Abstract
The article examines the impact of minimalist and op-art artistic strategies on the formation of professional, figurative, and associative thinking in design students. The relevance of the study is determined by the necessity in design education to transition from reproductive nature-copying to a project-based way of thinking through the conscious interpretation of form and space. The research is based on the analysis of final educational compositions on the theme «Man and Space»The methodological framework of the work consists of a comprehensive approach, including formal-compositional, structural-semantic, and comparative analysis of student sketches, as well as participant observation of the design process. The author regards educational activity as a cognitive experiment where stylistic constraints serve as a pedagogical tool.As a result of the study, it was established that working within the aesthetics of minimalism trains students in form reduction and the identification of semantic dominance through the relationship between silhouette and «void». In turn, the use of op-art techniques (rhythmic repetitions, optical illusions, and color contrasts) transforms the perception of space from a neutral background into an active, dynamic environment. It was revealed that the combination of these directions contributes to a departure from linear perspective in favor of a subjective, deformed, and symbolic interpretation of the image. The human figure in such compositions ceases to be a realistic object and becomes a generalized sign. It is concluded that such practice develops non-linear, associative, and project-based thinking in future designers, allowing them to create complex visual metaphors. The practical significance of the work lies in the possibility of implementing these methods into the curricula of the artistic-design cycle to develop visual literacy and the creative potential of students.