I have made this home learning KS3 Op Art project for our Year 7 students to work on during lockdown, but it could easily be used for Year 8 or Year 9 (or maybe even art cover lessons?). I have been teaching these Op Art lessons online via Google Classroom.
I have designed this Op Art scheme of learning with the aim of students being able to get involved at home without needing a lot of equipment. So I have purposefully not used fineliners or shading pencils, but you could easily include these options as ‘add-ons’ if you want.
This home learning / lockdown op art project is split up into four different ‘lessons’, each with a short starting activity, a bit of information and a main task. I will be teaching this online so I needed to design it so I could talk over the presentation and allow students to pause / use the chat function during the lesson (I use Loom to record lessons).
The first lesson introduces the basics of Op Art and asks students to respond by choosing an artist to research. I have included 3 artists but they can always go away and find their own. I have also included a video about Victor Vasarely (I wanted to discuss scale with my students).
The second lesson introduces some of the key features of op art – basic shapes, repeated / rotated shapes etc. It asks students to do a small drawing then have a go at their own bigger piece. I have recorded a demo and decided not to speed it up, it is the full length so students can follow along at the same time.
The third lesson introduces some basic colour theory – complementary / contrasting colours and how they are used in op art (often next to each other) – I am going to discuss how this makes the work seem more confusing to look at. There is a really good YouTube video (not mine!) which also shows how to use complementary colours to add shadows.
I have shared other art projects teaching colour theory here – enjoy!
Lesson four is the final lesson and asks students to use what they have learned so far to create a final design. I would like to spend a bit of time talking about types of pattern repeats (basic, reflection, rotation etc.) during my lessons. There is an example of a final piece which has a ‘reflection’ repeat.
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If you would like this op art home learning / lockdown project just leave a comment and I will share the presentation with your email address. Also let me know if you have any questions or ideas about the project!
The Art Teacher 
This is exactly the type of work my ks3 pupils could cope with. Informative , interesting, creative and ‘do-able’. A great unit of work, well done.
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Thanks for your comment! I hope it’s useful for your students, I have just shared it with you 🙂
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Ace idea for lockdown, may I please have a copy?
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Thanks for your comment, I’ve just shared it with you! Hope it’s useful.
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This looks useful for my students, do you mind sharing?
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HI, I don’t mind sharing at all – I have just sent it to you! 🙂
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Hi, your op art project looks fab, I’d love to be able to use if possible please
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No problem, I have just sent it to you 🙂
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This is great too! Please can you share with me 🙂
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Hi. This project looks great. Please can I have a copy of the resources? Thank you.
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Thanks for your comment – I have just shared it 🙂
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This looks really good is it possible to get s copy of the resource.
Thank you!
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Thanks for your comment – I have shared this with you 🙂
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This looks like a well planned lockdown unit I would love to try it out.
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Thanks for your comment, I have just shared it! I hope your students enjoy it at home 🙂
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Super Idea, please could I recieve a copy.
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Thanks for your comment – I just shared it with you 🙂 enjoy!
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Wow that is terrific ,could you share it please?
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Hi, thanks for your lovely comment! I have just shared it, enjoy 🙂
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Hi! Please could you share this? My KS3 would love this.
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Yes of course, I just sent it 🙂 thanks.
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Thanks for sharing this lesson (and all the others! very inspirational) – especially nowadays when we’re completely depleted ideas-wise (at least I am 🙂 ). Could you send me your outline please? Many thanks
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Thank you! I have just shared it 🙂
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Thanks for sharing, this looks great! We have just gone into lockdown again and this looks like the perfect balance of fun, skills building and artist research.
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Hi, glad you like the look of it – I just shared the project with you 🙂
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I am starting my PGCE in Art and Design and want to get some practice in, this looks like a great place to start.
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Best of luck with your PGCE, it will be great! I have just shared this project with you 🙂 enjoy.
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This would be perfect for a remote class I’m teaching now.
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Thanks for your comment, I have just sent it to you 🙂
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Hi, your website looks so very interesting and would be very useful in our home learning now. It would be amazing if you could share a lesson for us all to have fun with that. Thank you
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Thanks for your lovely message! I have just shared this project with you 🙂
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Hi, Your site looks amazing. We are in lockdown in Auckland, New Zealand and I would really like to teach my middle school students about OP art.
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Sorry for the delay, and no problem – I just shared it. I hope your students enjoy it 🙂
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hi I’d love a copy of this is possible?
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Hi, yes of course – I have just shared it with you 🙂
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Hi, the SOW looks great! Would it be possible to get a copy?
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Hi, yes of course! I Just shared it 🙂
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Thank you!
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