A cartoonist has donated copies of his Coventry-inspired coloring book to primary schools and local libraries in the city with financial help from Coventry Cathedral.
Nick Shingler launched “The Cov Kids” in 2013, and his original sketches are on display all over town.
He created a coloring book during confinement when his cartoon workshops could not take place.
Read more Coventry news here
It all started when Nick drew a Coventry street scene for the NHS – and he says the response he has received from locals has been amazing.
Nick told CoventryLive he’s received positive feedback from adults and children alike, which has encouraged him to build a collection featuring his cartoon characters, the ‘Cov Kids’.
(Photo: Nick Shingler)
Nick pointed out that “Cov Kids” doesn’t just mean kids.
He said: “It’s anyone, of any age, who has lived, studied or worked in Coventry. We are all Cov Kids, including me, my wife and children, our dog Saffsy and our cat Ron.
He explained how his love of drawing stemmed from a young age.
“I have always enjoyed drawing, especially comics, and my old school submitted my work to the National Children’s Art competition which exhibited it in the Mall Galleries in London, where it made headlines in The Guardian .
“My work has also been exhibited at the Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry Cathedral, Central Library, Coventry Music Museum and CET Art Gallery.”
Nick also hosts “The Cov Kids” cartoon workshops which are art and creativity sessions specifically for children, held in schools, libraries, charities and businesses in Coventry.
He explained, “In addition to drawing, I also host my Cov Kids Cartoon workshops which unleash children’s creativity and build their confidence by encouraging them to draw their own cartoon characters and add them to my large cartoon murals. by hand from Coventry.
“They celebrate our city’s proud diversity and proclaim the inclusive message I may have mentioned before: ‘We are all Cov Kids!’
Nick said he was grateful to Coventry Cathedral for their sponsorship in helping to fund copies of this book to be donated to all primary schools and libraries in Coventry.
(Photo: Nick Shingler)
Coventrians can get their hands on the limited-edition coloring books from stores across town, but you need to be quick as they’re only available until the end of January.
You can find ‘The Cov Kids’ coloring book at Waterstones and the City of Culture shop as well as various convenience stores around town.
Keep up to date with the latest news with our email alerts straight to your inbox. Register here.