Colouring-in craze hits creatives

MONEY-MAKERS: Onekickinc members are, back, Daniel Kirstein, Natalie Saunders; front, Lisa Darlington, Jlo Karora, Helen Knight. Photo/Anne Shirley

FROM DOODLES TO TATTOO STYLE, CONCEPT ART AND DESIGN ...

Five art and design students from the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic's Bachelor of Creative Industries degree were instructed by their tutor to come up with an artistic idea that would make profit. This was to be achieved not only before they died (unlike many of the artists they study) but in less than a year.

They looked at profitable artistic trends and came up with a solution - to make a colouring-in book, which has been the biggest trend to hit bookshops worldwide this year. However, they were advised by a Dragons' Den to create a book different to the popular garden variety that fills shelves, while still creating calm and tranquil images.

After adapting their idea from a large format colouring-in book, their postable, sharable, tearable postcard colouring-in book has taken shape. Although it is not a completely new concept, it is the first limited-edition portable book they have heard of being created in Tauranga by New Zealanders.

The illustrators are eight artists with different styles, and the subjects range from abstract faces to whales, quirky owls, mystical beasts, icebergs and New Zealand birds. There is even an alsatian wearing a jersey.

With 32 postcards and something for everyone - from doodles to tattoo style, concept art and design - perhaps the trend will interest more males. Why it is such a female-dominated activity, with even women's colouring-in groups popping up, the group cannot fathom.

"We thought that perhaps the illustrations did not cater for men, so there are illustrations for them, too. There are three male illustrators - all of them offering something a little different. Perhaps colouring-in will give the guys in our life something calming to do while waiting for their coffee or the bus, or in a meeting. It certainly got the male (Daniel Kerstein) in our group attention from a few ladies the last time we had a meeting in the café as he coloured-in to keep himself busy while waiting for us females. Perhaps this book will start a new trend."

This group has stepped up to defy the stereotype of the artist being 'a poor, unemployed dreamer' and has created an excellent quality, sustainable and locally-produced commercial product that gives direct recognition back to the artist as creating for other people's benefit.

This is a product they should be proud of, as much as their tutors are - as they are off to a good start, making profit with 40 books already sold to locals and also overseas buyers, including Americans looking for something different to add to their colouring collections.

Locals can get books through several outlets - the Tauranga Art Gallery, Paper Plus in Bethlehem and during the Arts Festival at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic pop-up gallery, The Project Room, at 63 Spring Street, or from their website, onekickinc.com. But you have to be quick, because they are flying out the door.