Chuck Close Art

Ever wanted to make a painting come to life? In this activity, you can! It's inspired by the artist Chuck Close, who is known for his larger than life portraits using different painting techniques, including pointillism. Your child uses her fingerprints to create a portrait of herself or a loved one in this creative teachnique. Unconventional mediums are always a great way to encourage crativity, not to mention lots of fun.

What You Need:

• White paper
• Photograph of a friend, family member, or herself
• Pencil
• Black tempera paint
• Paper plate

What You Do:

1. Hve your child select a subject for her pointillism portrait. She can take a look through family photos or use a picture of herself or a close friend.
2. Have your child to get out a white paper and make a rough sketch of her subject.
3. Next, place a small amount of black tempera paint on a paper plate and begin dipping one of her fingers into the paint and then onto the paper. She can start with the outlines and then experiment with different amounts of paint on her finger for a shaded effect.
4. Encourage your child to work slowly and concentrate on light and dark areas of the artwork. She can press her fingertips lightly or heavily onto the paper to manipulate the fingerprints.
5. Have your child continue working until her creation is finished. Now she can find the perfect place to display the artwork and encourage friends and family to take a look close-up and from far away.

Did you know?

Many of Chuck Close’s paintings are very large – around 9 by 7 feet in size! He is also a celebrated Photorealist; painting portraits with such detail they look almost like photographs!