Learn how to make simple flat shapes spring to life with this colouring book with a difference. A few stokes of the pencil and a parrot takes flight, a flying carpet takes off, a secret passageway goes deep into the ground and a playful kitten breaks through the paper to wave a paw.
As a keen colourist I have quite a few colouring books so it is good to find one that takes the basic idea and goes somewhere new with it. The book opens with an explanation of how to make a drawing look three dimensional by using the rules of perspective to create an optical illusion. Learn how to use colour to show shadows, work out where the light is coming from and finally cut out the right sections to enhance the effect. It sounds complicated but it is simpler than you think, and suitable for a beginner. All you need is a spectrum of coloured pencils, a good rubber and a few other basics that most homes will have like a pencil sharpener, scissors or craft knife and a ruler. No brand names are used and the picture just shows a tin with a basic set of 24 colours; great to know that you don't need to splash out on the most expensive professional quality pencils.
Each of the 20 projects has a page sized photograph of the completed image plus nine steps with photographs of the work being done. There is a key showing all the colours used (nothing unusual, just basic shades without metallics) and the first picture uses two colours to show where the shadows lie and where the light source is coming from. At the back are all the projects printed on one side of the smooth white card with a useful dotted line where you can cut it out. Would that all coloring books had these features! There are tips scattered throughout and a guide showing how to photograph your work with your cellphone, prior to posting it proudly online with a hashtag indicating the source. This book, together with a tin of pencils would make a lovely gift for somebody... if you can bear to part with it! I'd love to see more innovative coloring books like this, well done Zakka Workshop.
-- Rachel A Hyde * myshelf.com *
