The Colour Book

A DigitalNZ Story by Courtney Johnston

One morning, @gemmacf asked for recommendations for books for young readers (she is starting a shelf for her new baby). This made me think about the research I've seen about the development of sight, and how babies are attracted to strong contrast (starting with just light and dark, gradually moving into colour). It struck me that a book that mixed short rhythmic poems and strong abstract illustrations could be a lovely experience for both the adult reader (reading poetry aloud is satisfying, and I imagine takes longer to date than simple stories) and maybe the baby (who knows? they can't really give reviews). Then I thought, if you're gonna do it, you might as well tie it all together and use colour poems. You could use lots of snippets (Rebecca Lindemann has an exquisite poem about shades of red; James Schuyler gives amazing colour) or you could just go whole hog with the likes of Christina Rossetti's 'Colour' What is pink? a rose is pink By a fountain's brink. What is red? a poppy's red In its barley bed. What is blue? the sky is blue Where the clouds float thro'. What is white? a swan is white Sailing in the light. What is yellow? pears are yellow, Rich and ripe and mellow. What is green? the grass is green, With small flowers between. What is violet? clouds are violet In the summer twilight. What is orange? Why, an orange, Just an orange! It occurred to me on reflection that this set would be better suited to contemporary poetry, and Rossetti might be nicely matched with (of all things) seed catalogues http://digitalnz.org/user_sets/503a95fb12575773920031a0. But it's a fun idea to play with.

Image: Things Get Worse

Things Get Worse

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Cerulean Blue - To Len Lye

Cerulean Blue - To Len Lye

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Untitled (painting painted by an artist #1)

Untitled (painting painted by an artist #1)

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Growth

Growth

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Dyad no. 6

Dyad no. 6

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: French Bay

French Bay

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Construction - Tondo 4/83

Construction - Tondo 4/83

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Horizontal Relief

Horizontal Relief

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Horizontal Relief

Horizontal Relief

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Big relief

Big relief

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Dervish

Dervish

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Golden cloud

Golden cloud

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Skydive

Skydive

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Indian summer

Indian summer

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: French Bay, Titirangi

French Bay, Titirangi

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Clam

Clam

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: 1989 Painting (philishave)

1989 Painting (philishave)

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Untitled

Untitled

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Dyad No.12

Dyad No.12

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: With the kind of sensibility

With the kind of sensibility

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: "Even though it appears abstract" (Primary)

"Even though it appears abstract" (Primary)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Buildings

Buildings

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Consequence Painting

Consequence Painting

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Fractus: Study A

Fractus: Study A

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Orange Repeat 1

Orange Repeat 1

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Orange Repeat 2

Orange Repeat 2

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Azure blue line 5

Azure blue line 5

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

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Azure blue line 4

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

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Azure blue line 3

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Sub

Sub

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

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Virgin

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Orange Monochrome

Orange Monochrome

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Untitled II

Untitled II

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Polychrome Painting

Polychrome Painting

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Orange monochrome with four colours

Orange monochrome with four colours

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Untitled - Colour Group E (Random)

Untitled - Colour Group E (Random)

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Orange monochrome with two colours

Orange monochrome with two colours

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki