My Art in New Guide to Coloring Book

I was surprised to get a package recently from Fox Chapel Publishing. As you may recall from a previous post, I had completed a coloring book for Fox Chapel featuring the 50 state birds and flowers. I did not know they were going to include one of the images from that book in their other new book, New Guide to Coloring. So I was pleasantly surprised to get some samples of this book!

Here's a picture of the page that has my artwork, the chickadee you see in the upper right corner. This is a colored-in version from the 50 state birds and flowers coloring book for the state of Maine, the chickadee and the white pine cone. Yes, a cone is technically a "flower" of a pine tree, even though we don't think of them as flowers in the usual sense. :)

This is a nice book with high quality paper, print, and binding, and lots of good tips and suggestions for coloring. If you know someone who likes to color, please consider giving them this book and/or my Birds at Home 50 state birds and flowers coloring book for Christmas. They are the perfect size for stocking stuffers! And thank you for helping support an artist when doing your shopping this holiday season. :)

New Texas State Bird Line Art Drawing

If you've been following my blog you know that earlier this year I did artwork for the 50 state birds and flowers coloring book published by Fox Chapel Publishing. I'm also making some variations of those images to use on products other than coloring pages. I created to variations of the coloring pages already, one for the California state bird and flower image, and one for the North Carolina state bird and flower image.

I had planned on doing the Florida state bird and flower image next but Hurricane Matthew barreling through the state recently I figured the last thing Floridians are interested in at the moment is a coloring page t-shirt. So, out of respect for the victims of this tragic storm, I decided to move away from the east coast and go to Texas.

As I mentioned in previous posts, one of the big advantages of working digitally is to be able to reuse elements of one piece of artwork in another. The state bird of Texas is the mockingbird and the state flower is the lupine, or Texas Bluebonnet. To create a line art image of the Texas state bird and flower, without copying the image used in the coloring book, I took the bird from the coloring page for Tennessee, which also has the mockingbird as its state bird, and the lupine flowers from the Texas image.

Here's the original Tennessee state bird and flower image used in the coloring book.

And here is the original Texas state bird and flower image used in the coloring book.

So I took the mocking bird from the original TN artwork and modified it slightly (tilting his head a bit), and I took the Bluebonnet flowers from the original TX artwork and moved them around to different positions. I then added the text and banner and removed the border. Here is the resulting artwork.

Now, without the border, I am better able to use the image on t-shirts, coffee mugs, and throw pillows. Now, if you have no desire to color these products in yourself, I am in the process of making a color version. So stay tuned for progress on that one!

My New Birds Coloring Book Available For Pre-Order

I'm so excited. My new coloring book, Birds At Home, is now available for pre-order on Amazon. The book has drawings of all 50 state birds and flowers. It's expected to ship October 20. It's printed in the USA by Fox Chapel Publishing.

Birds at Home Coloring Book: 50 State Birds and Flowers

"Relax as you color America's most cherished birds and flowers with this delightful coloring book. All 50 states recognize an official bird and blossomand from Kentucky cardinals and California quail to Mississippi magnolias and Arkansas apple blossoms, therere all here. Wildlife artist Crista Forest presents accurately detailed illustrations of every states emblematic treasures. Depicted in their natural environment, each pair of flora and fauna is ready to color with markers, colored pencils, watercolors, or gel pens. Crista gets you started with handy coloring guides that include suggested color palettes and fully colored examples. Printed on one side only of archival-grade, acid-free, 200-year paper, each perforated page detaches easily for gifting or display."

I just got my box of samples and the book looks great! No, I'm not bragging about my art. I mean the quality of the book is great. The lines of the drawings are dark and crisp, the paper quality is good, and the print colors are accurate. It's a well-made book. 

I think you'd be pleased with the quality, whether you want the book to color in yourself or to give as a gift to someone you know who likes to color. And they'll be available just in time for the holidays so they'll make great stocking stuffers too!

Take a look at the product page on Amazon for more pictures and details. If you do buy it I'd love to hear what you think of it. Come back later and leave comments here.

Adult Coloring Books About Birds

While we're waiting for the release of my 50 state birds and flowers coloring book, called Birds at Home, I thought I'd share some other coloring books of birds to hold you over.

We'll start with a well-known coloring book artist, Valentina Harper. Her book has bird drawings full of textures and patterns to fill in.

Creative Coloring Birds

This one has a simpler patterns to color that might be good for the younger artist.

Color Me Mindful: Birds

Here's a nice one where the birds are the main image. Not a lot of background but the birds are intricately detailed with patterns to color in.

Birds: A Mindful Coloring Book

Here's another one of birds with intricate patterns to color in.

The Aviary: Bird Portraits to Color

Here's one with not only pattern-filled birds but also full-page intricately detailed feathers.

