Lucy Alva Latashew is an Argentinian born artist living and working in Barcelona.  All of the work you see is hand painted and is masterfully precise in execution.  Lucy has been concentrating on Op Art and geometric abstraction for several years and has exhibited in Brazil, Spain, Argentina and Israel.  You can see more of her work (and excellent photographic work in addition to the paintings you see here) on her site.

Did you study art? If so, where?

I was born in Argentina but I have been living in Barcelona for 13 years.  I studied Fine Arts in Buenos Aires;  I studied under Ary Brizzi, who introduced me to geometric abstraction. 

Why do you like Op Art?

When I was a Fine Arts student I started working around the concept of geometrical abstraction and its various tendencies deriving from the constructive and concrete art tradition. I’m basically interested in virtual movement which is created in our mind and then recreated in painting:  which makes painting in itself, an illusion.

I want to experience what the eye can see: the rhythm, the tension from the various modifications I make to the initial composition.

I’m fascinated by the world of colour: by the vibrations it provokes, by its behaviour as a fundamental element which can modify space and generate energy and finally by the many interpretations that it can evoke.

Since new technology has allowed for new forms of creation, giving impulse to the development of the Op Art language, this is my way of interpreting the world today.

How do you make your art?

I use different kinds of media.

I use the computer to set up my composition and then I switch to non-virtual (traditional) two-dimensional media.

When I sit in front of the screen, there’s a real exchange game that starts between myself  and motion, the game of visual perception. During this process, I mainly use PhotoShop and Illustrator. Afterwards, I use canvas or methyl methacrylate as a base with acrylic paint, airbrush, paint brushes, pencils …

What’s the process for making one of your artworks?

The process can vary both in terms of phases and timing. It depends on what I am looking for at that moment.

I usually set up the drawing or composition on the computer.

Then a kind of a dialogue starts on between me and the Form.

When I am working on the digital image, I create various colour situations; obviously I know that in this phase I’m working with RGB colours, which are totally different from pigment colours.

When I am ready to transfer my composition onto a real base, canvas, paper or any other media, I prepare different colour samples until I get what I’m looking for.

When I’m actually painting, I always keep one part of my work covered so that I will never have a whole vision of it in front of me. It’s a game between what’s hidden and what’s revealed, like in a masked ball.

Any other art you like and other artists that inspire or have inspired you.

All kinds visual arts and music.

Among some of the artists I admire I can mention Kasimir Malevich, Naum Gabo, Joseph Albers, Piet Mondrian, Marcel Duchamp, Max Bill, Richard Paul Lohse, Jesús Rafael Soto, Bridget Riley, Vasareley, but of course the list is not exhaustive.

Anything else?

I love watching films, reading, going to exhibitions and I also try to keep informed on what’s going on in the world.

Op Art started primarily in black and white.  Bridget Riley’s early pieces for example were painted solely in black and white.  Later she introduced shades of grey and later still a limited set of colours.  It’s nice to see the artist ‘Anomynous’ (sic) going back to the roots of Op Art and producing some excellent hand painted black and white pieces all created without the use of a computer.

My work as the artist Anomynous is an experiment of the ideal versus the ego. Through my work I am seeking to communicate a language of proportion based on geometric principles that is not only accessible to the observer, but also challenges them to re-think their preconceived view of reality.

My pieces are designed to seed, grow and animate in the mind’s eye. They are formulas, they are simple principles that are universally familiar and they are reminders of our continued evolution, that this priceless journey of perception and understanding has not yet ended.

Did you study art? If so, where?

I have not had an institutional artistic education; what I know is what has captured my curiosity.

Why do you like Op Art in particular?

I like Op Art as I believe it is one of the few styles that allows for perceptive transgression; it has helped me unlock the way I see the world. What I really love about Op Art is that it is a language of proportions and understanding that language has been a key to my personal evolution as an artist.

How do you make your art? / What’s the process for making one of your artworks?

I incubate concepts during my time at my non artistic day job, often sketching them out. Later that night I’ll work on handcrafting the concept into a large scale piece. This ‘artisan’ approach involves using a compass (remember those?!), pencils and ruler on paper. I then use ink liners to outline the piece. The final stage is applying acrylic and/or black gouache for the fills.

While it is obvious that digital technology has contributed much to the op art movement, I personally find there is little that can surpass that certain exhilaration of crafting a fully realised piece by hand.

I have a stage by stage photo method over at my blog for a more detailed review.

Any other art you like and other artists that inspire or have inspired you.

The biggest inspiration for my work is the laws of circle proportion and symmetry; these natural laws have entranced me in a continued deepening exploration.

As for artists, I am inspired by a diverse range of genres and mediums, I am drawn to anyone really who can manifest their emotions into the material world.

I have a heightened respect for masters such as Gaudi, whose work is simply transcendental.

I would love to encourage anyone to learn the simplistic properties of a single radius for themselves and experiment with this boundless power source of raw, creative vibrancy.

You can see more of Anomynous’s work at his website.

Igor Vojtela is based in Western Slovakia and has a background in teaching Maths and Physics but now works in the field of computing. He produces most of his Op Art pieces using Xara software, although the initial ideas are often sketched out on paper.

“When I was born in the last century in a small town in Western Slovakia, crayons, pencils and brushes had already been invented, but nobody even dreamed of computer graphics.  “Scribbling” on paper or in a notebook has always been my favourite form of relaxation from my early youth right up to the present day. Even during my studies in maths and physics I constantly drew crazy figures or surreal landscapes in my notebooks.”

Did you formally study art?

I neither studied visual arts nor computer graphics – it is purely a hobby. I am originally a maths and physics teacher, although I have been working in the IT sector for quite some time now.

