Author Archives: iiiireaderadmin

Creative Haven Unicorns Coloring Book (Adult Coloring)

By: Marty Noble

Rating: 5 of 5

I really enjoy Marty Noble’s coloring book designs and am pleased that she has come out with one with unicorns. While the coloring book is based on a single subject, her treatment makes for a wide variety of designs. Some are flowing and elegant while others have a more stylized look to them. In most designs there is a single unicorn but there are others which involve a beautiful maiden or several unicorns. There are even rectangular shaped unicorn mandalas. Ms. Nobel’s unique style is recognizable in each of these designs.

The designs are detailed (including backgrounds and/or framing.) A few of the designs have small and intricate areas to color. On the whole, I don’t think it is a difficult book to color in due to small shapes. The designs present a nice challenge and have plenty of room to try blending and shading techniques as well as embellishments to the original design(s).
This is what I experienced when coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper.
31 beautiful and elegant unicorn designs by Marty Noble
Printed on one side of the page
Paper is medium weight, white, lightly rough and perforated
Glue bound but pages can be removed easily at perforations.
Designs stop before the perforations. There is a framing line at the outer edges of each design for a more finished look.
The book opens fairly flat by creasing/breaking the spine.
Alcohol and water based markers bleed through to some degree
Gel pens and India ink pens leave shadows of color on the back of the page
Coloring pencils work well with this paper. Both wax and oil based pencils lay down good color, layer (same and different colors) and blend well using a pencil style blending stick. Hard lead pencils leave dents on the back of the page.
I remove pages or use a blotter page of card stock or several sheets of heavyweight paper to keep ink and dents from marring the pages below.

Edward Gorey: Coloring Book

By: Edward Gorey

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a well made hardback book of 25 pen and ink designs by artist Edward Gorey. The designs range from stand-alone designs to those which were used as illustrations in various books. At the front of the book, there is a full listing of the included designs (1 through 25). For those who are familiar with Mr. Gorey’s work, humorous and sometimes slightly macabre tone is no surprise. He illustrated for many famous authors with his distinctive crosshatched drawings which rely heavily on the use of black.

I was thrilled to find this coloring book. I have been enjoying using The Ghastlies quilting fabric line which is also based on Mr. Gorey’s work and have been wishing for a coloring book as well. Because of his crosshatch style, the designs in this book are quite different from those one usually finds in a coloring book.
Because of the heavy use of black in these designs, I will be treating them, for the most part, as if they were done in grayscale. My preferred method of doing grayscale is to use alcohol-based markers as a basecoat and then to add shading and details with colored pencils. However, I will be careful in using colored pencils as these sometimes give an off-color when placed on top of black.
This is what I discovered while coloring in this book and using my coloring medium to test the pages:
25 Designs based on the pen and ink, crosshatched artwork of Edward Gorey
Printed on one side of the page
Paper is heavyweight, white, slightly smooth, and non-perforated
Sewn binding with a thin glossy hard back cover
The book opens flat easily.
There is enough room to remove a page if you wish to do so.
Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper quite readily
Water-based markers can spot through. The exception was my Tombow brush ends did not spot through even with dark and bright colors.
Gel pens and India ink pens did not bleed through but some gel pens took much longer to dry than usual.
Colored pencils worked well with this paper. I tested both oil and wax based in several brands. I was able to get light pigment as well as heavy (with multiple layers) and to layer colors and blend well using a pencil style blending stick. My hard lead pencils were good color as well with crisp lines and did not dent through the page.

Kawaii Girls: An Adult Coloring Book with Adorable Manga Girls and Cute Fantasy Scenes

By: Jade Summer

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a really cute coloring book of Kawaii girl designs by Jade Summer. There are 30 different designs (with 2 copies of each design for a total of 60 coloring pages.) The designs are quite detailed and some contain small areas to color. The designs; however, are not what I consider intricate and difficult to color.

The word Kawaii is Japanese for cute. The girls in this book are definitely cute and have a kind of manga style about them. They are more mature than the girls in Jade Summer’s Chibi Girls coloring books but still have large eyes and lots of fun personality. There are so many girls in different scenarios, including: princess, witch, mermaid, scientist, Native American, school girl, angel and much more.
While you can have access to .PDFs when you purchase this book, my review is based on the book as it is received from Amazon. That way you will know what the pages look like and how they accept color. I like that the publisher provides the digital version as well so you can choose the paper you wish to use and/or to color the pictures as many times as you choose.
This is what I found while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium:
30 x 2 each cute Manga style Kawaii girl designs for a total of 60 coloring pages
Designs are printed on one side of the page
Paper is typical of CreateSpace: white, thin, slightly rough and non-perforated. The back of the page is printed black.
The designs do not merge into the binding. There is a heavy framing line at the outer edges of the design to give the project a more finished look, especially for framing.
Glue Binding (there is room to cut the pages out if you choose to do so.)
Though you cannot see the bleed-through easily due to the back of the page being printed in black, I recommend the use of a blotter page when working in this book. I use a page of card stock or several sheets of heavyweight paper under my working page. It keeps seeping ink and marring dents from ruining the pages below.
Alcohol-based markers bleed through the page quickly.
Water-based markers bleed through in spots.
Gel pens and India ink pens leave shadows on back of the page. India ink can bleed through if you apply heavily or multiple coats.
Coloring Pencils work well with this paper. I found that I could layers the same color for deeper pigment or multiple colors and I could blend easily using a blending stick. I tested both oil and wax based pencils. I also found that hard lead pencils leave dents through the paper.

