I have spent the past month and a half on one singular project. My newest coloring book and related media! In addition to the coloring book, I created an animation video using one of the drawings from the book.

Why does a simple coloring book take so much time, you ask?

Simple line drawings aren't as simple as they look. I first sketched each drawing in pencil, because I love to draw on paper. It's been years since I used a pencil to draw, I've painted with a brush and drawn with paint markers, but the feeling of a pencil on paper is so different. There is more control with the lines. After the sketch is done, I go over the drawing with a sharpie marker.

Then a photo is taken and it's opened up in Photoshop. This is where I get the background truly white. I make the lines thinner and clean up any mess ups or corners. Believe it or not, this is the step that takes the longest!

Once the individual drawings are done, and cleaned up on Photoshop, I put the book together. I use my iMac Pages software to bring all the pages together into a book that will be sent off to the printer in pdf format to be printed. I use a local printer here in Albuquerque, Valliant Printing, to do the work. I believe in supporting other local small businesses as much as possible.

When the printed pages return from the printer, I use my trusty booklet stapler and fold the books. Then they are ready to be shipped out!

Once that project was done, I started on my animation video. This is a project I've been wanting to do for a LONG time! I finally found the video editing software after a bit of a search. All of the drawings were already done for the coloring book, so I decided to try a bit of reverse animation.

I took the drawing I wanted to use and opened it up in Photoshop where I proceeded to erase the drawing, one line at a time, while saving each individual frame. To add in the coloring part, I filled each space and did the same, saving each individual frame. I ended up with well over 700 frames! That took a long time, but that's just the beginning! Once the frames are all saved, they have to be imported into the video editing software and entered into the video project one at a time. Once all the frames are added in, the music is added over the top and viola! My animated video! :) I hope you enjoy it!