FOURTH GRADE. . . We are illusionists!

Illusion by Hunter

Op Art is a form of visual art that tricks our eyes into seeing impossible looking effects with an image on a page. It is usually an abstract design created with either straight or curvy lines. The placement of the lines, together with high contrast in color, makes us see vibrating patterns or a swelling or warping of the page when it actually is perfectly flat. Our circle projecting out of our grid is just an illusion.

Illusion by Dakota

Fourth graders went back in time (to my generation of working artists) before computers made quick work of creating grids, lines and circles. Our focus this year is exploring the many tools available to artists to create their images, We took advantage of a computer for our last project, but this time I pulled out our art room table top drafting tables. Each student learned how to hold a T-square and rule perfectly parallel lines, just as I had to do back in the day. Changing the orientation of the paper allowed us to create another set of parallel lines, perpendicular to the first set. With Op art, the illusion will not work if the lines are not perfectly placed in the image. Our fourth grade draftsmen learned how to measure correctly with a ruler and were remarkably steady with their T-Squares.

Illusion by Crosby

A compass was used to create the outline of the circle. The illusion comes from the distortion of the lines inside the circle. As the horizontal grid lines touch the edge of the circle, those lines curve upward or downward following the shape of the circle. The same thing happens with the vertical lines.

Just a side note . . . students who love math got a kick out of this project! Artists use math all the time when they determine composition, shape and measurements for their projects. With this project, just look at this long list of math vocabulary terms that are also so important to art . . .

Vertical
Horizontal
Perpendicular
Radius
Parallel
Inch increments

To see all of our optical illusions, check out our exhibit on our home page of Artsonia.com!  http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839

Note to families...
This art blog will be updated regularly with new posts sharing our daily activities in the art room and news about upcoming art exhibits. To respect the privacy of our students, names will always be limited to first name only and identifiable photos will never be accompanied with a name. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write in the comment box below or send me an email at blevine@ranneyschool.org. I would love to hear from you!
    In my class, students are given the chance to explore different materials and fun new techniques as they develop their signature style. Some young artists love to draw with a pencil, some like to paint on canvas or create images in a digital format, while others prefer working with clay and molding three-dimensional forms. In my classroom, we use a variety of materials allowing all artists to experiment and figure out which type of art they like the best. At Ranney School, we place a strong emphasis on originality and celebrate artistic differences, always nurturing and encouraging the imagination of every student.
     Remember to check out our display of finished artwork and student portfolios in the Ranney home page of Artsonia.com.  http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839