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Chuck Close

 


Chuck Close, Self Portrait, 2011

CONTEXT CLUES:

Chuck Close's paintings are typically HUGE! His earliest drawings and paintings are very realistic. He would use a grid to copy a photograph almost perfectly. As he got older, he started experimenting more with colors and leaving his grid squares visible in the finished paintings.

In 1988, Close was paralyzed but re-learned how to paint by using a brush-holding device strapped to his wrist and forearm and using a motorized wheelchair to move around.

Here's an example of a finished self-portrait by Chuck Close, as well as the photo he based it on. You can see that he drew a grid on top of the photo to measure out each part of the picture to make it easier to draw so large.
 




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