What’s your favourite colour? It’s a great character defining question, but have you ever considered why you like the hues you do. Do you even know from where colours originated or how they are made? The second most asked question I get asked as an author of picture books is: ‘Did you draw the pictures?’ The answer is a hard, NO! I can’t draw a straight line well. But that doesn’t mean I am not fascinated by colours and how they are employed to visually tell my stories. One can appreciate great art after all, even if one can barely wield a paintbrush. The Mystery of Colour by renowned artist and master paint maker, David Coles is a non-fiction picture book that not only sates the appetites of those like me, but provides a substantial reference point for artists and the curious at heart, aka kids!
He begins with that introductory question and establishment of his considerable creds as a real life colour-maker. Yes! Imagine creating beautiful new shades of colour as your occupation! We are then taken back to prehistoric days where early man and their artwork employed the use of the first colours, which were typically quite ‘natural’ in tone and variety.
As humans evolved so too did their ability to procure, produce and play with different hues. At first, they were largely governed by availability; blue pigment for instance is hard to find in nature. But with desire comes ingenuity and soon, we learned the art of synthesising colour from pigments engineered from nature.
Each page of this amazing exploration reveals a different hue: striking red, life-giving green, regal purple, luminous yellow, just to name a few. Each reveal discloses facts about the colour’s origin, historic development and present day uses, all exquisitely supported with symbolic illustrations by Margaux Samson-Abadie, in the appropriate shade of course.
References to the introduction of newfound colours and their use in classic works of art are generous and easily digested thanks to mindful typography. The result is a stunning utterly illuminating journey through the history of colours that, happily addresses its many mysteries. The experience was akin to peering through a kaleidoscope. The knowledge accrued felt like I was privy to something very mystical and special; ironical because we are suffused and surrounded by colour each and every moment, some of which we can’t even see.
The Mystery of Colour elevates appreciation of colours to the next level in a way school children will undoubtedly latch onto immediately. They are even encouraged to make their own paints using basics from the home kitchen and garden; another value-adding reason to procure this book, pronto!
As a picture book author with a colossal appreciation for the work the illustrators of my stories provide, this is a beautiful reinforcement of the story behind the colours behind the art, that I recommend you indulge in soon.
Dimity Powell is an Australian author and reviewer whose books include Oswald Messweather, and At the End of Holyrood Lane. Her latest book is The Boy Who Lost His Laugh.
