Fun Freetime: Outside the Lines

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

I recently got a sampler of a new coloring book, Outside the Lines: An Artists' Coloring Book for Giant Imaginations. My daughter enjoyed it, but it's not even exactly for kids (or at least, not just for kids). The book features over 100 contemporary artists' work. The pictures are much more rich and detailed than those found in most coloring books, and are very whimsical and imaginative. 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.”

It would make a good gift for someone who still likes to color, but doesn't want to use childish coloring books anymore, or for parents who want to introduce their kids to contemporary art. 

Souris Hong-Porretta is an art enthusiast, idea enabler, and yay-maker. She blogs about art and culture at Hustler of Culture, and about culture, children, and creativity at Tiny Iron Fists. 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.