One of my favorite anticipatory sets in my high school art class is when I introduce Op Art and the power of complementary colors. I gather the students around a table for what I call a “science-meets-art” demo. I place a small red square of paper in the center of a large sheet of green construction paper and have the students stare at the red square for about a minute. Then, I quickly switch the image to a plain white sheet of paper. They’re always amazed to see an afterimage appear — the colors reversed, with a green square now appearing inside a red field. After this, I show them Jasper Johns’ famous Moratorium, an American flag painted in complementary colors, and we repeat the afterimage exercise to reveal the flag in its traditional colors.
This hook gets students excited to learn about the striking effect of complementary colors. They quickly connect the concept to real-world examples, like sports team logos, where these colors make designs pop. I explain how artists use this optical power intentionally, both to grab attention and to create dynamic visual effects. It’s a simple, engaging way to connect science and art while setting the stage for deeper exploration of color theory.
This hook gets students excited to learn about the striking effect of complementary colors. They quickly connect the concept to real-world examples, like sports team logos, where these colors make designs pop. I explain how artists use this optical power intentionally, both to grab attention and to create dynamic visual effects. It’s a simple, engaging way to connect science and art while setting the stage for deeper exploration of color theory.