O Come, O Come Emmanuel Video from #ColortheCarols

If you have been following this blog, then you will be aware that the first of October saw the release of the COLOR the CAROLS COMBO. This combo is a fun Christmas gift (for yourself or a friend) which marries therapeutic coloring (and yes, that does suggest it’s for adults and that it is good for your health) with relaxing, instrumental music.

The COLOR the CAROLS COMBO takes you on a journey through the Christmas story, starting with the prophecy of the coming of Christ. As your journey progresses, you immerse your senses deeper and deeper in the story through the processes of coloring and listening. The combo’s coloring book guides you by suggesting which tracks to listen to as you color each scene from the story. The scenes are hand-drawn, and each covers a full 11″ x 8.5″ page. The suggested listening list was selected to focus your attention on one part of the story at a time. COLOR the CAROLS is all about slowing down and rediscovering the joy and peace of Christmas.

This video showcases TRACK 4 from the album (UNADORNED TRUMPET CAROLS by Eddie Lewis) that is included in this combo. O Come, O Come Emmanuel is a classic carol that creates a sense of anticipation for the coming of the Christ Child.

Color the Carols Combo Christmas Gift
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Final Stretch for 2016 Christmas Project

Christmas Coloring Book by E and P Lewis
Final checks to the illustrations for the Christmas carol coloring book.

Who doesn’t love a cheerfully bright and colorful Christmas? This year, my husband (the embodiment of multi-facetted creativity) and I set out to develop a cheerful, creative product that would embrace the best of Christmas. We wanted this to be a joint creative project that would pool our individual talents, and yield something that would give people a real-time break from all the craziness that Christmas has devolved into. We chose to embark on a project that would blend the visual and hearing senses in an experience that revisits the joy and peace of Christmas. The end of this project is in sight, and the product (which is perfect for gifting) is due for early release in October 2016.

My husband’s half of the project is the listening experience. And it is an experience you will want to have – the music is hauntingly beautiful, and will put you in the mood for the best kind of Christmas. When you have brain-fry and mall-fog from the Christmas shopping that makes you wish you could skip Christmas this year, this is the music you need to be listening to. The CD (which will also be available as a digital download) features a blend of old (read that as VERY well known) and not-so-common Christmas carols. What sets this collection of Christmas carols apart is that the entire album is played exclusively on trumpet. (Technically, it’s not just trumpet, as some of the recordings do feature flugelhorn, but I think of the flugelhorn as falling under the instrumental umbrella of the trumpet.)  The CD is perfect for listening to on its own, but it comes into its own when you couple it with my half of the project.

My responsibility was to develop an adult-friendly coloring book that would amplify the experience of listening to the Christmas carols on the CD. Coloring is a great way to unwind at the end of a stressful day, and the festive season has become notorious for taking our stress levels up more than just a few notches. We wanted to develop a coloring experience that would keep the user’s attention on the Christmas story (after all, that is central to why we celebrate at Christmas), and provide plenty of opportunity to indulge in the use of uplifting, vibrant colors. And we wanted to double the relaxation and joy-infusing effect of the coloring by coupling it with mood-uplifting music.

Each page in the coloring book represents a stage in the development of the Christmas story. Those familiar with my drawing style will know that this book won’t look like most of the coloring books you find stacked up on the shelves at the grocery checkout. I like freestyle drawing, and the blending of reality with the abstract. This book is an expression of how I see the Christmas story: a little humor, a little abstract patterning, many fun spaces to color, and a lot of Jesus. And each page is directly related to one or more of the carols on the accompanying CD. Each full-page illustration comes with a list of the carols that are referenced by the illustration, an extract from a carol, and the scripture that forms the foundation for the illustration (and the carols).

With the release date set for October 2016, we are definitely in the final stretch. The music has been recorded, the illustrations are finished, and the final product is coming together. The combo product will initially be sold through Tiger Music, an online music store that ships internationally, but you will be able to buy the CD and the coloring book separately at a later stage. Stay updated by subscribing to my blog (there’s a button on the side of this page), or to my husband’s blog.

If you are looking for a Christmas gift that is cheerful, uplifting, colorful, joy-inducing, stress-relieving, and plain FUN to use, this CD and coloring book combo fits the bill.

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Love in Scripture: Free Adult Coloring Pages

Fruit of the Spirit: LoveIn celebration of the release of my latest coloring book, “Fruit of the Spirit Colouring Book“, I have a gift for you. You can collect your own FREE copy of “LOVE” in my store. Visit the FREEBIE section of the store to load your cart with digital products that are currently offered as gifts to all my readers.

