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Objectives •To understand the meaning of the term Op Art •To learn some facts about the Op Art Movement

OutcomesTo have learnt some facts about Op Art

To have produced a copy of an Op Art piece by a well known op art artist.

What is op art?

Does anybody know what op art is, or has heard of this term? In pairs discuss what you think it might be about.

What is op art?

Does anybody know what op art is, or has heard of this term? In pairs discuss what you think it might be about.

Op Art or ‘Optical Art’, a movement pioneered by artists like Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely in the 1960′s which came to public attention after an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1965 called “The

Responsive Eye”. 

In pairs discuss what you can see what are these two pictures of?

Op art facts• Op painters and sculptors used geometric designs in

order to create feelings of movement or vibration• The movement had its origins in the work of Victor

Vasarely, who created tessellations and work with shocking perspectives.

• A major Op Art exhibit in 1965, titled “The Responsive Eye,” caught the public interest.

• 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.

Geometric shapes are shapes with regular contours and straight edges such as squares, triangles or circles.

What are geometric shapes?

Who is Bridget Riley?Bridget Riley was born on the 24th of April 1931 in London. She spent her childhood in Cornwall and Lincolnshire.

She is one of Britain's best known Artists and is famous for her involvement in the Op Art movement of the 1960s.

She studied Art at Goldsmiths college (1949-52) and later at The Royal college of Art (1952-1955).

She is a skilled artist trained in painting, drawing and sculpture.

Since the 1960s she has been celebrated for her distinctive optically vibrant paintings.

Her images contain geometric shapes and create a sensation of movement.

What have you learnt today?Op Art Facts what have you learnt today?

What is the name of the Op artist we have looked at today?

What is the name of the art work you have been working from today?

When was op Art most popular?

Who was the first Op Art artist?

What are the key features of an op art piece?

What do you think about this style of work?

Feedback from the questions about what you have learnt today?

Make sure you stick these sheets into your sketch books

Please be prepared to share your answers with the class.

What you will be doing this lessonYou are going to create your own copy of Bridget Riley’s Op Art image titled ‘Movement in Squares’.• You may chose to use the

squaring up process to do this.• You will need to use a ruler to

ensure your copy is accurate.• You will then need to fill in

each square using a black fiber tip pen.

Ensure you measure squares

1.4 1.4 1.4 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.20.20.2 0.2 0.60.6 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.41.41.4

1.4

Plot out each line individually before drawing in

Plenary

In groups of 4 discuss your work

Who has produced the most successful piece ?

Why?

Each table to feedback to class on which individual they have chosen and why.

(pupils work chosen to be awarded 2 merits)

Homework CREATE AN ARTIST PAGE BASED ON THE WORK OF BRIDGET

RILEY:

• FINISH THE COPY OF THE IMAGE

PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME ON THIS WORK AND ENSURE THAT YOUR WORK IS WELL PRESENTED.