Chuck Close: Up Close [Hardcover]

Jan Greenberg (Author), Sandra Jordan (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

"When every kid on the block wanted to become a policeman or fireman, I wanted to be an artist. It was the first thing that I was good at, the first thing that really made me special. I had skills the other kids didn't have. Art saved my life." These are the words of Chuck Close, one of America's most celebrated artists and the subject of this inspiring and thought-provoking book. Through interviews conducted with Close as well as an analysis of his technique, acclaimed authors Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan explore the ways in which an artist's life and work intertwine. Close's remarkable larger-than-life portraits are the result of a carefully constructed system that finds its roots in both his struggle to overcome severe learning difficulties as a child and immense physical challenges later in life. With full-color reproductions of Close's work as well as additional material on portraits and portraiture, plus a glossary and bibliography, this is an engaging and accessible study of an extraordinary artist, the subject of over one hundred one-man shows, including a retrospective exhibition at New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

According to PW's boxed review, "This beautiful and inspiring book, an ideal example of an artist biography, inspires readers to consider the possibilities of their own creativity." Ages 8-12. (June)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up?Based on interviews, this is an inspiring look at the contemporary artist who struggled with learning disabilities as a youngster, became a celebrated painter in the late 1960s, and later overcame paralysis to continue creating huge portraits in which the image is created by a multitude of small abstract units. Sometimes Close makes the abstract units by inking his finger and pressing it on the canvas over and over. His way of working, as it developed from photorealism to his current unique style, with its relationship to computer art and photomechanical reproduction, is inherently interesting, while the way his portraits almost magically seem to emerge as one gets far enough away from the canvas is clearly shown in the excellent-quality full-color reproductions. Close's story is doubly inspiring, both for the discipline he has developed and for the importance in his life of friends and family. There is enough information for reports, but the book is engaging enough for pleasure reading. Also included are an essay, "What Is a Portrait?" illustrated with works by other artists; a bibliography (all adult titles); and a list of museums that have works by Close. Individual biographies of contemporary artists are still rather scarce. This one has more information than Mike Venezia's Jackson Pollock (1994) or Andy Warhol (1996, both Children's), and lacks the irreverent cartoons of those titles. Viewers will be instantly captured by the cover of this book, a detail of just the eyes and nose of one of Chuck Close's distinctive self-portraits.?Pam Gosner, formerly at Maplewood Memorial Library, NJ
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN; 1st edition (March 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078942486X
• ISBN-13: 978-0789424860
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 10.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #202,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #94 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > Art

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Intro to Gridded Portraiture in HS Art, October 14, 2000

By 

Sharon (Crozet, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chuck Close Up Close (Paperback)

I'm an artist and art teacher, and I recently read this book tomy high school art students as an introduction to gridded portraiture.Don't let the age 9-12 reading level put you off--my high schoolstudents really enjoyed learning about Chuck Close, and were impressedby his work and his life story. In addition to having some greatpictures of Close's work, the book has a lot to say about the artist'sability to develop strategies to deal with his learning disabilities,and his perseverance to continue to work despite an injury that lefthim paralyzed from the neck down. Many of the students could relateto Close's learning differences, and viewed his story as veryinspirational. I like this book so much, in fact, that I'mrecommending it on my website where I have a detailed lesson planbased on teaching kids portraiture via a similar gridded method! END

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this BEFORE some adult version!, September 29, 2001

By 

Brandi S. Martin "lilsleepeye" (chicagoland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chuck Close: Up Close (Hardcover)

Both elementary and high school readers get something from this book. The straightforward prose coveys this artist's powerful talent, humanity and relevance without being sappy. My students like to be read to when they work - its great to see them process and internalize this information as they struggle with these skills and concepts. Clean design and beautiful photos lay it all out simply. If more art history grad students would get to the point this well and this fast, I could coach art history as a sport.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars this is, February 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Chuck Close: Up Close (Hardcover)

This is a clear and inspiring story of the life and art of a great american artist. (and not as expensive and art speaky as a catalogue raisonne) Good for children and adults. I highly recommend it!!!!!!