Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
The Op art movement emerged in the 1960s, mirroring the counterculture of the time in its embrace of visual trickery, graphic shapes and bright colors.
Spreading across Europe and the Americas, the style — whose name is short for “optical art” — influenced advertising, fashion and interior design before fading in the early ’70s.
Op art remained significant, however, for artists and scientists interested in the nature of perception. And today, it’s seeing a resurgence of interest from collectors and interior designers.
Op artists played with the principles of perception, manipulating line, shape, patterns and color to create the illusion of depth and movement. They drew on and evolved methods developed by past movements, from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism, to produce intense visual experiences.
All the Op artists shared a focus on the gap between what is and what we perceive. Each, however, had a distinct approach to the issue and a unique visual style.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Op art that includes works by Josef Albers, Bridget Riley, Jesús Rafael Soto and more.
1950s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Watercolor, Gouache, Mixed Media
1960s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Charcoal
1990s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Archival Paper, Permanent Marker
21st Century and Contemporary Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
1980s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Ink, Watercolor
2010s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Birch, Wood Panel, Pen
1970s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Acrylic
1980s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Screen
2010s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Pen, Birch, Wood Panel
1970s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Paper, Color Pencil
2010s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Birch, Wood Panel, Pen
1990s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Ink, Archival Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Ink, Archival Paper, Permanent Marker
21st Century and Contemporary Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Ink, Archival Paper, Permanent Marker
21st Century and Contemporary Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Ink, Archival Paper, Permanent Marker
1960s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Paper, Charcoal, Graphite
1970s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Archival Paper, Permanent Marker
Early 2000s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Paper, Charcoal
2010s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Paper, Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Gouache
1970s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Archival Paper, Permanent Marker
Mid-20th Century Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Ink, Gouache
2010s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Acrylic, House Paint, Charcoal, Pastel
2010s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Charcoal, Pastel, House Paint, Acrylic
2010s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Paper, Charcoal, Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Graphite
1990s Op Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Graphite