What is optical illusion art and how to use it in your design project?

When did op art start?

The origins of op art can be found in the 1930s and 1940s with the early works of the French-Hungarian painter and sculptor Victor Vasarely.

Though the term ‘op art’ itself wouldn’t be coined until the 1960s, Vasarely was painting works in 1940s Paris that showed the early hallmarks of what would later become known as the op art style – experimenting with abstract, geometric forms and colour, and the perception of depth and movement.

Examples of these early forerunners were Zebra (1937) and Sophia (1954). These works became known as optical art, and in 1954 an exhibition, Le Mouvement, was held in Paris to celebrate the emerging movement.

In the UK, Bridget Riley was creating her own distinctive geometric works of optical illusion by the early 1960s. Time magazine came up with the name ‘op art’ in 1964 to describe the works of Vasarely, Riley and others influenced by them. The first major op art exhibition, the Responsive Eye, was held at MoMA in New York, 1965.

Op art examples.

As you can tell, the key artists of the op art movement were Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley. If you’re looking for some inspiration for your own op art design work, you might want to start by exploring some of their key works:

• Vega III (1957-59): This work by Victor Vasarely uses a black and white geometric pattern in the style of a chess board. But the boxes do not follow neat grid lines; they appear to swirl before your eyes – bent out of time and shape. This distinctive optical technique adds a sense of depth and motion to the image.
• Blaze 1 (1962): One of Bridget Riley’s most famous artworks. Blaze is a circle that as you peer into it spirals down to a tiny dot of white space at the bottom. It’s dizzying to look at; it makes you feel you’re falling down the spiral, almost. Riley used a clever zig-zagging chevron design to create this sense of movement.

Using op art in logo creation.

Optical illusion art can be applied to a variety of design projects and by using Adobe Express’ free logo templates you’ll be able to use the techniques of op art to your advantage. Optical illusion art urges your audience to pay attention to your design. It can create conversations and engage viewers on a different level, as they try to make sense of the imagery.

Your brand strategy will likely be focused on creating a clear identity for your business. Using an optical illusion in your logo design tells your audience that you’re innovative and think outside-of-the-box. This unconventional way of building a brand will allow you to stand out from the competition. Op art is rarely used in logo creation, but when it is, it’s extremely effective because of that unique edginess.

Using op art in eye-catching posters and banners.

Posters and flyers often follow a series of conventions in their designs. If you’re using Adobe Express’ poster templates or flyer templates to advertise a business event, or perhaps highlight a band, film or book, it’s easy to look to the industry for guidance on how to structure the design.

However, using optical illusion art will completely redefine your poster or flyer. Repetition, layered imagery, geometric shapes and unusual colour combinations can all be balanced to emphasise the subject matter of your poster.

You can layer images on top of one another to craft the illusion of movement. Or why not distribute objects in the foreground and background of your design? This can create confusion and encourage audiences to look closer.

Make your business card pop with an optical illusion logo.

Using your op art logos, you can take your business card to the next level and continue to promote a strong brand identity. Use Adobe Express’ free business card templates to leave a lasting impact on your potential clients.

Craft a card that stands out with optical illusion art.

Cards are so often ordinary or familiar in their construction. But for your next greetings card, use Adobe Express’ editable card template to create a front cover with a difference. Stand out from the crowd with an optical illusion image that’s both charming and puzzling.