Some of the the borough’s most recognized spots can now be found in Haddonfield Memorial High School student Nina Tan’s new coloring book, “Color Haddonfield.”
Haddonfield just got a little more colorful. Some of the the borough’s most recognized spots can now be found in Haddonfield Memorial High School student Nina Tan’s new coloring book, “Color Haddonfield.”
The coloring book takes residents on a journey through Haddonfield’s welcome sign to Hopkins Pond and Crows Woods Garden all the way to Haddonfield’s most beloved green dinosaur, Haddy. The book also features events such as the annual 4th of July fireworks and farmers market. These are just some of sites that are featured in Nina’s illustration of Haddonfield.
“My favorite is the farmers market page because it’s the most intricate,” Nina said.
The idea originated in 2016 from the owner of Inkwood Books, Julie Beddingfield. Her desire to create something “unique” to Haddonfield stemmed from resident feedback, asking for more Haddonfield-specific merchandise to be sold at Inkwood Books. When Nina’s mother, Amy Tan, showed Nina’s art to Beddingfield, she knew she was the one to embark on this creative journey.
“I just want to thank Julie for giving me the opportunity to be involved in such a great project,” Nina said. “It was an honor to be asked and I feel so grateful to her.”
Nina, a freshman, brought to life Beddingfield’s vision for a coloring book by venturing out in town to gain inspiration, taking pictures of recognizable spots in the community. The clicks of her camera captured what would soon come to life in the pages of her book. Using her photos for reference, she turned blank sheets of paper into artwork inspired by the scenery in Haddonfield.
“That was the best part, making up decorative detail that would be fun for people to color in,” Nina said.
Getting the images on paper was only half the battle, according to Nina. The final and most “stressful” step was inking, where she would have to line the drawing with ink and one error would mean she would have to begin again, which Nina often did in her pursuit of perfection and care for detail.
“There was a lot of decision-making about what to include, what best represents the town, what is easily recognizable to residents,” Amy said. “She did not hesitate to tear up a page and start again. Even now, there are some drawings I know she wishes she could redo. Nina is a perfectionist, so if we had to wait for her to be completely satisfied with each drawing she made, we would still be waiting.”
Appealing to all age groups, residents can enjoy adding a little bit of color to Haddonfield’s events and hotspots around town. Nina’s book is available at Inkwood Books for $10.
‘’It’s a neat way to celebrate Haddonfield,’’ Beddingfield said.
Nina plans to attend college after high school and major in art. When she isn’t expressing her creativity on paper, Nina can be found reading, baking and watching movies with friends. Although Nina’s passions extend beyond her skills as an artist, she plans to keep her mind open to possibly doing more books in the future.
“If someone asked me to make another coloring book, I would say ‘yes’ in a heartbeat,” Nina said.
