The art of the colouring book

Over recent years, what was once considered a passing trend, has now become a staple of bookstore shelves and gift shops up and down the country. Adult colouring books have been touted as both a stress buster and a means to reach your inner creative self.

One of the artists who has been was credited with helping to kick-start the adult colouring book craze is Barnsley-born artist, designer and illustrator Mel Elliott and her much loved brand I Love Mel.

In 2015, The Independent featured her titles amongst the best colouring books for adults and in the same year, Business Insider suggested that out of all of the adult colouring book illustrators “perhaps most famous is UK-based artist Mel Elliott, who graduated college in 2007 and began self-publishing grown-up ‘fun books’.”

Indeed, on graduating from the Royal College of Art, Mel began designing fun, printed products such as paper dolls and colouring books under the I Love Mel brand.

“My work has always been influenced by pop culture, celebrity, fame, glossy magazines and the aesthetic perfection that goes hand in hand with all that stuff,” she explains.

“The colouring books and paper dolls were developed when I realised that the things we enjoyed doing as young children, such as cutting out and colouring in, would still be enjoyed by adults, if only the activity books had ‘grown up’ with us.”

Elliott’s book, Colour Me Good: Ryan Gosling, went viral at the height of the actor’s “Hey Girl” meme-phase and always on-trend, she has since published pop culture-inspired colouring books dedicated to Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch, Taylor Swift, iconic album covers, redheaded male celebrities, and ‘girl crushes’.

Perhaps her most popular title is The David Bowie Colouring Book, which in the last year has been picked up and republished by Quercus Books.

…Vs David Bowie is an exhibition that deconstructs exactly what a colouring book is.

Here, a long roll-call of local artists of varying disciplines, decorate, ink, collage, embroider and digitally manipulate their way through the pages of The David Bowie Colouring Book,  while at the same time paying homage to one of the greatest icons of music, fashion and pop culture and the colourful career that he had.

As well as Mel Elliott, …Vs David Bowie features the work of Lynne Barker, Mark Evans, Fabric Lenny, Gallons of Ink, Roseanna Hanson, Rachel Hufton, Hannah Elizabeth Jones, Julie Newton, Painty Face, AW Parker, Gemma Raynor, Caroline Reed, Lisa V Robinson, Samantha Stewart, Jamie Walman and Louise Wright.

“I am so pleased to be able to pay homage to the wonderful David Bowie,” says exhibition curator Jason White. “And in doing so, championing so many brilliant artists from our area; many of which have neither exhibited in the last two years or not at all.”

…Vs David Bowie opens on The Panorama at The Civic on February 11 and runs until April 8 2017. With the support of Mel Elliott, Quercus Books and Barnsley’s Vinyl Underground Records.

Admission is free.