Why do I give some products away?

I believe most customers are not true risk takers when it comes to shopping (and rightly so). Most want to be able to open the box and look inside BEFORE they hand over their hard-earned money. Digital products (which, by their very “virtual” nature, cannot come with a return option) are particularly challenging for the less adventurous shopper. I want my customers to purchase my digital products with confidence, and having the opportunity to look inside a book or color a sample page goes a long way to building confidence in the products I create.

Is there a catch?

No. Free is free! If the price tag says ZERO, then you won’t be charged anything at checkout. You don’t need to add other products to the cart to be able to receive a FREEBIE. Of course, I would love to have you buy other items from my store, but you are not obliged to. I want you to enjoy using the FREE products, and I would appreciate hearing how you experience the items. Feel free to stop by and leave a comment here.

 

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Fruit of the Spirit Adult Coloring Book

inPRINT_RELEASE_fruitofspiritBible study meets therapeutic coloring in my newest illustration project: “Fruit of the Spirit Colouring Book“. Galations 5:22-23 forms the foundation for this book. The “fruit” mentioned in this well-known scripture is dissected, and each of the nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit is explored through illustration and scripture.

LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF-CONTROL – the Bible has a lot to say about each of these characteristics. This book invites you to open your Bible and make a few discoveries of your own as you fill the  fruity illustrations with color.

The book balances full page, abstract illustrations alongside pages of Bible reading and study activities. The large illustrations feature key words from Galations 5:22-23 embedded in quasi-abstract, retro-styled designs. The study pages are designed with decorative borders, so you can continue to color while you read and reflect on what the Bible has to teach us about the fruit of the Spirit.

The “Fruit of the Spirit Colouring Book” is now available in print, and can be ordered from various online book sellers. If your favorite bookstore does not stock this book, ask them to add it to their inventory listing. I recommend ordering your copy from Lulu. Remember to check their website for any coupons before you order, as Lulu often has special deals for book lovers. If you live in South Africa, I recommend ordering from Megabooks – in many cases, their prices of my books beat any of their international competitors.

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NEW RELEASE: Color the Realm of Fractonia

Color the Realm of Fractonia by Pearl LewisThe ORIGINS of COLOR the REALM of FRACTONIA

FRACTONIA” is a sci-fi adventure story for pre-teen and teen readers. To tickle the imagination a little more, some chapters also include line illustrations. The style of the illustrations and the story they are able to tell on their own, without text, encouraged the release of a book of ready-to-color illustrations, “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA“.

FRACTONIA’S COLORING BOOK

COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” (by Pearl R. Lewis) is a small-format, modern-style coloring book for “big” kids (and those who are young at heart). This coloring book matches the design and size of the paperback, “FRACTONIA“, and is also perfect-bound.  The coloring book references the novel, and is the logical accompaniment to “FRACTONIA“, particularly if you prefer to give physical books as gifts or prizes. The size of the coloring book makes is convenient and light-weight to slip into a backpack or take along on a car trip.

What is inside “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA”?

The book starts with a brief reference to “FRACTONIA” as a way of introducing the characters that are waiting for your color input. You will encounter all of your favorites: King Spudski, Matthew Roberts, Merc, QM, the memory beasts, and the Parts. Each character has a part to play, but you are the one in charge of how they look when they play that part. While the book does hint about the appearance of the characters, you are free to paint these strange beings in colors that you believe belong with them. No restrictions. You color them as you think they should look.

Of course, King Spudski, Merc, QM, Matthew, and the fraction folk are not new to you. You met them in “FRACTONIA” and ended the book with an idea of how they looked. What “FRACTONIA” failed to reveal was that there were other Fractonians lurking in the shadows that did not get featured in the novel. As a special bonus, “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” introduces you to a few new characters that you may not have noticed before: Diffractoids, Angularicans, the Master of Relativity, and the curious young Nietsnie.

How do I use “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA”?