Why Op Art?

For me, OP-ART is a symbiosis of geometry, combinatorial maths and art. By combining simple patterns one can create intensely interesting structures, which often do not have a real meaning as such, but can give rise to a surprising optical sensation.  In a way, it is similar to hand drawn humour (which I love), where by joining several lines or objects a new meaning is created entirely different from the original one.

Any other art you like and other artists that inspire or have inspired you?

The work of great visual artists such as Dalí, Brunovský, Mucha, Escher and Vasarely have undoubtedly had the most influence on my work.

How do you go about creating a piece?

Some pictures begin as sketches on a paper which are later re-created in PC, some are created directly in the computer, most often in XARA.

My pictures are usually made for my friends and acquaintances, but I also do commercial work from time to time. For example, in past I used to illustrate magazines, mathematical books, cartoons and corporate visuals.

If you’d like to see more of Igor’s work you can do so on his website.

First update of the New Year is from London based artist Schneider who uses cubes, lines and vivid contrasting colours to “question our perception of space and perspective, producing imagery that echoes the Op Art and Geometric art of the 60s and 70s. “

How do you make your art?

I use Flash to generate the image and experiment with colours. I save hundreds of the best ideas and keep the ones I like most on my desktop for a while and from these print out the ones that stand the test of time. Something then tells me which ones to paint.

What’s the process for making one of your artworks?

I buy wood panels or get bigger ones made up. I paint them with 4 coats of gesso and sand them down until they are perfectly smooth and then map out the image and paint it. I’m a perfectionist so the work isn’t finished until every edge is perfect. Drives me mad sometimes.

Any other art you like and other artists that inspire or have inspired you.

The obvious inspirations are early – Bridget Riley & Vasarely, plus I love the primary colours & repetitions of Pop artists like Warhol & Lichtenstein. I have started painting series of the same image in different colours as a result.

Current artists I love include Tauba Auerbach, Aakash Nihalani and James Marshall.

If you would like to see more of Schneider’s works, you can do so here.

Where Op Art meets Pop Art…  

Nikos Symrnios grew up in the 1960s – a time when Pop Art and Op Art were hugely popular both in the art world and in the mainstream.  These movements had a lasting and powerful effect on Nikos and he spent a lot of time trying to find a way to combine the two styles.  “Finally I succeeded in finding balance between them by developing an original visual style, the style I use today for creating my works”.  Nikos describes himself as the “Pop artist who is in love with Op Art.”  Nikos currently lives and works in Greece.

Did you study art?  If so where?

I studied at Stockholm’s College University of Art and Design (Konstfack), a school founded on the principles of Bauhaus and still considered the heart of Scandinavian Design. I graduated in 1981, after completing a five year program which was focused more on visual communication design and modern media (photography, video, graphics) than on matters of painting styles and traditional techniques.

How do you make your art?

I use mainly Adobe software (from Photoshop and Illustrator to After Effects and Flash), exploiting its creative possibilities to the maximum, by endless experimentation. The outcome of my art varies from traditional painting, to pen drawing and digital printing, so the technical process varies accordingly. In every case, the use of the computer is a matter of crucial importance, not only during the image generation process but also when trying to solve problems related to the final composition, the colors, etc.  My confident handling of formal techniques derives from my professional graphic design background.  As a graphic artist I am familiar with the laws of visual perception, which I use to create optical interest in my art.  By this means I approach the techniques of op art and try to match them to the philosophy of pop art.

What’s the process for making one of your artworks?

Like other pop artists, I express my view of the times above all through the use of the portrait. Anyone can become my model, but I have mostly chosen to portray idols of a glorious era, mainly rock and film stars or other famous people, who later became icons and symbols of ideals within the global ethical and cultural tradition. In other words, photo manipulation, by the use of different methods, is an important part of this process. I try though to avoid making sterile, mechanical reproductions of the photo (or the photos) that I use as a reference for portraying a person, paying attention to the sensitive matters of copyright, about which I am quite conscious. For this reason, I often use more pictures of the same person as reference, for creating a “new” one and finally I put the portrait in a conceptual context according to the portrayed personality. This is the most essential part of the process. I use my experience from the graphic design world to produce poster like works, following the pop art tradition, (as pop art is closer to the graphic arts than any other art movement). The use of applied design gives my images their character, while these images usually reflect my own views. The last step of the process is transferring the image onto a canvas, or a piece of paper, cardboard, a metallic plate etc. Depending on the material and the painting medium I use conventional transferring methods, overhead projections or prints.

Why do you like Op Art?

Op Art has several aspects. Whichever of these aspects you experience you can’t help but like it. First and foremost, Op compositions are full of power able to energize even the most indifferent viewer. They bring the senses of two and three dimensional states into one vibrant unity. Besides, the positive and negative spaces are of equal importance more in Op art compositions than in other kinds of art.

Their geometric character is another aspect that I love. Geometry has intrigued me already from the time I was an art student and created my first experimental paintings/installations, depicting various geometric theorems and philosophical principles of the main Greek mathematicians and philosophers. (The “Pythagorean I” is the most important work of this series). Last but not least, by studying Op art’s non-representational nature I found I could comprehend and appreciate the great values of abstract art.

Other art and artists that you like or have found inspirational?

I like almost every kind of art when it’s pure and genuine.

As for other artists that have inspired me there are quite a few! I would like in particular to mention Juan Miro, Frank Stella, Peter Blake, Roy Lichtenstein, Victor Vasarely, Renato Guttuso and Equipo Cronica (Manolo Valdes and Rafael Solbes).

You can find out more about Nikos and see more of his work on his facebook page.