The Coloring Book of Armor features 34 objects from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collections, curated by Pierre Terjanian. Pierre Terjanian is chief of curatorial affairs and conservation at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and curator emeritus of the Department of Arms and Armor at The Met. 

Produced in collaboration with the Vilcek Foundation, The Coloring Book of Armor is available from Merrell Publishers. This bold coloring book provides a brief but fascinating introduction into the history of armor that readers and artists of all ages can enjoy. The 64 sturdy pages are perfect for colored pencils, crayons, markers, and watercolor.

In his introduction to the coloring book, Terjanian highlights the artistry and meaning of armor: to protect and transform the wearer’s body, and “project an image that was either pleasing or fearsome.” Paula Kinsel’s illustrations let artists and readers see the detail on armor’s surfaces: from flowers and birds, to mythical creatures, geometric designs, and sometimes words. 

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“I am excited about the invitation that this coloring book extends to explore the form, decoration, and overall design of objects from a wide range of cultures. It is an invitation to a new perspective: to view armor—something so sturdy—as something that is ever-changing, and open to question,” says Terjanian. “The images created for this book encourage close looking, and my hope is that the process of coloring them will call attention to the creative possibilities that armor-making offered, as an art form, over centuries and across many parts of the world.”