Second Grade Art: Chuck Close Portraits

During the winter quarter Ms. Mazurek's second grade art students learned about a contemporary artist named Chuck Close who is known as a Photo-Realist and portrait painter. By utilizing a grid, Close takes an average size Polaroid photograph and enlarges it to a monumental scale. The grid allows him to focus on all the parts of an image in extreme detail.

Here are two projects that the second graders worked on during their study of Chuck Close. First they each tried their hand at enlarging their own photographic image by using corresponding grids of different sizes. The students outlined their faces to help with this process. They then used crayon and watercolor to explore color relationships. The second project involved painting into a grid placed over their photographs of themselves. Each student worked with layering circles and dots of paint within the grid squares. As their portraits developed, the students were making choices about colors and the effect they were hoping to achieve.

Click below to view slide shows of the final projects from two classes:

Ms. McFarlane's Class
Ms. Piane's Class