ExplorArt Klee – The Art of Paul Klee, for Kids

Some artists have become classroom staples for primary school art lessons.  Seurat and Mondrian are popular because their artwork has an aspect that, superficially at least, is easy to understand. Children, regardless of their own artistic confidence, feel that there is an access point to trying to emulate the styles they see.

Classrooms should also welcome Paul Klee to their art lessons.  This Swiss artist's style also has an accessibility, despite the depth and complexity, that gives his work a place on the walls of the world's art galleries.

To this, the art teacher should also factor in this app.  It is an introduction to the artist's work in a way that makes interactions and content almost seamless.  Everything in the app is constructed using Klee's work and style and then animated in a way that works beautifully.

It is all very well polished and every screen transition, animation, and sound effect seem to be done just right.  The depths within the works of art are revealed through them.

If there are any criticisms to make of the app it is that, occasionally, it can feel like you are hunting for the hotspots to trigger interactions.  On the one hand, this encourages experimentation but on the other, each tap that does not illicit a response is a little disappointing.  This is a small flaw, though.

The app would be a great way for a teacher to introduce and support a unit of work based on Paul Klee's work.  It is also a wonderful source of inspiration for talking points and lessons.  It could even become part of some cross-curricular work.  How the veins of a leaf define the shape of a leaf and their similarity to trees, can cross to science lessons.  For music lessons, the strong link between this artist's work and music belie his talent with a violin.  It isn't explicitly said so in the app, but it also touches on fractals for maths lessons.

Then, of course, there is the art itself.  The simple shapes, their textures, and how they are arranged in Klee's art can be the inspiration for children's own work.  The more complex parts also let the artistically-gifted stretch themselves and their ideas.  

This app doesn't present all of this on a plate to teachers.  Some extra reading, some planning and resource creation will also be required.  But it is a solid core around which to build.  Presented on a class display and then interacted with by the children, it will certainly encourage interest.

This is a difficult app to categorise.  Essentially it is an art e-book but it is much more too.  It is an inspiration.  A rare child-friendly look at artwork in depth.  The one category in which it does fit easily is that of a 5-star app.