View source for The Neon Colouring Book by Richard Merritt, Amanda Hillier and Felicity French

{{infobox1
|title=The Neon Colouring Book 
|sort=Neon Colouring Book 
|author=Richard Merritt, Amanda Hillier and Felicity French
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Crafts
|summary=Relaxing, engaging and just plain good fun. Indulge yourself - you '''do''' deserve it.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=No
|pages=128
|publisher=Buster Books
|date=September 2014
|isbn=978-1780552705
|cover=178055270X
|aznuk=178055270X
|aznus=178055270X
}}

Half a century ago I trained to be a teacher.  My tutors were adamant that children should not be allowed to colour in any outline which they had not drawn themselves.  It 'stifled their creativity' you see, but took no account of the pencil control which it gave, or, indeed, the pleasure of creating something individual - because everyone colours differently.  Times have (fortunately) changed and colouring books to delight adults and children are now all the rage and yesterday I took an idle look at one, equipped with some felt-tipped pens and a few crayons left behind when my daughter departed.  Half an hour, I thought.  Just half an hour.  That's all.

Three hours later I had put my own stamp on part of a peacock.  Well that's what I'm calling him, but the truth it could be what you want.  I know the book says that it's for neon colours, but I went for shades of blue and green, with subtle contrasts of gold.  I've never considered myself to be at all artistic, but I was pleased with the result and - more to the point - I felt strangely relaxed.  I hadn't thought about work.  I'd just enjoyed what I'd been doing - interrupted only by the need to change the background music.  It was something which I was doing purely for my own pleasure and enjoyment - and sometimes I think we don't get enough of that.

The pages are printed on both sides but the paper is substantial and there's no shadow on the other side when you've coloured one side.  The outlines are varied, from birds, animals, patterns, shoes, cameras, bottles...  There's something to appeal to everyone and you can decide whether you want to start on a large design which you could complete over a period of days, or something small which might fill a few minutes - I've just completed a fish, for sheer devilment!

It's not something which I could ever have seen myself doing - I usually like to see a purpose, a use, for my craft work, but this was just simple, good fun.  I'm going to invest in some new pens now.  I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

For another colouring book we can recommend [[The Creative Therapy Colouring Book by Hannah Davies, Richard Merritt and Jo Taylor]].

If you'd like to see examples of the designs, click through to Amazon, where you'll find a 'look inside' feature.

{{amazontext|amazon=178055270X}} 
{{amazonUStext|amazon=178055270X}} 

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[[Category:Richard Merritt]]
[[Category:Amanda Hillier]]
[[Category:Felicity French]]