Paul Klee: Swinging, Polyphonic (And a Complementary Repeat), 1931This is the pair of images we looked at as we kicked off the first in-class hands-on exercise: note again that Klee begins with a line, looping it around on itself several times and creating a variety of differently sized and shaped areas in the process. He then uses value (shading) to create a sense of volume (form) and planes, an illusion that certain forms and planes overlap others, and that some surfaces are convex, others concave

Teacher doodles based on the general idea of Klee’s Swinging, Polyphonic . . .

This is a diagram from Klee’s lecture notes, where he’s showing (with the heavier black line) the path of a conductor’s baton. The visual idea here that I thought we might work with (and didn’t, for reasons of time) was his use of additional lines (the lighter, more broken ones) to create a counterpoint effect. The next slide shows a first step (by me) towards taking this visual idea and using it as a new launching point for a design.

See previous slide: doodle by teacher

Paul Klee: Monument in Fertile Country, 1929Here’s an example of Klee subdividing space; on one level this is an exercise in pure abstraction, while at the same time (with the help of the title) he is suggesting a landscape, settled and subdivided agricultural fields. The “monument” is perhaps suggested by the repeated yellow shapes that take up the vertical center of the image: these shapes are bigger and brighter than the other elements, and therefore take on more importance. Note how units relate to each other: near the center, for example, you can see the same vertical space being subdivided into two sections on the left and into four sections on the right. Also note that Klee has snuck in a few diagonal lines to this design which is primarily made of verticals and horizontals: these verticals help to suggest space and are crucial to the overall final effect.

Paul Klee: Blossoming, 1934This is what one might call an “organic grid” – which is a phrase I think Klee might not mind. Obviously (given the title) he is trying to suggest an organic and natural process of growth. Does it seem – because of the concentration of more saturated, brighter colors towards the center – that this is where the action is? Note that Klee is creating a focal point (or area) – meaning an area to which our eyes are more attracted – by two means: the use of brighter and more saturated colors, but also the subdivision of that area into smaller units.

Paul Klee: Rhythmical, 1930This work is simpler than the previous one (Blossoming) in being monochromatic, in having fewer units, and in that the units are somewhat more uniform in size. On the other hand, he’s added a whole new element: the gradation effect in certain areas of gray, where the gray fades out somewhat gradually towards the white. It’s also worth noting how the various horizontal elements line up vertically: you may notice that some, but not all, the edges of shapes line up in the vertical dimension. Why do you think Klee didn’t line these edges up more consistently? (I think it may have something to do with his desire to keep things somewhat lively and unpredictable, and “organic.”

Paul Klee: Light and Sharpness, 1935This painting combines the concepts/techniques of mosaic and translucent overlap along with a degree of symmetry. Klee also manages to suggest a visual echo by repeating certain contours/shapes in fainter form just offset from the more visible ones.

Paul Klee - Dynamic -- Polyphonic Group, 1931Here, Klee elaborates on the method shown in Singing, Polyphonic (And a Complementary Repeat) (the image we began our hands-on with). He adds color, and there’s a stronger sense of one whole form being in front of another)

Paul Klee: Motif from Hammamet, 1914This work relates to grid idea as well as use of watercolor, though without much sense of translucency. It also incorporates a representational motif (roof shapes inspired by Klee’s travels in N. Africa) which is combined with the more abstract rectangular units

Paul Klee: Polyphony, 1932This work implies a grid and the subdivision of space but, as is usual in Klee’s work, the elements don’t line up with mechanical precision. It also makes use of the mosaic idea, as each section’s color is actually made up of many small dots, not all of quite the same color. Translucent overlapping is suggested, and the piece as a whole is intended to create a kind of “musical” polyphony: several layers of sound occurring simultaneously

Paul Klee: Rose Garden, 1920This is a great example by Klee of combining an abstract motif with a representational one. Note how (and why) the buildings toward the bottom of the image appear to be closer. Also note how Klee creates an in-out rhythm as he alternates forms that seem to curve away from us (into space) with others that seem to bow out towards us. (And he cleverly places the convex forms, the ones that come out towards us, up higher in the picture, and makes them smaller, so that their convexity balances out their apparent greater distance from us. This painting also makes significant use, though in color, of the “gradation” idea we saw in slide #7 (Rhythmical).

Paul Klee: left: Spirits (Figures from a Ballet), 1922 right: Fugue in Red, 1921In both Spirits and Fugue in Red (which we discussed at some length in class), Klee creates the feeling that the shapes are giving off vibrations. He does this by repeating and overlapping the basic shapes, and differentiating them through value (making them, here, generally darker and less saturated as we move back in space). One difference between the two works is this: In Spirits, Klee employs much more representational figures, with the title helping us to place them as creatures (or “Spirits”) who would, perhaps by nature, tend to move and to give off the strange sorts of emanations that we seem to see here. Klee frequently made references to and drew inspiration from other arts, including puppetry, ballet, opera, and music performance.

Paul Klee – Polyphonic Currents, 1929

Paul Klee – Nekropolis, 1929

Paul Klee – Twittering Machine, 1922

Paul Klee – Hoffmanesque Fairy Tale Scene, 1921

Paul Klee – Eros, 1923

Paul Klee – The Invention - 1934 Paul Klee – Horizon, Zenith and Atmosphere – 1925

These two pieces both almost certainly involved the use of stencils. The process can be as simple as covering part of the paper to protect it from the paint and then splattering or spraying or otherwise applying watercolor to the unprotected areas. It seems as though Klee used some sort of spray technique, as we see a gradation of color from more to less intense that probably represents greater and lesser concentrations of sprayed pigment.

Paul Klee – Ad Parnassum, 1932

This painting, the title of which (To Parnassus) refers to the Greek mountain associated with Apollo and the Muses – with artistic inspiration – is a great example of visual mosaic technique. Note that the background is made up not of one single solid color, but is broken into various medium-sized shapes. By means of the painted “tiles” of slightly different hues and values, Klee produces a shimmering effect.

Paul Klee – Connected to the Stars, 1923

Paul Klee – Unstable Equilibrium, 1922 Paul Klee – Daringly Balanced, 1930

These two works both deal with balance, while still making use of transparent planes of color. Note the use of arrows to convey movement and directionality in Unstable Equilibrium.

Paul Klee – Villa R, 1919

Paul Klee – Snake Paths, 1934

Note how Klee combines translucent color areas with the thin but opaque linear red snake. Those translucent overlapping grey-ish-green shapes, with their undulating contours, echo (but in visual counterpoint) the motion of the snake.