{"id":54516,"title":"Well, that took longer than expected!","description":"Fred dives into how and why her latest book was created. A beautiful 200+ page book containing wordsearch puzzles, colouring pages, affirmations & character backstories, all designed to inspire creativity, focus, self confidence and relaxation.","content":"

\"9rsotvlce51r6v1dby8rmxvndozbgjjosngu1luzks8fbfxx.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"It\u2019s taken a few months of quiet sketching, late\u2011night tinkering, and plenty of tea, but my little book of word searches, colouring pages, and affirmations is finally out in the world \u2014 and honestly, it feels a bit surreal.<\/span><\/p>

When I started this project, I wasn\u2019t thinking about \u201cmaking a book.\u201d I was thinking about the people who might pick it up. People who feel overwhelmed sometimes. People who need a soft moment in their day. People who crave a bit of calm creativity when everything feels too loud. I wanted to make something that felt like a gentle exhale. <\/span>Living with a teenage daughter who struggles with crippling anxiety, I\u2019ve seen firsthand how much a gentle creative outlet can help. A place to doodle, unwind, and focus on just one comforting thing at a time has made such a difference for her, and it inspired me to share something similar with others who might need that same quiet moment of ease.<\/p>

It all began with a single character. I imagined who they were, what their world looked like, what made them laugh. Then I opened Adobe Fresco on my iPad and started sketching. One character turned into another, and soon I had a whole little cast \u2014 each with their own quirky style and tiny slice of a life you can peek into.<\/span><\/p>

\"s9vdvg0vd0otn2vglrrxailrnz84htialudwxmxukvv9iewa.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"What I love most is the idea that when you sit down to colour them in, you get to wander. Maybe you imagine where they live. Maybe you picture their favourite caf\u00e9 or the music they play when they\u2019re pottering around their home. Maybe you just enjoy the quiet moment with your pencils. All of that is perfect.<\/p>

This book isn\u2019t meant to be rushed. It\u2019s a place to pause, breathe, and let your mind drift somewhere softer. And if, along the way, one of the affirmations reminds you of your own worth \u2014 well, that\u2019s the part that matters most to me.<\/p>

\u2019m a bit of a perfectionist \u2014 painfully so at times \u2014 and that made this book an interesting challenge for me. I had to consciously loosen my grip on the idea of \u201cperfect.\u201d I wanted the linework to be a little scruffy, the symmetry to be slightly off, and each character to carry their own imperfect uniqueness that feels human and alive.<\/span><\/p>

It\u2019s surprisingly hard to step away from those smooth, polished lines you see in most colouring books. They\u2019re clean, neat, flawless \u2014 and there\u2019s nothing wrong with that. But it wasn\u2019t the feeling I wanted to create here. I wanted this book to feel like you\u2019d just opened someone\u2019s real sketchbook, the kind that still has the warmth of the artist\u2019s hand in it.<\/span><\/p>

There\u2019s something intimate about that. Something that says, \u201cThis was made by a person, not a machine.\u201d A little wobble in a line, a quirky angle, a character who looks like they\u2019ve lived a bit \u2014 it all adds up to a sense of personal connection.<\/span><\/p>

Maybe that\u2019s why this project feels so close to my heart. It\u2019s not perfect, and that\u2019s exactly the point. It\u2019s a small, honest offering. From me, to you.<\/span><\/p>","urlTitle":"new-book-has-arrived","url":"\/blog\/new-book-has-arrived\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/new-book-has-arrived\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/fredsart.co.uk\/blog\/new-book-has-arrived\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1769087903,"updatedAt":1769091722,"publishedAt":1769091721,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":413303,"name":"Fredsart"},"tags":[{"id":4315,"code":"inspiration","name":"Inspiration","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/inspiration\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/fpu9wvu2rn0pmf0goimhtdj2idupo2tnlzuw9oooqushao05.png?z=1.6&fx=0.50353600772781&fy=0.4963081294374","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/fpu9wvu2rn0pmf0goimhtdj2idupo2tnlzuw9oooqushao05.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.6&fx=0.50353600772781&fy=0.4963081294374","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/fpu9wvu2rn0pmf0goimhtdj2idupo2tnlzuw9oooqushao05.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.6&fx=0.50353600772781&fy=0.4963081294374"},"metaTitle":"Anxiety relief with Fred","metaDescription":"Fred tells how & why she created a book with 200+ pages of wordsearch puzzles, colouring pages, affirmations and character backstories.","series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":52884,"title":"He's not fat, he's FLOOFY!","url":"\/blog\/hes-not-fat-hes-floofy\/","urlTitle":"hes-not-fat-hes-floofy","division":413303,"description":"\ud83d\udc3e Meet the Muse Behind the Meow \u2014 My Cat-Inspired Logo & New Artwork\nThis month\u2019s blog is all about a very special feline \u2014 my real-life cat, who\u2019s quietly become the heart of Fredsart. From cozy studio moments to unexpected inspiration, he\u2019s now the star of my latest illustration and the face of my new logo.\n\nI\u2019ll take you behind the scenes of the drawing process (yes, there\u2019s a Procreate timelapse!), share how his personality shaped the design, and talk about why he\u2019s likely to show up on future apparel. If you\u2019ve ever loved a pet so much you wanted to turn them into art \u2014 this one\u2019s for you.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/nyrtnyehvp2alr5goekdlypwomzgq4qgwuvcmzl8q0jy8hj4.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.1999999939449&fx=0.53201167155119&fy=0.48280929392932","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/nyrtnyehvp2alr5goekdlypwomzgq4qgwuvcmzl8q0jy8hj4.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.1999999939449&fx=0.53201167155119&fy=0.48280929392932"},"hidden":0},{"id":53119,"title":"Balance: A Peek into My Beautiful Chaos","url":"\/blog\/balance-a-peek-into-my-beautiful-chaos\/","urlTitle":"balance-a-peek-into-my-beautiful-chaos","division":413303,"description":"If you\u2019ve ever tried to design a character while your head is elsewhere, worrying about your daughter, who\u2019s out walking dogs, whilst your son\u2019s asking if there\u2019s any milk left, your inbox is pinging with \u201cjust wondering if my order shipped,\u201d and your cats are staging a mutiny over dinner \u2014 welcome","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5xwj63kcj4gyw51lgehlegvhzh63p2arkr73xoxxcsesbbu8.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.3999999878899&fx=0.503070172642&fy=0.53868754305417","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5xwj63kcj4gyw51lgehlegvhzh63p2arkr73xoxxcsesbbu8.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.3999999878899&fx=0.503070172642&fy=0.53868754305417"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}