Pin-Ups Coloring Book

Book excerpt: Step back into the golden era of pinup culture as you color in these gorgeous and inspiring women. Whether they're called femme fatales, blonde bombshells, sweater girls, or cheesecakes, they're all pin-up girls--women whose printed image is so alluring that people "pin it up" on their wall or locker to admire. Having seen them in calendars, on pulp novel covers, or as granddad's tattoo, you already know what a classic pin-up girl looks like: sumptuously curvy with a narrow waist and long legs, softly curled hair, a signature red lip, and a touch of glamour, no matter what she's wearing (or not wearing). Icons include Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, and the "queen of pin-ups," Bettie Page. Explore this seductive world with Pin-Ups Coloring Book, featuring: More than 120 pages of ravishing line-drawn art to color A display-worthy cover with luxurious foil accents An illustrated full-color introduction Meditative monochrome patterns to color on the back of each page With burlesque roots, the pin-up--burlesque's less risqué but suggestive cousin--gained traction in the 1930s as movie and theater posters and in the pages of Esquire magazine. The drawings depicted an "idealized" American girl who was every man's fantasy, praised for her beauty and elegance. But During World War II, the girls started dressing more provocatively, often in military garb, and posing more seductively. Between the magazines, the calendars, and the postcards, many of the images inspired nose art for B-17 bombers overseas, serving as both protective talismans and as a distraction to enemy pilots. The girls were seen as morale-boosting patriotic icons. On the home front, the women and their images portrayed a healthy respect for female beauty and a love for one's sexuality--cultural signifiers that are as relevant today as they were then. Though pin-ups are more of a subculture today, there has been a modern pin-up resurgence. Now you can take a cue from those pin-up artists and color these lovey ladies any way you like. No artistic experience is necessary, so sit back, relax, and immerse yourself in the glitz and the glam of these pin-up girls. Chartwell Coloring Books is the ultimate coloring book series, encompassing designs of every kind. From intriguing abstract patterns to beautiful pictures from the natural, technological, and fantasy worlds, each of these coloring books will soothe the mind and inspire the inner creative in anyone. With so many variations of complex, beautiful designs in each book, you'll have plenty of pages to bring to life. Whether young or old, creative or not, this series has something for you.