Title: Wreck This App
Cost: 4.99
Platform: iOS, Android
(this review refers to the iOS version)
Based on Keri Smith’s Wreck This Journal, Wreck this App is a collection of activities designed to awaken creativity through the power of destruction. Don’t worry no iPhones were harmed in the process of writing this post. The destruction this app inspires might take the form of defacing a photo, repurposing text, or using the various drawing tools to smear ink, cut up an image, or scribble all over the page. Other times the activities are more wacky’ rather than actually destructive, designed to shake up your brain, like putting your fingers in your ears and touching your nose to cure hiccups. For example, you will be asked to draw a picture of something you dislike, connect a set of dots from memory,’ and make a collage of photos of stickers found on fruit.
Your toolbox of artistic destruction includes a pencil, an eraser, a smudging tool, dripping ink, a text tool, a color palette, tools to cut and paste,’ and links to your device’s camera and photo roll.’ Navigate through 60 pages of activities by using the “Go To” menu where you can click on each page, or turning pages back and forth with icons you can click in each of the bottom corners.’ Save your creations to your device’s photo roll, or share them on Facebook or Flickr with one click. There is also a page to make up your own activities in the spirit of Wreck This App.
Customer reviews on the Apple Store complain that the app is too expensive and that the book is more fun. While I agree that there is more destructive creation potential available with a journal that you can actually destroy, 60 pages of inspiration that fits in your pocket is an accessible jumping off point. With the app you can play with creative exercises from anywhere.’ Maybe you’ll be inspired to buy the book, or maybe you’ll be inspired to get out some paper and a pile of art supplies and go from there.
I think this app would make a good icebreaker activity in a teen program or a meeting of adults. It would be especially suited to use with a teen writing group, or other creative meeting. I might pull it out at Anime Club because so many of the teens who come regularly, come to draw. Because it is on the more expensive side, you might purchase it yourself and then pass your device around or make up activities inspired by the app’s’ (and the book’s) tagline: “To create is to destroy.”
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