Inspired: A Roy Henry Vickers Colouring Book
A colouring book review by Bryn Robinson
In celebrated artist Roy Henry Vickers’ colouring book, the “reader” is provided with 42 outlines of his iconic works to easily find their own inspiration.
There are broad expanses of white space (skies, fields) that invite imagination in how you use your chosen media, mixed with detailed figures. After examining each of the 42 pages - made from a thick, good quality stock to absorb your creativity - I finally made a selection. I opted for a soft gradient but could see how easy it could be to try other techniques to layer colour or add interest with varied pen strokes using a monochromatic scheme.
A colouring book like this is mindful and the thin outlines that remain on the pages are best suited to precision tools: Sharp pencils, fine-tipped markers and pens. With the attention to detail needed to maintain the original shapes while adding your own touch, you can truly escape. (Of course, I would also recommend checking out Vickers’ original work to see how he blends “traditional indigenous art with a contemporary style”.)
About the Author
Roy Henry Vickers is a renowned carver, painter, printmaker, and storyteller. He is the illustrator and co-author of Harbour Publishing’s popular children’s First West Coast Book series and Northwest Coast Legends series, the latter of which were all shortlisted for the Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award: Raven Brings the Light in 2014, Cloudwalker in 2015, Orca Chief in 2016 and Peace Dancer in 2017. His other books include Storyteller (2014), Voices from the Skeena (2019) and Ben the Sea Lion (2022). He lives in Hazelton, BC. https://royhenryvickers.com/products/inspired
About the Reviewer
Bryn Robinson (she/her) lives in New Brunswick, Canada, where she uses her PhD in experimental psychology to help her support mental health research in the province. She prefers contemporary fiction, narrative non-fiction, graphic novels and poetry that is emotional, reflective, and if it can do it with humour, all the better. Bryn also writes on Campfire Notebook, where she regularly features original poetry. When not reading, she's searching for birds in the New Brunswick forests and seascapes, camera in hand.
Book Details
Publisher: Harbour Publishing
ISBN: 9781998526338
Paperback / softback
12 in x 9 in - 88 pp
Publication Date: 17/06/2025