If you don't understand this post's title reference, then you'd better go watch Pretty Woman the very second you close this window!

I channeled my inner Julia Roberts when I finally laid eyes on my illustrated cover for NEXT magazine's February issue which celebrates the current wave of popularity toward colouring books for adults.
I LOVED this concept when it was described to me by the Art Director of the magazine, and jumped at the chance to have my little lady stripped bare for all.

This whole colouring craze FASCINATES ME. Where did it originate? Why did it become such a THING? As a friend recently put it to me, is this what grown-ups have been waiting for their entire adult-lives? A socially-acceptable creative outlet?
I guess to someone like myself, who basically does the aforementioned for a living, (and is also enrolled at the Peter Pan school of adult-ing) it's easy to forget what it's like to have a job that doesn't allow you to express yourself creatively in any way.
I mean, once you leave school you're essentially sent out into the dark abyss that is adulthood, with its myriad of challenges and general life problems that we're immune to as children. And, while it's not ALL doom and gloom - most of the time it's pretty damn cool - it's definitely not as much fun as being a kid can be. I mean when else do you get to spend 6 hours a day pasting glitter on to cardboard?
I kind of love the idea that this whole craze has become a metaphor for adding a little colour and fun to our daily lives - as well as to a black and white sheet of paper.
After all, why should kids have all the fun?

If you're reading this from New Zealand, and you happen to pick up a packet of pencils to colour this baby, I'd LOVE to see your pics of what you end up with!
Funnily enough colouring my illustrations is always the part that takes me the LONGEST time, as I agonise over how much to use, where to place it, when to pare it back or make it bolder. So I'm very intrigued to see how everyone else uses it here...
If you post your pics, add the hashtag #birdycolour so I can find you on Instagram!
HAVE FUN! x