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Choose one of the three optical illusions to try in your sketchbook!

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Choose one of the three optical illusions to try in your sketchbook!

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Optical Illusions

Students Make Op Art using Rulers, Compasses and Marker

I like to start my students off with projects that refresh them on basic motor skills as well as introducing them to the Elements and Principles of Art and Design. Our current project focuses on the use of a ruler and a compass to give the illusion of depth and form through the use of space and perspective. In short, we're creating our own Optical Illusions (or Op Art, if you will).

We started off by talking about space and perspective and how you can tell if something is in the foreground, middleground or background in two-dimensional artwork. We talked mainly about size, shading and location of objects in the frame. Then we set to give our own illusion of form (something three-dimensional) through the use of sizing, spacing and varying angles and curve of line. We worked together to create a one point perspective drawing in a manner that we would still be able to achieve our Op Art style. The students chose whether they wanted to color them in with marker or colored pencil and started by coloring their background (pictured above). We then worked on coloring our "forms" or "globes/spheres" to keep with the illusion. For a quickly drawn step by step tutorial of how we draw them, click here.

As you can see below, the result is mesmerizing!

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I like to start my students off with projects that refresh them on basic motor skills as well as introducing them to the Elements and Principles of Art and Design. Our current project focuses on the use of a ruler and a compass to give the illusion of depth and form through the use of space and perspective.

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Teaching about Optical Illusions is so much fun. I have been doing the following lesson for as many years as I have been teaching. The ones I have here aren't quite finished, but I thought I'd share some in-process with you.

I recommend this project for students as young as 4th grade and as old as 6th. I have done with 3rd-6th. . . And, my 6th graders are working on it currently.

One of the great things about this project is that it is very math-relevant. If you like, you can use rulers and compasses to help students practice. In my experience, I usually offer the compasses and also offer various circle templates. If you are a new teacher (or a circle-frustrated one) here is a quick tip: spend an hour tracing and cutting out various circle sizes on heavy paper. I did this about two years ago, and I find them to be one of my most useful assets. How often do you hear: "Do you have something circle-like I can trace?" I don't necessarily want my students tracing all the time, but there are moments when it is appropriate and these little templates are a time-saver!

I also do not have a classroom set of rulers. Instead, I made several different widths of heavy cardboard "straight-edges" and we use those instead. . .Nearly free and perfect for use!

Below is the (super fun) presentation I use to introduce students to optical illusions. Easily a student favorite!

The traditional way to create an op-art sphere is to use measurements with your compass to "swing" an arc across your circle to create the needed illusion lines. For many (okay most) of my students using a ruler is a challenge. When my 1st quarter Art students used compasses it was too challenging for a few students. Several got so frustrated they shut down and felt as if they had failed. It is important to be sensitive to the needs of your classroom community. I want to introduce new tools to my students, true, but I don't want to overwhelm them either. In my classroom, we use a mix of circle templates, compasses, and this handy-dandy little "cheat" that I made up (check out my .gif below)

Webcam to gif
I love this shortcut! And, this is a great little video to upload to your classroom blog. Not only can students view it at home, but you can play it during class for an added visual reminder.

Here is a quick break-down of the product process:
1. students use the template circles or compasses to create 2-3 circles on their papers
2. students follow me using the steps show above to create a grid for 1 op-art sphere
3. I demonstrate how to color the sphere in a grid
4. I demonstrate how to use the "straight edges" to create a background grid
5. students work and color
6. I demonstrate how to add a drop shadow
7. students add a drop shadow and finish their work

-You can use anything from crayons to markers to colored pencils to paint to create these great little projects.

-For students who need modifications: you can rely on the circle templates and aid them in coloring by labeling their grids with the appropriate colors and/or helping them to label their grids.

I helped this student create colored "x's" to aid with the coloring

Enjoy! I hope your class has as much fun with Op Art as we do!

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Lesson Plan: Op Art Spheres (the easy way)

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Teaching about Optical Illusions is so much fun. I have been doing the following lesson for as many years as I have been teaching. The ones I have here aren't quite finished, but I thought I'd share some in-process with you. I recommend this project for students as young as 4th grade and as old as 6th.