- Description
- Author Bio
- Reviews
Engage with a natural world of wonder and its diverse symphony of life — ready for you to color! The Smithsonian Institution presents an awe-inspiring new coloring book that explores the Smithsonian Gardens, a museum without walls.
With this meticulously illustrated coloring book, tour more than 180 acres and 15 public exhibition gardens that make up this living museum.
Guided by experts from the Smithsonian and brought to life by Rachel Curtis (Dinosaurs: A Smithsonian Coloring Book), these rich pen and ink illustrations invite you to step into captivating scenes inspired by landscapes and exhibits that extend the Smithsonian’s museums, engage people with plants and gardens, inform on the roles both play in our cultural and natural worlds, and inspire appreciation and stewardship. Featuring native plants, orchids, roses, heirloom vegetables, poinsettias, bees, butterflies, and many more, fans of coloring books and urban sanctuaries will find an enchanting living classroom to explore with their own creativity.
Each page of Gardens: A Smithsonian Coloring Book not only stands alone as a work of art, but is also accompanied by brief and fascinating insights from museum experts, ensuring that time spent coloring is also time spent learning.
This book’s deluxe ivory paper allows for a variety of artistic media like pen, pencil, or even watercolor, to ensure your creative vision comes to life just the way you want—and lasts for years to come.
Publication History: TR original
Officially licensed by the Smithsonian Institute and produced in cooperation with representatives of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Deluxe ivory paper allows for a variety of artistic media
Each piece of art is accompanied by brief and fascinating insights from the Smithsonian experts, providing educational as well as artistic value
Coloring and activity books have been trending up during quarantine
Provides a creative and educational outlet for all ages
Smithsonian has a huge digital reach, with over 3M followers on Twitter alone
Established in 1846, The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex, dedicated to public education, national service, and scholarship in the arts, sciences and history. It includes 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoological Park. The total number of artifacts, works of art and specimens in the Smithsonian’s collection is estimated at 156 million.
Rachel Curtis grew up drawing and painting from a young age leading to a lifetime of having far, far too many art supplies. She uses these to make pictures of a great variety of things, from very small to very big. She grew up in Alberta, just a couple hours drive from Dinosaur Provincial Park. You can find her online at www.instagram.com/catinspats/ (or the same on twitter) where she does occasionally draw cats in spats.
Author Residence: Washington, D.C.
Author Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Rachel Curtis grew up drawing and painting from a young age leading to a lifetime of having far, far too many art supplies. She uses these to make pictures of a great variety of things, from very small to very big. She grew up in Alberta, just a couple hours drive from Dinosaur Provincial Park. You can find her online at www.instagram.com/catinspats/ (or the same on twitter) where she does occasionally draw cats in spats.
Illustrator Residence: Alberta, Canada
Marketing: • Coloring book contest and giveaways featured on social media
• Promotion through IDW’s social media channels: Facebook (135k), Twitter (151k), and Instagram (50k) with a feature on IDWpublishing.com
• Promotion on Smithsonian social media channels and websites
• Inclusion in Direct-to-consumer Newsletter (100,000 unique and engaged fans)
• Cross promotion in IDW’s monthly titles (Circulation over 350,000)
• Beautiful product photography featuring coloring process and highlighting educational aspects of book
• Paid social media ad campaign for entire line of coloring books
• Targeted online advertising campaign including search and display advertising
Publicity: • Digital review copy made available to 3,000 industry and press contacts
• Advance review mailing
• Advance review coverage in Publishers Weekly, Booklist, School Library Journal, and more
• Special focus on Smithsonian official website, blogs, and fan sites
Praise for Birds: A Smithsonian Coloring Book: “Each page is accompanied by informative insights from the museum’s experts about each bird. The series’ deluxe ivory paper allows for a variety of artistic media like pen, pencil, or even watercolor. No matter your interests, you’re sure to find something that grabs you.” —Borg.com