Looking for a fun, new, relaxing way to learn ? On the Tudor Trail’s, Colouring History: Tudor Queens and Consorts offers exactly that in this latest addition to the adult colouring book craze.

By Natalie Grueninger, illustrated by Kathryn Holeman

Why the allure?

Can’t knit? Terrible at Sudoku? Anxious? Adult colouring books just might be the answer to what ails you, and be the beginning a of great new hobby. Colouring books, especially those geared towards adults, have seen a resurgence in popularity over the past few years. They’ve been touted as a way to relieve stress and calm nerves. For those of us lacking in craft skills, and tired of crossword puzzles, adult colouring books offer a new creative outlet, or just a fun thing to do while zoning out during a Netflix marathon.

What’s Inside

Most of adult colouring books contain intricate designs and mosaics, cityscapes like London, New York or Paris, or fantasy and historical themes. Tudor Queens and Consorts falls into the latter category, mixing historic Tudor tidbits with beautiful sketches. The book featured flowery patterns and animals, along with important moments, and key figures in Tudor history. Some images were inspired by manuscripts, and others by paintings found in the National Portrait Gallery in London, but I didn’t stay with the colours suggested in the originals. The point of colouring is to have fun and to make it your own, so if you want to give Anne Woodeville blue hair, and Henry VII pink shoes, go for it!

Tudor flower design that was inspired by a 16th century embroidery pattern. Photo: The Medieval Magazine.

Verdict

This book is definitely aimed at adults; it is extremely detailed and would be too challenging for very young children, but it would still be a great gift for an older child to enjoy, and a way to slip a little learning in under the guise of mindless fun. Full disclosure: I suck at drawing, and I hate Sudoku, so this colouring book offered the perfect opportunity for me to get creative without too much effort, and zero math. It had me hooked and before I knew it, two hours of relaxing colouring had passed - definitely a great escape on a Sunday afternoon! I also learned something along the way, as every image presented had a brief description to help set the scene. Learning and colouring, what’s not to love?!

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About the Authors

Natalie Grueninger is a researcher, writer and educator, who lives in Australia with her husband and two children. She has authored and co-authored several books about the Tudors and runs the popular website, On the Tudor Trail.

Kathryn Holeman is an illustrator and graphic designer, who lives in the United States with her husband and two sons. She is fascinated by the British Isles and enjoys bringing the past to life with her drawings. This is her fourth colouring book and her first book published by her company, KSH Creative.

If you’re on Twitter, you can tweet your colourful creations at: @onthetudortrail or @kathrynholeman and use the hashtags: #colouringhistory #colouringtudorhistory