Colour Greece is a therapeutically calming, educational, fun, and well, very colourful experience. We speak to Avrokomi and Vasiliki, the two creators behind this exciting colouring book series.
Vasiliki and Androniki are architects whose friendship and eventual collaboration on the book series Colour Greece began when they met at the University of Thessaly in Volos as architecture students. They both have a background in Fine Arts and Design and are currently living between cities.
How did you come up with the idea of creating Colour Greece?
The publishing project Colour Greece started shortly after our graduation from the Department of Architecture of the University of Thessaly. There, we learned the value of user participation in the design of an architectural project, or otherwise the optimistic side of architecture. Thus, the Colour Greece project emerged, which requires the participation of the traveller in order to be completed. It’s an alternative, interactive and at the same time a really fun way to get to know a place.
What do you hope to offer people with these books?
Colour Greece is essentially trying to create a new trend in the field of travel guides and tourist publishing in general, offering the possibility of an alternative, interactive way of knowing and discovering Greece.
More specifically, the editions combine the relaxing feeling of colouring books and the experience of wandering offered by travel guides and other similar publications. The publications include the Colouring Travel Guide, The Colouring Pocket Guide and the Colour & Learn– Series, which feature sketches of archaeological sites, monuments, neighbourhoods, works of art, motifs, etc., accompanied by a short description in Greek and English.
The books highlight the atmosphere of a place or a theme, and at the same time offer the opportunity to colour it as you like. In this way, visitors of Greece, young and old, are inspired to colour their journey in their own way, making it unique.
How was the process of setting Colour Greece up?
The process involves many months of research prior to a publication, something that is carried out by both of us. We want to be sure that the atmosphere will be there for everyone to grasp it. After that, and once we’ve concluded on the book’s content, we realise the project by creating illustrations, texts, editing, selecting materials, printing tests, creating models, and more. We always keep an eye on all stages of the process, to ensure that the quality of the outcome meets our high standards. Of course, there are valuable partners who help us throughout all these stages, such us Marianna Kaplatzi – translator, Panagiota Goulioumi- illustrator, Zoe Kardari & Kostas Pletsas – typographers, and others.
Are you thinking of expanding the series, and if so, how?
Expanding our series, in terms of adding new places of interest as well as new themes is among our future plans. Other products with either travelling or educational aspects are in development as well.
Who likes your books most?
It’s a funny one! The other day, a client of ours bought two books from our e-shop; after receiving them, she emailed us about how much she enjoyed giving them as presents, one to a six-year-old child and the other one to a 90-year-old lady, who were both excited about their new books!
And has always been our goal, to address a variety of ages and nationalities. Indeed, our books are well-loved both by both Greek and international audiences of all ages. However, it’s difficult to accurately describe the profile of our individual clients, since we mostly work on wholesale with Museums, Archaeological sites, hotels, bookshops, and so on.
Find out more about The Colouring Travel Guides:
colourgreece.com
info@colourgreece.com
