Optical Art

Emma Cook
Nov 17, 2017
2 min read

"Op art works are abstract, with many better known pieces created in black and white. Typically, they give the viewer the impression of movement, hidden images, flashing and vibrating patterns, or of swelling or warping." - Wikipedia

To me Op art is the use of colour and form and texture to create something that is visually tricking to the viewer.

A personal favorite artist I love is Carl Cashman, who's art focuses on all three things to create simple but effective art. He uses the fact that staring at an optical illusion art can hurt in this piece named "love hurts" circa 2015

(http://carlcashman.bigcartel.com/product/love-hurts-pink)

possibly inspired as far back as 1970 with Robert indiana's "Love" pieces

"Heliotherapy Love" circa 1995

In my own piece I wanted to use the simple contrast of red and blue much like in this Carl Cashman piece.

Carl Cashman - R/W/B circa 2012

To create a simple and effective piece based upon Lava lamps.

For many, Lava lamps are seen as calming and almost psychedelic, the illusion of hot wax being "lava".

To me Lava lamps are extremely calming and I have one of my own that I could stare at for hours on end.

I aim; as many op artists do; to create a piece many would love to stare at for hours on end.

My initial pieces didn't capture the essence of op art, the meaning behind it. I hope to counter this in my new piece which will be entitled "fluid"

I intend to have a solid black background to mimic the flat nature of the colours used by many op artists and take a more simple approach and stay away from eye melting texture and harsh and "true" illusion as I find it most appealing but I will challenge myself by using the medium of oil pastels as it feel appropriate being oil and wax are very similar but also that i've been known to have trouble with them and wish to improve.

I intend to use acrylic to create the opaque background.

I will use oil pastels to create my lava droplets as i can blend the colours well and it will have a look of fluidity to it. my main intention is to create a constrast of red warming blobs and blue almost sad blobs that constast each other and look as if they can move at any moment.

I used my research to create something graphic with the same visual appeal and impact.