Chuck Close is an American artist born in 1940 who struggled in school due to dyslexia and other health issues. He found solace in art and was influenced by Jackson Pollock after seeing one of his exhibitions. Close developed a unique photorealistic style while studying at Yale by using grids from large Polaroids to recreate portraits with extreme detail. In 1988, Close suffered a spinal artery rupture that left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, but he continued his artwork by taping a brush to his wrist.

1. Chuck Close
By Shannon Van Staden, Thomas Mackintosh, Shane Vanvelsen

2. Tough Start
• Chuck Close was born on July 5, 1940, in
Monroe, Washington.
• Suffered from severe dyslexia so did poorly in
school.
• Close also suffered from a neuromuscular
condition, leaving him unable to play sports.
• Got a kidney infection and was bed ridden for
a year.

3. Found Art
• Chucks parents where artistic and gave a lot of
support
• With his struggles at school chuck found
solace in art

4. Influence's
• In 1954 chuck went to a exhibition of Jackson
Pollock and saw al his paintings.
• Jacksons style influenced chuck tremendously
and made chuck want to become a
professional artist.
Mural, 1943 by Jackson pollock

5. The Rise of Chuck
• Chuck close went to Washington University
and graduated in 1962
• At this time chucks work was very abstract
1960
By Chuck close

6. Change
• Chuck goes to Yale of Fine
Arts
• During this time in Yale
chucks work goes from
abstract to high photo
realism.
• This becomes Chucks
signature style
Mark, 1979. acrylic on canvas, 9' x 7' (29.6 x 23 m)

7. Big Nude, 1967. oil on canvas, 117 x 253" (9'9" x 21').

8. knitting
• Chuck developed a process he called
“knitting”
• Used exacting grids from huge large frame
polaroid pictures of his models
• Then recreated it on canvas in oil.

9. Perfection
• Chuck painted his friends family and himself
• He worked big and close up with extreme
detail.
• Painted every flaw on every patch of skin,
mouth, nasal cavity.
• These paintings were so photo realistic it
would be hard to tell the difference.

10. • At the time this kind of art
had never been done
before
Big Nude, 1967.
oil on canvas,
117 x 253" (9'9"
x 21').

11. The inject printer
• Chucks application of colour was new and
worked extremely well.
• This application was so revolutionary that it
helped the development of the ink jet printer.

12. Self portrait
• In 1968 Chuck did a famous
self portrait
• This is a good example of
how he paints every flaw
• Hair is a mess
• Blemishes in the skin
• Facial features are all done
as they are nothing is
changed.

13. Phil
• In 1969 Chuck did a
portrait of Phillip Glass.
• Phillip glass was a
extremely well known
composer at the time
• This became one of the
most famous and
recognizable pieces for
Chuck

14. Fame
• In the 1970’s Chucks work is shown is some of the worlds finest
gallery’s
• Chuck is widely considered one of Americas best contemporary
artists

15. Bad luck
• In 1988 close suffered a sudden rupture of the
spinal artery.
• Close was left nearly entirely paralyzed
• After lots of physical therapy Close was
permanently confined to a wheel chair
• But had partial use of his limbs

16. Carry On
• After the accident Close continues with his
work despite his physical limitations.
• Close now paints with a brush taped to his
wrist.

17. Change in style
• After the accident Close
goes back to a abstract
style
• Still doing portraits but
with less precision
• This does not effect Close’s
reputation and standing at
all
Self-Portrait,
1997. oil on
canvas, 102 x
84" (259.1 x
213.4 cm).

18. • Close’s position in the art
world does not change
• In the year 2000 president
Clinton names Close a
recipient of the national medal
of arts
• In 2007 his life becomes a full
length documentary “Chuck
Close: A Portrait in Progress”