Getting CLOSE in the Art Room!

(Well, actually the cafeteria...it wouldn't fit in the art room!)


The week of September 11-17 was National Arts in Education Week! This resolution was passed in July of 2010 and states: […] Arts education, comprising a rich array of disciplines including dance, music, theatre, media arts, literature, design, and visual arts, is a core academic subject and an essential element of a complete and balanced education for all students.
To show our enthusiasm for the visual arts, EVERY art student at Lowes Island worked together to create this very large (and close to actual size) reproduction of a famous Chuck Close self-portrait.  

FIRST...we cut a poster-sized reproduction into small squares that were labeled very carefully. Each student was given a square (actually some of them made several squares) to copy exactly onto a sticky note carefully studying and blending crayon colors and matching shapes.  (Only one row was cut and distributed at a time to make it easier to keep track of.)


NEXT...we started reassembling the squares...

Then more squares...

Our picture became so large, we had to hang it in cafeteria!
The children were SO excited to search for their part in this amazing adventure!


3rd grade student looking for his square in our
Chuck Close reproduction! (Actual size, 9' x 7')


This is a picture of the back of our project

(and, coincidentally,  what was spinning around in my
head every time I laid down at night for two weeks!)

  





Comments

  1. Grandiose ideas really do pay off sometimes :) Glad I could be part of such a cool project....even though I was seeing squares and circles in my sleep :)

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  2. This is amazing! Need to frame it and make it a permanent exhibit in your building or put it on display in the community! Every piece of the puzzle helps make the whole. Every child plays a part in the big picture....
    Great job!

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  3. LeAnne, that is amazing. I am in awe!

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  4. Holly SMOKES!!! That is AMAZING!!!! What time and work you and your kids put in. VERY nice! Thanks for sharing.

    Nic Hahn
    MiniMatisse.blogspot.com

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  5. How did you keep track of what post it note went where? Did you have a numbered grid or what? I would love to do this project but just trying to organize to make sure no post it notes get mixed up and in the wrong places.

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    1. I had two copies of the print. One had the rows numbered on the grid and the other had the corresponding numbers on the back. We only cut apart a few rows at a time and assembled the rows at the end of each day then matched the sticky notes with the little rows. You can see in a couple of the pictures that the large image just grew a little each day. It would have been too hard to reassemble all of the pieces at one time. There are around 1,000!

      By the way, I had a student teacher at the time, which made the task A LOT easier! She was awesome!

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  6. Question for you! Where did you find the prints of Chuck Close? Did you order them or find a store that had them? Just curious. I'd like to try this if you didn't mind!

    -Middle School Art Teacher :)

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  7. Wow- I am so impressed! Organizing this would have driven me mental, I'm sure! Respect!

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  8. and they will always remember this project: the plan, the excitement, the fulfillment seeing it complete. And THAT is the important part. kudos

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  9. Where did you get the prints?

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    1. I had the poster in my room and just took a photo and printed it on a poster-sized printer that our county has. I printed two copies...one to cut up and one to use for reference (which the kids loved as they tried to find their square). KEY TIP...only cut up the rows that you are handing out that day...much easier to keep up with that way.

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  10. Just lovely, even for a high school Art I level project I'm thinking....

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  11. WOW. the poster turned out wonderful. I have the chuck close poster in my room, but I love the reproduction of it you did. AMAZING.

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  12. Just phenomenal! So great for kids to be part of the whole gigantic piece. What pride they must feel! Now that it's over a year old, what has become of the artwork?

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    1. My intention was for the piece to stay up for years to come, but I am sad to say we have a wonderful custodian who likes to clean the building very thoroughly every summer, so he figured we were finished with it and trashed it. I am just heartbroken over it! :( I would have kept it at my house or something! It was still in very good shape!

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    2. Oh my word!!! I would have cried and cried!! What a sad ending to such a beautiful and time consuming project. Bless your heart.

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  13. What size were your small squares?

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    1. We just used 3" sticky notes! That way, no cutting and their paper stayed put. Super easy!

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  14. OMG! This is just fabulous! I've been looking for a whole school idea to use for our school's upcoming art show and this just could be it!!! You are brilliant! And the photo of the child looking for his piece is priceless!

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  15. Wow! Thanks! Hope it works well for you! Let me know if you have any questions :)

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  16. Hi, Am looking for a winter carnival project - we have done something like this but this is really amazing. I have a few questions. How many pieces make up the whole? How long did it take each student to make the square?? Very exciting

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