Children's Book review: Outside the Lines: An Artists' Coloring Book For Giant Imaginations, Edit. by Souris Hong-Porretta

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, from KSB Promotions, for review purposes. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.




Continuing our back to school feature, we have a great book perfect for lazy after school days and weekends that your kids will love and that teaches them about famous art!

Synopsis: A creative coloring book featuring original and recognizable line drawings from more than 100 contemporary creative masterminds. These unique and quirky illustrations will appeal to children as well as fans of contemporary and street art, and is a great tool for parents who want to culture their children from an early age, introducing them to some of the boldest names in contemporary art. With most pages commissioned especially for this book, the collection features the work of Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey, Exene Cervenka, Gary Baseman, Jen Corace , Buff Monster,  Carol Es, Jesse LeDoux, Logan Hicks, and more.

This diverse collection includes the work of animators, cartoonists, fine artists, graphic artists, illustrators, musicians, outsider artists, photographers, street artists, and video game artists. When asked about the inspiration behind the creation of this coloring book, L.A. art enthusiast Souris Hong-Porretta says:

“My daughter, Lulu, directly inspired Outside the Lines. The kid has dozens of coloring books from all over the world, yet she kept going back to her Moebius and Andy Warhol books. Lulu seemed to love to color art by established artists. Watching her, I wondered, ‘Wouldn't it be cool for Lulu to color her dad and our friends' artwork?' At that moment, I conceptualized a coloring book filled with art by our creative cabal. Thus began Outside the Lines.”

Review:

We were sent a sampler from the book, and I have to admit, I stole a page immediately, "Apace" by jen Corace, as I wanted to color it myself(!!) and put it up in Miss Grace's room as a surprise! It's not finished yet, but you can see what a great concept the book is:

She has eagerly taken the rest of the pages and had a lot of fun exploring the designs and art and asking questions about it. Apparently all out trips through NOMA sunk in, as she recognized pieces that were similar to ones there! With 119 pages, there is something for everyone's tastes and interests! If you are looking for something DIFFERENT for your kids (boys AND girls), that exposes them to great pieces of modern art, this is the book for you (and them!).

Editor:  Souris Hong-Porretta is an art enthusiast, idea enabler, and yay-maker. She blogs about art and culture at Hustler of Culture (www.hustlerofculture.com), and about culture, children, and creativity at Tiny Iron Fists (www.tinyironfists.com). She is currently Integrated Marketing Manager for the Audience and acts as a client liaison to a roster of visual artists. She lives in Santa Monica with her artist husband Silvio, crayon-stabbing daughter Lulu, and two cats, Atari and Zelda.