Rogelio Polesello was an Argentinian painter who used bright colors, geometric shapes, and patterns to create vibrant works of art. He was best known for making Op art—an abstract style of art that creates optical illusions, giving the viewer the impression of movement and vibrations.
In this easy Family Activity, we'll walk you through how to make a marker pen drawing inspired by Polesello's Pintura (Painting), 1969.
Rogelio Polesello (Argentinean, 1939–2014). Pintura (Painting), 1969. Acrylic on canvas, 51 1/4 x 51 1/4 inches (130.2 x 130.2 cm). Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York; Gift of Seymour H. Knox, Jr., 1970 (K1970:5). © Estate of Rogelio Polesello
1. Place your circular object in the center of the page and draw round it with your pencil.
2. Draw two more circles, one above and one below. Then add two circles on either side.
3. Add some markers in the center circle on the top, bottom, left, and right sides (see below left). Line the edge of your circular object up with the markers and draw around it (see below right). Repeat three more times.
4. Now use the edge of your circular object to create petal leaf shapes on the circles around the outer edge of the drawing (see below left). Work clockwise until complete (see below right).
5. Now color each shape using your marker pens. You can choose whatever color combinations you like best! Polesello used contrasting colors next to each other.
6. Don’t stop until each shape is filled in!
As a follow-up activity, make another drawing—this time use the circular object to create a different pattern, or choose another shape to work with (e.g. triangle, square, etc.).
Optional: Share your creation on Twitter or Instagram with #AKBeyondWalls and #MuseumFromHome!
Vibrant: bright and bold
Contrast: opposite, for example light versus dark, warm colors versus cool colors
Geometric: characterized by regular lines and shapes such as circles, square, and triangles