5th Grade: Op art

Fifth grade looked at the op-art works of  Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely. Op-art is art work that fools the viewers eye into seeing reality change either by giving the impression of movement, color-changes, vibrating patterns, hidden images, swelling, or warping.

Our assignment was to create an image that appeared to go backwards in space with spheres that seemed to pop out at the viewer.

Students were given few options to test which would give the best illusion of a warped space.
They could choose to color in their background like a checkerboard board or rings, add gradation to some spaces, or change the directions of their curves throughout the background.

Many discovered that the best spheres were ones with curved lines; straight lines were discovered to make the sphere look flat. Also. as their lines went to their vanishing-point their stripes should get thinner and closer together.
I am so proud my fifth graders willing to experiment with the unknown. When they do the testing themselves it seems to stick better than when I tell them 'just do it.'