MAY 2020 FAN OF THE MONTH WINNERS

"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows." 
— St. Francis of Assisi 🔥

Spring has given way to summer and we know this one will be unlike any other. We’ll be spending much of our time away from beloved sunny traditions. But by now, one thing has become clear: we all have the ColorIt spirit. Whatever changes or challenges we face, we can always choose to free our creativity! 🌞🌸

For our May Fan of the Month challenge, we presented colorists with a fun 3-marker challenge. They’re to color any page from any ColorIt book using only 3 markers and upload it here.

At the end of the month, the ColorIt team will choose three (3) submissions based on the set criteria and three (3) more random picks to keep things fun.

The 6 talented winners will then receive a $25 gift card from ColorIt. You can even double your prize amount if you color the page using any of our coloring mediums.

Ready to know who made it to our list this month? Check out our Fan of the Month winners and get to know them with our exclusive interviews below:

MAY FAN OF THE MONTH WINNER: RENEE BENAVENTE

When did you first pick up a coloring book?

I recently just started this new adventure in coloring early this year surprisingly. I read about it helping with anxiety and stress. So far it's been awesome!

Describe your perfect coloring atmosphere.

On my dinning table or in my office while my son is asleep and I have no distractions.

Tell us about your creative process when you get ready to color.

It takes me a few minutes before choosing what I want to color, then once I do I would stare at the picture and imagine what colors or medium to use. I try to picture the colors in my head first before laying it down. Once that's all decided I set up my art supplies get comfortable and start coloring.

How has coloring changed or added to your life?

Coloring is my safe haven. It's my escape place where nothing is running through my mind that stresses me or makes my anxiety rise. My mind is set on just the image and what I want it to look like and how I want it be.

What advice would you give someone who isn’t confident about their coloring technique?

Don't give up and just keep going. Sometimes a mistake that is made in coloring can turn into something beautiful, you just have to let yourself see it and believe it. Don't listen to negative people do what makes you happy!

What’s your favorite ColorIt book?

My favorite book so far is the Colors of Nature, but I just recently received my Tropical scenes book and I can't wait to start on it since it reminds me of home which is Hawaii and Guam.

What title would you like to see in the future?

Birds of paradise, I love birds lol.

Is there anything else you want to share about your love of coloring?

Coloring has become my obsession since I started. I feel more creative and I found a talent side of me that I never knew I had through coloring.

MAY FAN OF THE MONTH WINNER: TAMELA EWERS

When did you first pick up a coloring book?

I started coloring as a child and remember lying on the living floor with my crayons and coloring book.

Describe your perfect coloring atmosphere.

My perfect coloring atmosphere is listening to music with all my pens, markers, and books around me and escaping into another world.

Tell us about your creative process when you get ready to color.

My creative process is to pick which picture I want to work on and then look at it and imagine my color scheme. Then I get my pens and/or markers lined up and get to work.

How has coloring changed or added to your life?

Coloring has helped me to relax, especially during this pandemic. Time flies by and I get totally engrossed in what I'm doing.

What advice would you give someone who isn’t confident about their coloring technique?

I don't think there is any one coloring technique. I believe what ever and however you want to color is fine. Use colors that don't match, color outside the lines. Do what you want and it will come out fine.

What’s your favorite ColorIt book?

I'm rather new to ColorIt, so I've only bought two coloring books. My favorite so far is Colors of Nature. I've just started coloring in it and can't wait to see what my pictures will look like.

What title would you like to see in the future?

I personally prefer birds and nature scenes, so any book with these themes would be great.

Is there anything else you want to share about your love of coloring?

I would like to share with everyone coloring with my mom. My mom had Alzheimer's and when I was staying with her coloring really helped calm her down. We would sit at the dining room table and color for an hour or so. It reminded me so much of when I was a child and we colored together.

MAY FAN OF THE MONTH WINNER: JESSICA ROTH

When did you first pick up a coloring book?

I don't know at what age I picked up a coloring book. I do know that I've loved coloring for as long as I can remember. So, I guess you could say I first picked up a coloring book when I first learned what a crayon is for.

Describe your perfect coloring atmosphere.

My perfect coloring atmosphere is my home. My husband and I have four kids, so it's not always quiet. I prefer to color when it is quiet, sometimes with my headphones listening to music, but I've learned to focus on my coloring even when my kids are bouncing off the walls. I don't color anywhere other than my home, so, yeah, my home is my perfect coloring atmosphere.

Tell us about your creative process when you get ready to color.

When I get ready to color, I take a look at the image I'm about to color & think about what colors would make sense? What colors would look good together? How much is too much? How little is too little? I also look at my marker set, or my pencils, depending on what I'm using, so that I can visualize the color combinations together before I put them to paper. And, if I'm not sure, I test the color combinations on scrap paper first.

How has coloring changed or added to your life?

For me, coloring has always been a hobby. But it has also been more than a hobby. It's a creative outlet, a way to escape. Coloring has gotten me through some tough times because I find it calming. My husband thinks I'm crazy because the more details a page has, the more excited I am to color it. But I find all those details relaxing. It's a way to put something in my control among all the chaos. Especially now, coloring has helped me keep my sanity during quarantine.

What advice would you give someone who isn’t confident about their coloring technique?

The same advice I give my kids. Practice, practice, practice. I've been coloring for some 30+ years, and I'm still not at the level I want to be. And it's easier said than done, but you just gotta put yourself out there. If you have someone in your life, and it can be anyone that you're comfortable sharing your art with, use them as a sound board. Bounce your ideas off them. Sharing my art with others makes me feel vulnerable, but I finally made it a point to build up my Deviant Art page and I am now at 245 page views. So , while you may not like your work, or be confident in it, take a step outside your comfort zone, put yourself out there and you'll be surprised by how many people appreciate your work, which could help build your confidence.

What’s your favorite ColorIt book?

So far, my favorite ColorIt book is Colorful Dragons. Mostly because it was the only one I had until today, I just got Mythical & Fantasy in the mail as I'm typing this. I haven't colored in Mythical & Fantasy yet, but I'm sure it's going to be a good one!

What title would you like to see in the future?

In the future, I'd like to see a ColorIt book that is just fairies, or even a book with pages inspired by Japanese culture. I love fairies, and Japanese culture, actually Asian culture in general, has always fascinated me.

Is there anything else you want to share about your love of coloring?

 I have a Facebook album titled You're Never Too Old To Color, and it's filled with 249 images that I have colored during my adult life, be it traditionally or digitally. I gave the album that title because I firmly believe that. It's never too late to pick up coloring, it's a great stress reliever at any age. On my Deviant Art page I have a cover photo that says Life is about using the whole box of crayons, and I believe that too. It's never too late, especially now, to use your skills to add something beautiful to the world, you just may brighten someone's day.

AND HERE ARE THE OTHER WINNERS:

Deb did such a cool job with this snowflake mandala! ❄️

Marti has us already feeling the summer sunshine in this fun picture. ☀️

Rumonda made our heart sing with this purple record player. 💜 

Thank you for submitting your entries. Til the next Fan of the Month! 🦋