If you have never heard about the Realm of Fractonia, but enjoy coloring strange creatures you know little to nothing about, this book is for you. Man those colored pencils and colorize the world and the creatures of Fractonia without another moment’s hesitation. There is, however, an advantage to first reading “FRACTONIA” before you attempt to color the pages. Submerging yourself in the story allows you to approach the coloring from a position of familiarity. The illustrations won’t just be lines and forms on the page, but personalities you have come to like or dislike. Having an emotional connection with the characters can help to make your coloring more expressive – you will probably feel more engaged, and might find it easier to daydream about the story as you color. Parents and teachers may prefer to read “FRACTONIA” out aloud to a younger audience. The children can  use the telling of the story as a way to stimulate their creativity while they color pictures from “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA“.

Is this a coloring book for little children?

Anyone capable of coloring a line illustration can add color to this book. It was, however, created as a supplement to the book, “FRACTONIA“, so the ideal user of the coloring book will be pre-teen or older. Yes, adults are welcome to indulge in a little coloring.

Should a teen be seen with a coloring book?

Yes, but only if they are smart. Adult coloring is rapidly gaining ground as a healthy activity: it reduces stress, stimulates creativity, and encouraging physical and psychological healing. If adults are recognizing the health benefits of splashing color on the page, smart (i.e. cool) teens will do the same. “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” will appeal most to youth that are interested in science fiction or fantasy. Coupling the coloring book with the novel produces an interesting gift set for the young and curious in your life. It’s a great way to get readers to explore art, and artists to indulge in a little reading.

Where can I buy a copy of “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTION”?

The conveniently sized 6″ x 9″ paperback version of “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” is currently available from Lulu. You can also find it at other online book stores such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Ingram, and The Book Depository.

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Art Therapy Adult Coloring Kit

Healing Patterns Adult Coloring Art Therapy Kit for Christians“Healing Patterns: A Coloring Book for Adults” has become the focal point for a new art therapy kit. The scripture-centered coloring book, which has been available since May 2015, has now been released as part of a ready-to-give gift set. These gift sets are currently sold in ETSY’s Zisubu Artique craft store. 

While using a book like “Healing Patterns: A Coloring Book for Adults” is relaxing and therapeutic no matter what your state of health, adult coloring books are especially beneficial for those facing illness or battling through a difficult recovery period. Often people are unsure of what gifts would be appropriate for someone who is ill, facing surgery, in a rehabilitation facility, or confined to a sick bed. An adult coloring book is a great way to combine entertainment with health benefits. It doesn’t require a great deal of concentration to color an illustration, so even those too medicated to enjoy much reading may still be able to engage in coloring. And an illustration can be colored in tiny increments, so a patient can do as much or as little coloring as they have energy for. An earlier blog post entitled “The Effect of Art of Healing” details some of the physical health benefits of an activity like coloring.

The HEALING PATTERNS art therapy kit was created to take the work out of getting started with therapeutic coloring. The kit brings together everything you (or the person you gift it to) will need to start coloring. Inside each gift set (packaged in a clear, re-sealable plastic bag) you will find:

  • One SIGNED copy of “Healing Patterns: A Coloring Book for Adults” – I have made signed copies (with a short hand-written message) available for these art therapy kits so the kits offer something different from what is available directly from the book stores (e.g. Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Lulu, Ingram, The Book Depository) in USA and Europe.
  • One ready-to-color greeting card and envelope – the front of the greeting card displays a design that brings together elements of one of the illustrations in the book and a scripture (Mark 10:27). The card can be colored and framed as an artwork, or used a greeting card (with or without coloring it). The card is blank inside to encourage the user to express their own thoughts, write poetry, or simply jot a note for someone else. Part of the joy of being creative lies in sharing your creative efforts with others. This greeting card is a simple opportunity for the user to benefit from a coloring exercise, while also making something useful to share with someone else.
  • One Healing Patterns postcard (4″ x 6″) – the colorful card is printed with a variation of the image from the back of the coloring book. The reverse side of the postcard has space for a message, an address, and a stamp. The postcard can be mailed using a standard postal stamp.
  • A set of pre-sharpened colored pencils (12 pencils)
  • A pencil sharpener (because pencils won’t stay sharp on their own) – anticipating that this kit may be given as a gift to people who are not necessarily in their own home where they have access to everything they need, we included a small pencil sharpener in the kit. That way, there is no need to give up your coloring time just because a pencil tip broke or wore down.

If you don’t want to try coloring for yourself and you don’t know anyone you could gift an art therapy kit to, consider donating one or two kits to your local clinic/hospital or assisted living facility. Many churches also have hospital visitation programs – drop some art therapy kits at your local church and ask them to distribute the kits to people during their hospital or home care visits. Zisubu Artique ships these art therapy kits worldwide.

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