O ur S pecial S unday
A Coloring Book of Friendship and Caring
O ur S pecial S unday
A Coloring Book of Friendship and Caring
HINANO
Preface
I am delighted to share my first coloring book with you, Our Special Sunday . This was a brand-new experience for me, and I truly enjoyed creating all thirty-five illustrations.
I think it would be wonderful if every single person who picks up this book enjoys it in their own way, as if we were creating something together!
And if I may be a little selfish here, I would be thrilled if, once you’ve finished coloring, you would share your works with me on Instagram @trym_hinano as a lovely form of collaboration.
To everyone who helped bring this book to life, to those who kept me in their thoughts, and to you , holding this book right now, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
COLORING TIPS
In the following pages I will show you four simple techniques that are core to my signature Retro Pop look.
Base Coloring
Lightly color in all areas, except those that will be the brightest.
Colored pencils can leave a powdered residue if you press down hard with them. If this happens, gently dab it with a tissue to tidy up.
1 2 4 3 5 6 Completed!
Color the white highlights with offwhite. This will produce a glossy effect. Finally, you can add a delicate touch of pink.
With a warm gray alcohol marker gently begin to add shadows. Or you can start with lighter gray markers and work your way up to the perfect depth of shadow. You can also do this with colored pencils.
Alcohol markers tend to smudge and might even bleed through the paper. For that reason, it’s a good idea to make a copy of your page to ensure you can enjoy coloring it without any messy surprises!
Go over the lightly colored areas to add shading. I want the ribbon to be vivid red, so I’m coloring it with bold, clean strokes.
If you rely solely on alcohol markers, your shadows will end up a bit dull. To bring them to life, layer on darker colors with colored pencils for some extra pop.
Layering
It’s time to add a signature color to your motif! Here we’ll be coloring a flower.
If the colors of your pencils don’t match what you have in mind, you can layer colors to achieve your desired shade. I want a bluish-green, so I am starting with an even layer of blue.
Next I lightly apply a layer of yellowgreen. Just like mixing paints on a canvas, layering creates greater depth, for a rich, beautiful range of hues.
Transparency Completed! 1 2 4 3 5 1 2
To convey transparency, you will show reflections. First, apply the color you want to show behind whatever is transparent.
Add shadows with an alcohol marker.
Add shadows with an alcohol marker, then a layer of deep green. Finish by applying light green to the uncolored areas of the leaves.
Next, color around the reflection areas. Here I used two colors to add shading to the cellophane as well as to add texture and create a sense of depth.
Add highlights to the edges of the cellophane following the base coloring method.
The coloring feels a little cold. To pull it all together, layer over a warm yelloworange, which will produce a soft glow and make the reflections pop.
To color the cherry, start with a lighter hue; that is key to getting a smooth, blended effect.
3 1 2 4 3 5 6
Gradations Completed!
Refine the cherry’s shadow on the checkered section. Remember: Layering from light to dark creates a beautiful gradient effect!
Lightly color the grid with pale blue. Then, where the pattern overlaps, color with a deeper blue to add depth.
Layer a darker yellow over the lighter yellow. Use a deep yellow to blend the boundary between the highlight and base color of the cherry. This will make the hues flow together seamlessly.
With yellow, lightly color a highlight on the cherry.
To create a gradient from the highlight to the rest of the cherry, softly shade near the dark color outline. Blend gently for a smooth transition.
COLORING
Here is how I colored “Reading Time.” The design is filled with motifs—feel free to start wherever you like! Let your own unique color choices bring this enchanting world to life!
Coloring Tools Used
Colored Pencils
The colors and textures of pencils vary from brand to brand; pick one that suits your personal style!
Alcohol Markers
Pick three different shades of gray. Using these in combination with colored pencils will make everything really pop!
Begin with the ribbon, first deciding where you want the highlights to be and leaving those uncolored. Lightly color the rest of the ribbon; I want it to be pink.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 to finish coloring the ribbon.
2 1 3 5 4 6 8 7 9
Lightly color the entire wood grain area, then apply gray marker to the areas you want to be darker. Finally, add another layer with colored pencil to build depth.
Add shadow with one of the gray markers, deciding first just how dark you want the shadow to be.
Shade the upper olive’s shadow with gray marker, then color with blue pencil for vibrancy.
If it gets too dark, apply a layer of white pencil to gently lighten and adjust the tone.
Gently layering vibrant red over the gray will produce the pink I want.
Color the frame around the olives based on your other color choices. If you don’t have the color you want, try to achieve it through layering, starting with gentle pressure first.
When coloring skin, add a subtle red layer at the joints and fingertips to give it a healthy, natural flush.
Choosing a Vase
So many to pick from: cat shaped, one with a butterfly perched on its rim, a blue vase with a bird design on it. I like them all! In the end I decide on the blue one. Such a great find!
The Flower Shop
Now that I have the perfect vase, I want flowers to go with it. To make the blue stand out, I choose bright orange blossoms.
To the Shoe Store
While looking for gifts, I end up wanting something for myself, too. I think I’ll indulge and finally get those shoes I’ve had my eye on!
Beyond the Big Door
Closing my eyes, I slip into a dream world. With the birds’ eyes upon me, I open the door and step through. This bird pattern … I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before.
The flower ring fits her perfectly! It looks so pretty on her long, graceful finger! It Looks Lovely on You!
From My Bedside
Thanks to this wonderful day, I feel ready to tackle tomorrow. Goodnight, from our “Special Sunday” together.
A graduate of Musashino Art University, affiliated with Agence LE MONDE, Hinano creates Retro Pop–style illustrations that capture nostalgia-filled moments. She lives in Japan. Visit her on Instagram @trym_hinano.
© 2023 Hinano
© 2023 Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd.
This book was first designed and published in Japan in 2023 by Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd., as WATASHI NO TOKUBETSU NA NICHIYOBI ~ HINANO
NURIE BOOK. This English edition was published in 2026 by Get Creative 6, an imprint of Mixed Media Resources, LLC.
English translation rights arranged with Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd., through Japan UNI Agency, Inc., and LibriSource, Inc.
Original Edition Creative Staff
Book design: Norihito Ohara (BALCOLONY)
Photography: Yumiko Yokota (STUDIO BANBAN)
Planning and editing: Chihiro Tsukamoto
Materials provided by Too Marker Products, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage-and-retrieval systems—without permission of the publisher.
The written instructions and designs in this book are intended for the personal, noncommercial use of the retail purchaser and are under federal copyright laws; they are not to be reproduced in any form for commercial use. Permission is granted to photocopy content for the personal use of the retail purchaser.
The EEA authorized representative is Authorised Rep Compliance Ltd., Ground Floor, 71 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin, D02 P593, Ireland (www.arccompliance.com).
ISBN: 978-1-68462-116-3
Manufactured in China
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
First Edition
A Celebration of Friendship in Art and Words to Color and Enjoy
Born on the same day, author/artist Hinano and her friend have a special way they commemorate their connection—not on their birthday but on their half-birthday. Each year they alternate celebrating one another and this year it is Hinano’s turn to prepare the festivities for her friend. Our Special Sunday is a delightful half hour-byhalf hour recounting of the day, from 7 a.m., when Hinano rises, to when she shuts her light off at midnight. Every step of her preparations is illustrated with a black-and-white design to color paired with a version fully colored in by Hinano, for inspiration.
A beautiful expression of mindfulness and friendship, Our Special Sunday will have you coloring yourself contented and calm.
