CHARACTERISTICS OF OP ART

4 KEY WORDS:

1. ILLUSION/CONFUSION
relies on optical illusions in order to fool the eye of the viewer
strange, often nausea-inducing effects (e.g. dizziness)
uses both positive and negative spaces (Gestalt Psychology)(Op Art could not be
created without both as they are needed to create the desired illusions)

typically concerned with the behavior of the eye; hence, optical art or retinal art
illusion of movement
uses repetition of simple forms and colors to create vibrating effects, moir patterns,
foreground-background confusion, an exaggerated sense of depth, and other visual
effects (after-images, dazzling, and all kinds of other effects resulting from the eye's
struggle to read an image)
 exploits the functional relationship between the eye's retina (the organ that "sees"
patterns) and the brain (the organ that interprets patterns)(causes confusion between
these two organs resulting in the perception of irrational optical effects)
patterns, shapes and colors used are typically selected for their illusional qualities, rather
than for their substantive or emotional content (never produced a coherent body of ideas
= flexible)
based on tricks of visual perception: manipulating rules of perspective to give the illusion
of 3D (grid, fraction)

Example:

2. MOVEMENT
a form of kinetic art
create a sort of visual tension in the viewer's mind
sense of movement (e.g. swelling, warping, flashing, vibration)

Example:
3. GEOMETRIC
geometrically-based nature
mathematically-themed form of abstract art (non-representational or non-objective art)
non-representational geometric shapes which create various types of optical illusion
illusion and sense of movement due to its precise, mathematically-based composition
perspective ("illusion" of depth and perspective; Op-Art merely broadens its inherently
illusionary nature by interfering with the rules governing optical perception)

Example:
4. CONTRAST
interaction of color relationships
were first produced in black-and-white, later in vibrant color
typically used only black and white in order to produce the greatest contrast in their
designs (since this contrast causes the greatest confusion for the eye, which struggles to
discern which element of the composition is in the foreground and which in the
background)
o Vasarely's Plastic Alphabet series (1960-1980) (the ways in which color suggests
space, and the ways colors contrast with one another = experiment)
careful juxtaposition of color (whether chromatic [identifiable hues] or achromatic [black,
white or gray])
the interaction of differing colors in the painting simultaneous contrast, successive
contrast, and reverse contrast may cause additional retinal effects (e.g. after-images
[appear after viewing pictures with certain colors or color-combinations])
o Richard Anuszkiewicz's "temple" paintings (the arrangement of two highly
contrasting colors makes it appears as if the architectural shape is encroaching
on the viewer's space)
Yung red = additional info/explanation

Yung blue = pwede pang iexpound/bigyan ng examples

Yung black = suggested points for PPT