Zombies of Townsville Colouring Book artists launch Kickstarter campaign

Two Townsville artists with frightfully macabre senses of humour are crowd-funding for the publication of an off-colour colouring book.

Art work from ‘Zombies of Townsville Colouring Book’ co-authored by Michael Pope, a resident artist at Murky Waters Studio and art teacher at Saint Patrick's College, and Carly Sheil, a designer and artist. Picture: Supplied

Two Townsville artists with frightfully macabre senses of humour are crowd-funding for the publication of an off-colour colouring book.

Michael Pope and Carly Sheil have already raised $1950 toward the $3200 required to release ‘Zombies of Townsville Colouring Book’ featuring a cast of the undead at iconic local locations set in a dystopian landscape.

Mr Pope, who teaches art at Saint Patrick’s College, said the pair both had a love of zombies.

“I think we both quite like zombies and it’s kind of ironic and quirky,” he said.

“But I think we just both wanted to do a zombie book and we live in Townsville so why not situate it here with zombies with Castle Hill in the background and on The Strand.”

A page from the ‘Zombies of Townsville Colouring Book’ co-authored by Michael Pope, a resident artist at Murky Waters Studio and art teacher at Saint Patrick's College, and Carly Sheil, a designer and artist. Picture: Supplied

A page from the ‘Zombies of Townsville Colouring Book’ co-authored by Michael Pope, a resident artist at Murky Waters Studio and art teacher at Saint Patrick's College, and Carly Sheil, a designer and artist. Picture: Supplied

Mr Pope, a resident artist at Murky Waters Studio, said making money was not the goal.

“By the time you get the book printed and sell it at a book store, they are taking 40 per cent so we’ll end up with about $2 a colouring book,” he laughed.

“It’s not going to make any money for us, it’s more a love project … for giggles.”

‘Zombies of Townsville Colouring Book’ co-author Carly Sheil, a designer and artist. Picture: Supplied

‘Zombies of Townsville Colouring Book’ co-author Michael Pope, a resident artist at Murky Waters Studio and art teacher at Saint Patrick's College. Picture: Supplied.

He said they would also apply for funding from the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF), a collaboration between the Queensland Government and Townsville City Council.

“There’s no money in books, that’s why we did the Kickstarter page; we thought, here’s a fun way to involve people, they can be a zombie in the book if they want.”

Art work from ‘Zombies of Townsville Colouring Book’ co-authored by Michael Pope, a resident artist at Murky Waters Studio and art teacher at Saint Patrick's College, and Carly Sheil, a designer and artist. Picture: Supplied

Mr Pope said he loved “anything zombie”, including classic zombie movies with 28 Years Later one of the most anticipated movie releases of 2025.

He said he had already drawn about 40 pages with the colouring-in expected to be fully designed by April, printed in June and on sale by July.

“Also, at Murky Waters Studio we are going to have an exhibition of the actual works, ‘Zombies of Townsville’, and that will basically have drawings from the book that I will draw up a lot bigger … so people can come in and colour them in on the wall.”

He said the book would be available for sale at the studio, Mary Who? Bookshop and other locations.

Originally published as Zombies of Townsville Colouring Book artists launch Kickstarter campaign