Pomegranate Charley Harper: Volume 2 Coloring Book

Charley Harper was an avid naturalist who enjoyed painting the insects, plants, birds, and animals he loved. He masterfully portrayed a host of species using simple lines and shapes. From the smallest lady beetle to the giant monkey, Harper conveyed the form and colouration of his subjects and their personality. His minimalist approach did not reduce the impact of his art; instead, it offered a bold and unique interpretation of the world around him.

Born in rural West Virginia, Harper (1922–2007) was always drawn to nature; as a boy, he would traipse across the local hills, sketchbook in hand, stopping to draw whatever seized his attention. Studies at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and the Art Students League of New York led him to his unmistakable style, refined during his long and noteworthy art career spent largely in Ohio. Several creatures in this colouring book are from the 1991 poster he created for the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes (Cleveland), celebrating the area’s wildlife and the Nature Center’s many years of “serendipity in the suburbs.”

Inside are twenty-two pages of Harper’s playful critters, with reproductions of his full-colour illustrations on the inside of the front and back covers. We’ve also included a blank page at the end so you, like Harper, can sketch the world around you.

Sample of Selections:

• This box turtle doesn’t need to hide—the rabbit only likes to eat vegetables. The title of this painting is Box Seat.
• Mandrills (the largest of all monkeys!) are highly social, and grooming each other is just another way they bond. The title of this painting is Backscratching in the Boondocks.
• The male painted bunting is as brightly coloured as you could imagine, with splashes of blue, red, green, and even more colours on his feathers.
• The active and intelligent emerald toucanet has a colourful personality to go with its bright plumage. This tropical bird can be trained to play catch with you with its three-inch beak!
• Cardinals have strong beaks and can eat tougher seeds than birds with smaller beaks. In addition to insects, some of the cardinals’ favourite foods are sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and melon seeds. The title of this painting is Coniferous Cardinal.

Soft cover book with staple binding.
48 pages with 22 images to colour
Size: 8½ x 11 in.
Colouring pages are blank on the back so that they can be cut out and displayed.
ISBN 9780764967238