Undiscovered Scotland

 

There was a time, no so long ago, when colouring books were the preserve of children. We're not quite sure when the crossover happened, when adults started to discover that the simple - or at times not so simple - act of colouring things in could be highly enjoyable and was a great way of tackling stress. Whenever it happened, authors and publishers were not far behind, producing many colouring books specifically for the adult market. "The Colouring Book of Scotland" by Eilidh Muldoon is intended to be enjoyed by colourers (if that's the right word) of all ages: by adults and children alike.

It is the subject matter which sets this book apart from most other colouring books we've seen. There are twenty three double page line drawings, each illustrating one of Scotland's amazing visitor attractions. There is plenty of intricate detail here for those who want to be challenged, together with bolder areas which allow those with less patience or time to make good progress. There are also some nice surprises, such as the presence of Nessie, small but certainly there, on the drawing of Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle.

In a book such as this, the selection of subjects is particularly important. In our view Eilidh Muldoon has achieved an excellent balance of the obvious attractions that really had to be included along with others that will broaden the horizons of many colourers and perhaps have them heading off to look for more information, or perhaps actually visiting some of the places illustrated. The "more obvious" category includes Eilean Donan, Edinburgh and Stirling Castles, the Forth Rail Bridge and, as we've already said, Loch Ness. Rather less obvious subjects include the Falkirk Wheel, Abbotsford, Melrose Abbey, and Stromness and Skara Brae in Orkney.

The end result is an excellent book that gives colourers a range of beautifully-drawn Scottish subjects on which to practice their art.