Birds and Feathers Coloring Book

For more realistic coloring, for birds without patterns, here's an Audubon birds coloring book.

Audubon's Birds of America Coloring Book

Another one without patterns that is suitable for younger artists:

The Birdwatcher's Coloring Book (Dover Nature Coloring Book)

Here's another one. This one's nice if you want more background scenery in your bird coloring pages.

Beautiful Birds Coloring Book (Adult Coloring)

This one is sort of a combination coloring book. Some of the bird are more realistic line art, some have more pattern. It also has a variety of other elements with the birds such as flowers, butterflies, and bird nests.

Birdtopia: Coloring Book

This coloring book is just about birds of prey for those who love eagles, hawks, and owls.

Birds of Prey Coloring Book

And, finally, one of Amazon's best sellers, a coloring book just about owls. This is a cute and quirky coloring book with owls in top hats, and owls riding rocking horses, owls surrounded by flowers, or fantasy landscapes. But all these other elements give you lots of things to color besides just the birds and will keep you busy for many hours.

Creative Haven Owls Coloring Book (Adult Coloring)

All these will keep you busy until my coloring book is released in October. Of course, you can also pre-order it any time so you can be one of the first to get it when it's released!

Birds at Home Coloring Book: 50 State Birds and Flowers

Things To Color Besides Books

Adult coloring books are all the rage right now as many have found they are therapeutic. They help you relax and relieve stress after your busy day, and give the pleasure of creativity. But after you've filled your 10th coloring book, what's next? Book #11? And what do you do with all those pages you've colored? You've probably already framed and hung a few of your favorites, but there isn't enough wall space for any more!

So how about moving away from the paper coloring pages and wall pictures? Consider coloring on something besides paper. Just like when you were a kid, you colored on everything, including the walls, much to your mother's dismay. But we won't color the walls here! There are more practical and useful items to color on, anyway. I've added some of my coloring page images to items other than paper that are fun to color and will add unique accents to your home decor or personal attire.

I'll start with some fabric items. Here is my hummingbirds line art image on a shirt. Color this in your favorite colors, or something to match your favorite pants or skirt. There are dozens of shirt styles and colors to choose from, including tank tops and sweatshirts.

Hummingbirds and Flowers Adult Coloring Page Shirt

Or how about a throw pillow? These pillows come in both indoor and outdoor options. Wouldn't your own uniquely colored hummingbird pillow look great on your flower garden patio furniture? Paint these fuchsias to match the ones in your own yard.

Hummingbirds and Flowers Adult Coloring Page Pillow

These drawstring backpacks are a popular seller on Zazzle being of good quality and an affordable price. Great for kids to use for carrying books to school. They'll never get their backpack mixed up with anyone else's with this unique image they can color in themselves!

Hummingbirds and Flowers Adult Coloring Page Drawstring Bag

Zazzle also has these really nice full-print tote bags for the adults to carry around their own work or personal belongings.

Hummingbirds and Flowers Adult Coloring Page Tote Bag

I know, but you're thinking, I can't color a shirt or pillow with my colored pencils (or crayons, or watercolors, or whatever you like to use on paper)! Maybe not. But there are other options designed specifically for coloring on fabric. Here are some fabric paints, for example.

I Love To Create Scribbles 3D Fabric

And there are also felt markers made specifically for coloring on fabric.

Fabric Markers Permanent MINIMAL BLEED 12 Pack BY Crafts 4 ALL®

Of course, there are other products you can color on that aren't fabric. For these you can probably use regular felt markers you may already have. Beverage coasters, for example. Probably any permanent marker would work on these.

Hummingbirds and Flowers Adult Coloring Page Drink Coaster

OK, I won't just use hummingbirds here. I have some other images available on products to color. How about a the California state bird and flower, the quail and poppy, on a coffee mug, colored in with your own unique style and color choices? You'd be the only one at the office with that!

California State Bird and Flower Coloring Page Coffee Mug

Or here's a 3-ring binder with the North Carolina state bird and flower, the cardinal and dogwood.

North Carolina State Bird and Flower Coloring Page 3 Ring Binder

Don't have a set of permanent felt markers for coloring? Here's a nice set by BIC. They work on glass, metal, plastic, and coated papers. Perfect for these items!

BIC Marking Permanent Marker, Fine Point, Assorted Colors, 36-Count

This is just a small sampling of the items you can find my line art drawings on for coloring. There's a lot more in my Zazzle store including ... but not limited to ... iPad covers, gift bags, wallets, and even lunch boxes for the kids to color!

Find more hummingbird items to color here. More California state bird items here. And more North Carolina state bird products here.

If you color any of these products, let me know. I'd love to share your finished products here in my blog!