plate no. 6788

Fairy tale of the Dwarf

Paul Klee, 1925

watercolor, cardboardExpressionismmythological paintingfiguregeometric shapesmythologicaldwarfcatabstract

recreation guide

Paul Klee’s *Fairy tale of the Dwarf* (1925) is a quintessential example of his Bauhaus period, characterized by a synthesis of draftsmanship and color theory. The work likely exhibits the 'fragile childlike quality' and small scale typical of Klee’s output, combining geometric forms with playful, mythological figures (Source 1). During this era, Klee moved away from strict naturalism toward a 'cool romanticism of abstraction,' using color not to imitate nature but to create compositions analogous to musical structures (Source 3). The piece reflects his inventive use of mixed media, potentially combining watercolor with other techniques to achieve a unique tonal harmony.

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

4 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Cardboard	Primary support surface, consistent with Klee's documented use of cardboard for watercolors.	Heavyweight watercolor board or mounted cardboard
Watercolor paints	Primary medium for color application and transparency effects.	Professional grade tube watercolors
Gum arabic	Binder for watercolors, essential for the transparency and cohesion described in historical watercolor practices.	Pre-mixed tube watercolors contain this, but pure gum arabic can be added for glazing
Pen and India ink	For linear definition and 'spidery hieroglyph-like symbols' often found in Klee's work.	Fine liner pens or dip pens with India ink
White gouache or body color	For opaque highlights and correcting areas, as Klee often combined transparent and opaque techniques.	White gouache or opaque watercolor

preparation

surface prep

Klee frequently used cardboard as a support (Source 1). The surface should be left relatively raw or lightly sized to allow for the absorption characteristic of watercolor on cardboard, avoiding the heavy priming used for oil paintings. Ensure the cardboard is dry and free from dampness to prevent sizing fermentation (Source 6).

underdrawing

Klee was a 'natural draftsman' (Source 1). Begin with a light pencil or ink sketch that establishes the geometric forms and playful figures. The drawing should serve as a structural grid, potentially incorporating letters or numbers if consistent with the specific iconography of the 'Dwarf' motif, though specific details of this drawing are not explicitly described in the sources. The lines should be precise but allow for the 'childlike' looseness associated with his style.

underpainting

Apply initial washes of pale watercolor to establish the color harmony. Klee’s breakthrough involved realizing that 'color has taken possession of me' (Source 3). Use blocks of color with limited overlap to create a foundation, treating the color fields as analogous to musical notes in a composition (Source 3).

color palette

Pale, transparent washes

Diluted watercolors with high gum content

General background and atmospheric effects, reflecting Klee's early experiments in pale watercolors (Source 3).

Complementary pairs

e.g., Blue/Orange, Red/Green

Creating color harmony analogous to musical keys, a technique Klee developed after his Tunis trip (Source 3).

Opaque white

Gouache or body color

Highlights and corrections, utilizing the mix of transparency and opacity Klee often employed (Source 1, Source 6).

composition

Klee often used geometric forms and grid format compositions (Source 1). The composition likely balances abstract graphical elements with figurative representations, such as the 'Dwarf' and potentially other mythological or animal figures. The layout should feel like a 'transcription of music' (Source 1), with elements arranged to create a rhythmic visual flow rather than a realistic perspective.

step by step

underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic geometric forms and figures using a fine pen or pencil. Incorporate any textual or symbolic elements if appropriate to the specific iconography.
Tip — Keep lines light and precise, allowing for the 'childlike' quality.
Draftsmanship

first pass

step 02
Apply pale watercolor washes to establish the color blocks. Use limited overlap to maintain clarity of form.
Tip — Ensure the cardboard is properly sized to prevent bleeding.
Watercolor wash

refining

step 03
Layer additional colors to create harmony and depth. Use complementary colors to enhance visual interest, akin to musical dissonance and resolution.
Tip — Allow each layer to dry completely before applying the next to maintain transparency.
Glazing

finishing

step 04
Add opaque highlights or corrections using white gouache or body color. Refine the linear details with ink if necessary.
Tip — Balance the opaque elements with the transparent washes to avoid muddiness.
Mixed media

critical techniques

Color Harmony

Klee treated color blocks as musical notes, creating compositions analogous to musical structures. This involves careful selection of complementary or dissonant colors to evoke specific moods (Source 3).

Mixed Media

Combining watercolor with ink, gouache, or other media to achieve varied effects of transparency and opacity (Source 1).

Geometric Abstraction

Using grid formats and geometric forms to structure the composition, dissolving natural forms into colored harmony (Source 1, Source 2).

common pitfalls

→Over-saturating the cardboard, leading to buckling or uneven absorption. Ensure proper sizing (Source 6).
→Losing the 'childlike' quality by over-refining the drawing. Klee’s work often retains a sense of spontaneity and playfulness (Source 1).
→Ignoring the musical analogy in color selection. Random color choices may fail to create the intended harmonic structure (Source 3).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific visual details of *Fairy tale of the Dwarf* (e.g., exact figure poses, background elements) are not described in the provided sources.
·The exact sequence of media application for this specific work is not detailed, though general practices are inferred.
·The specific color palette used in this painting is not explicitly listed, though general tendencies are noted.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Science of Painting — CHAPTER XIII↗
- Water Colours — applied to Watercolor techniques, sizing, transparency

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia bio — Paul Klee — part 8↗
- General Practice — applied to Materials, mixed media, childlike quality, geometric forms
Wikipedia bio — Paul Klee — part 3↗
- Trip to Tunis, 1914 — applied to Color theory, musical analogy, abstraction
Wikipedia bio — Paul Klee — part 12↗
- Bauhaus Period — applied to Context of 1925 works, abstract graphical elements