Optic Art Project for Algebra
Part I. Psychedelic Checkerboard Op Art
1. On plain 8 ½ by 11 paper, Draw “wavy” vertical lines across the paper
2.
3.
4.
5.
(15-20). Careful not to draw them too bumpy or too close…simple is
better. Think gentle flowing waves. (Fat
worms not skinny hair)
Off-center, somewhere on the white
paper, draw a small circle (size of a
quarter). Continue drawing concentric
circles to the edges of the paper (10-15).
Now that the grid has be created, using a
pencil lightly mark in every other space.
This is how to plan the coloring before
the crayon, marker, or colored pencil
touches the paper. (Pencil does erase, marker, etc. does not) Start
on the edge of the paper opposite from the circle and begin to mark
your spaces to be colored. Go slow and take your time.
Carefully start in one corner and begin to color in only the marked
spaces with a single color.
After all spaces are colored in a checkerboard design with one color
and the white of the paper, students may color in all the leftover
white spaces with the complement of their first color choice.
6. Outline in black sharpie.
7. Other options of checkerboard designs could be wavy lines and a
vanishing point, or circles and a vanishing point.
Part II. Concentric Circles
1. Find the center of the page and
put the pointed end of the
compass there.
2. Draw the largest circle the paper
will allow with the compass.
3. Draw 8-10 circles inside the big
circle.
4. Create distortions by drawing at
least three circles close together.
Have at least three distortions in
the picture.
5. Use the protractor to mark off
every 5º. Mark all the way around the circle by turning the protractor
upside down.
6. Draw lines using pencil and ruler from the center through the mark
and out to the last circle.
7. Color in the blocks created in checker board fashion. Use black
sharpie and white together and then choose two contrasting colors.
8. Coloring down in columns is easier than coloring around in the
circles. (Ex. Column 1: Black, white, black white, etc. Column 2:
Purple, yellow, purple, yellow, etc. Column 3: White, black, white,
black, etc. Column 4: Yellow, purple, yellow, purple, etc.)
Part III. 3-D Globes
1. Create a background using 2 of the following: wavy lines, concentric
circles, or converging lines so there is a checkerboard effect.
2. After a background is done it must be "x"ed out using small light
pencil "x"s in a checkerboard
pattern. The “x-ed” sections will
be black.
3. Draw 5 – 7 circles randomly on
the background. Vary the size of
the circles and the distance
between circles.
4. Erase the lines that show through
the circles.
5. Mark the center of the circles.
Follow the next steps for all of the
circles.
a. Use a ruler and draw a
diameter through the center of the circle.
b. Use a protractor to make tick marks that measure 90º from the
diameter on both sides.
c. Use a ruler to line up the marks and draw another diameter in
the circle that is perpendicular to the 1st diameter. You now
have a perfectly quartered circle.
d. Make a little tick mark in the middle of the upper half section of
the vertical line that splits the globe. This is just a reference
point. Then, make another tick mark slightly above that middle
mark. The exact spot will vary and produce slightly
different looking globes.
e. Take the point of the compass and stick it into the point where
the center vertical line meets the bottom edge of the circle.
With the compass point in place, spread the compass so that
the lead touches the upper tick mark from the last step. This
compass spread must not be changed for the rest of the steps.
f. Now using the above compass measure, and keeping the point
of the compass on the bottom point, swing the compass and
make a line from one side of the globe to the other. This
begins the 3d illusion of the globe.
g. Go to the remaining 3 points around the circles perimeter and
using the same compass spread as in step f, draw 3 more arcs
to complete the 3d sphere.
h. Once all of the globes are complete, go through and put an “x”
in every other section like you have done before.
6. Start on the left and color all of the “x-ed” sections with the black
sharpie marker.
7. Color the white background spaces all the same color.
8. Color the white spaces on the globes a different color than the
background. Each globe should be a different color.
Rubric
Psychedelic Checkerboard Op Art
30 pts
-Following Directions
- Neatness
Concentric Circles
30 pts
-Following Directions
-Neatness
3-D Globes
-Following Directions
-Neatness
40 pts