit it after the due date for 25 point reduction. This assignment is worth 100 points. Op - Art: Techniques Lines that Move For this drawing you will need the following supplies:  a blank sheet of paper, a ruler, and a sharp pencil. Click on each step to see what it should look like.  Remember to click on back to return. Step 1.  In the center of the page, draw a 4 inch vertical (up and down) line.  Now measure 1 inch and make a small mark.  Now draw a 4 inch horizontal line (side to side) with one inch on each side of the vertical line.   Step 2.  Make a small mark at each 1/4 inch measurement across the length of each line starting where the lines cross. Step 3.  From the top of the vertical line and going to the left, draw a straight line down to the mark closest to the center on the horizontal line. Step 4.  Move down the vertical (up and down) line to the next mark.   and draw a line to the second mark moving away from the vertical line.  Continue moving down the marks until the entire left side is connected. Step 5.  Follow this process for the other  three sides of the drawing.

Welcome to the 2011-2012 Academic Year!

If you are reading this post, that means that we have already met face-to-face and you are about to do the first assignment which will be due  on September 2 (B Day) and September 7 (A Day) AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.  Don't sweat it- it is just a PREASSESSMENT EVALUATION which will give me some idea as to your creative interests and whether you have any creative pursuits which you engage in during your "spare" time (LOL- this is Townview!).  So... if you paint or draw or sew or do ANYTHING creative with your hands (and your intellect!) I wanna know about it.  I am interested in what you all want to learn, because it will make the entire process a lot more fun for ALL of us.  Like I said in class, if it has been a long time since you have taken an art class, no worries.  If you keep an open mind and are willing to try new things, you will be utterly AMAZED at what all you can do by the middle of the year.  If there is something specific that you are interested in learning how to do, please let me know because I have been involved in mastering a ridiculous amount of different media over the years (it even amazes me sometimes when I sit down and think about it!).  You can bet that I probably do it, have done it, or can direct you to how we can find out how to do it, because I LOVE learning new stuff, too.  You will also see that I am a big kid at heart when it comes to learning and creativity.  So what do you wanna learn to do this year?  Sometimes in the beginning you don’t even know how to pose a question or describe techniques. Don’t freak. Just give it your best shot and we will work it out.
When it comes to art, we are gonna work hard but it will be a lot of fun as long as you maintain an open mind.  And remember, I will NEVER ask you to do anything that I have never had to do to improve my craft as an artist.  

In class we are making portfolios and working on a PREASSESSMENT DRAWING which will be due at the end of class on  September 1 (B Day) and September 7 (A Day).  The "point of departure" ( i.e., theme) is "This is Where I'm Coming From". 
What does that mean?

ANYTHING YOU WANT. 

I have provided the paper and crayons for the drawing...so get to work!  If you want to use markers, fine.  Bring them!  Use them!

If you are in AP or Art II and have taken a class with me before, great! 

Glad you are back! 

 I have a different preassessment exam for you which is near the end of the blog- don't do the first one. 

You have done it already. 

Art I  and AP students who have not had a class with me before, the following is for YOU:
Here are the directions:

This assignment is worth 100 points and it will be due at the beginning of class on September 2 and 7 to allow you to finish working on your preassessment drawing in class.  IT IS HOMEWORK.  I am a stickler about late assignments, so don’t blow this off. Late assignments will lose 25 points AUTOMATICALLY off the top. That means that I start grading at 75. If you were present the first day and plan to return, you need to submit this on the dates given. 

 If you were late entering the class, IT WILL NOT BE COUNTED AGAINST YOU. Cut and paste the questions only and drop them into a Word document.

Answer each question in complete sentences directly under the question. Print the whole thing out. 

 If it requires more than one page, STAPLE THEM TOGETHER in the UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER or lose 25 points off the top. Your name, class and class period and date goes in the UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER of both sheets. That is where I will be looking for it. 

Do NOT neglect to include the class period- to do so will cost you 15 points.


Ok, enough with the preliminaries. Here goes!

1. Have you had an art class recently? When did you take it? What did you learn?

2. Do you draw on your own, or do you engage in anything creative in your spare time? If so, what kinds of things to you like to draw or make? What media (pencils, crayons, etc.) do you like to work with?

3. What made you sign up for this class?

4. What kinds of visual images do you enjoy experiencing?

5. What is art to you? What makes something artistic?

6. In your opinion, do you believe that art is for everyone?

7. Do you believe that only certain people have creative abilities and skills?

8. What do you think is the role of art and creativity within a culture?

9. Do you think it has any role in the spiritual well-being of the individual?

10. Have you ever experienced an art space such as a museum, gallery or cultural center? What did you think, and would you visit again?

11. Are you familiar with any visual artists or artistic movements?

12. Name 6 artists or designers whose work you like.

One of my goals is to instill a curiosity within you for creativity, and to open your minds as to how creative people think and percieve the world. As I told you all in class, as far as I'm concerned YOU ARE ALL ARTISTS. Take a look at the list below of artistic movements, artists and fine crafts. Google the ones that pique your interest – and I am certain that you will find at least six that you are drawn to. We will have a lot of ground to cover this year, and I want to make sure that you all are well-prepared for the journey!

• Pop Art/Andy Warhol/Keith Haring/Claes Oldenburg

• Photorealism/Chuck Close

• Abstract Expressionism/Jackson Pollock

• Art Quilts/Judy Coates Perez

• Fashion Design- You guys have your favorites! I like Jean Paul Gaultier…

• Shoe Design- I like cydwoq and John Fluevog

• Automotive Design

• Manga, Anime, Graphic Novels

• or, just go to art.com…there’s a TON of images there!



Art II, and AP students who have had a class with me before- please answer the following questions:

This assignment is worth 100 points and it will be due at the beginning of class on September 2 and 7 to allow you to finish working on your preassessment drawing in class.  IT IS HOMEWORK. Only answer the questions near the end of the blog.  Cut and paste the questions and drop them into a Word document, respond to them in complete sentences. 
directly under the question. Print the whole thing out. 
Only do this if you have taken a class with me before. 


 If it requires more than one page, STAPLE THEM TOGETHER in the UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER or lose 25 points off the top. Your name, class and class period and date goes in the UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER of both sheets. That is where I will be looking for it. 

Do NOT neglect to include the class period- to do so will cost you 15 points.

1. Have you created anything recently, or at least since I taught you last? 
2. Have you begun an art journal? 
3. Do you maintain a sketch book now? 
4. And why are you taking another art class, anyway? 
5. Do you plan to test out for AP this year?  If so, let me know ASAP!
6. Is there a specific technique or artform that you would like to learn about this year? Is there any specific media that you would like to work with this year?  Tell me YOUR interests and I can create some special intermediate/advanced level projects ESPECIALLY FOR YOU!