Grade 5: Exploring Op Art and Cubing It
Op Art Explored
This fall saw several of the classes learning abut Op Art (Op is for Optical), and some of the artists who developed it. Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley (1950’s) were two that the students became familiar with.
Then, drawing from resources at www.incredibleart.org, I showed the students how to do some basic Op Art designs, a different one on each square making up the cube they would put together. The grade 5’s at St. Michael School really got excited about this project – in the months since I hear how they have continued to make Op art designs in different places – one student even used his new-found skill to make a Christmas card for his grandparents!
The bright colours come from using permanent Sharpie markers (one of my favourite tools), and we glued the folds of the square together with a loop of monofilament attached on the inside with a paper clip. (nts: Make sure that paper clip with the filament tied on is well-secured with tape before it is folded into a cube)
It was a real accomplishment to finish these, and the students were very proud of them. (understandably!) Watch for the results from the grade 4/5 class at Parliament Oak, soon to be posted. They make the parts for a quilt! (Just gotta get out my sewing machine) In the meantime, here are 2 places you might want to check out for more Op Art fun:
www.op-art.co.uk (take a look at the gallery, and then have some fun with the music board)
or the Opartica Tunnel.app for some Wowsers!
Fall 2011 / St. Michael School
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