Jill Mayberg’s Animal Friends: Coloring Book

By: Jill Mayberg

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a coloring book of 22 animal designs by artist Jill Mayberg. One of my favorite styles of coloring designs is folk art. These designs have that vibe. From the blurb in the book, Ms. Mayberg appears to use mixed media in order to create her original artwork, including photographs, drawings, paintings and even cut-outs. The results are charming, both in the original artwork and in the coloring book designs.

Included on the inside of the front and back covers are full color thumbnails of all of the original artwork. The title of each design is listed not only on its page but also on a contents page at the beginning of the book. The contents page also gives the size of the original artwork, the date it was finished and that it was done in mixed media. No further detail is provided as to which media was used.
The designs are open and easy to color. While some designs contain small areas to color, I don’t consider the artwork to be intricate and difficult to color.
This is what I experienced in coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper.
22 folk art style animal designs derived from the artwork of Jill Mayberg
Designs are printed on one side of the page
Paper is heavyweight, white, slightly rough to the touch and non-perforated
The designs are bound by two heavyweight staples which can be removed to release all of the page from the book without any loss of design.
Designs do not merge into the binding area and have a framing line at their outer edges.
Pages can be cut out if you wish without losing any design elements.
Book easily opens to a flat position for coloring.
Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper easily.
Water-based markers leave shadows and slight spots of color bleed through on the back of the page
If I use any style of marker, I also make sure to use a blotter under my working page. I like card stock but a couple of sheets of heavyweight paper works well, too.
Gel pens and India ink pens do not bleed through the page. Some gel pens require slightly more drying time than usual.
Colored pencils work well with the paper. It has a slight roughness to it that allows good pigment coverage from both oil and wax based pencils. I was able to layer the same and multiple colors well and could blend easily using a pencil style blending stick.

Molly Hashimoto’s Birds: Coloring Book

By: Molly Hashimoto

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a coloring book of 22 bird designs based on the artwork of artist Molly Hashimoto. The drawings are uncolored block prints which have big, bold black lines. The designs are quite bold in concept with the birds as the main focus but with full backgrounds as well.

Included on the inside of the front and back covers are full color thumbnails of all of the original artwork. The title of each design is listed not only on its page but also on a contents page at the beginning of the book. The contents page also gives the size of the original artwork, the medium in which it was done and also the date it was finished.
The designs are easy to color but with a heavy use of black which is very prominent due to the nature of block prints. I prefer to use my markers with this style of design and accent it with colored pencils. I find that some shades of pencil are apt to be seen on top of the black as a grayish tone if I accidentally color over it.
This is what I experienced in coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper.
22 line drawing designs derived from the unpainted block print artwork of Molly Hashmimoto
Designs are printed on one side of the page
Paper is heavyweight, white, slightly rough to the touch and non-perforated
The designs are bound by two heavyweight staples which can be removed to release all of the page from the book without any loss of design.
Designs do not merge into the binding area and have a distinct finished edge which acts as a frame and an ending point for coloring.
Pages can be cut out if you wish without losing any design elements.
Book easily opens to a flat position for coloring.
Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper easily.
Water-based markers leave shadows and slight spots of color bleed through on the back of the page
If I use any style of marker, I also make sure to use a blotter under my working page. I like card stock but a couple of sheets of heavyweight paper works well, too.
Gel pens and India ink pens do not bleed through the page. Some gel pens require slightly more drying time than usual.
Colored pencils work well with the paper. It has a slight roughness to it that allows good pigment coverage from both oil and wax based pencils. I was able to layer the same and multiple colors well and could blend easily using a pencil style blending stick. As I mentioned previously, some colors look gray if they are used on top the heavy use of black in the designs.

Color Your Own Spider-Man

By: Various

Rating: 5 of 5

I will attach a silent video to this review of a page by page flip-through so you can decide for yourself if it suits your needs. I’ll also attach some sample photos of the pages as well.

In this latest coloring book by Marvel in their Color Your Own series, Spider-Man is the character whose comic series is highlighted. The coloring book contains the associated characters from the series that I would hope to see. There are also mock-up pages from the front of comic books and even pages which include dialog boxes.
The designs are highly detailed with small and intricate areas to color. The designs are done by a large group of individuals. Interestingly, though there are many different styles represented, the book is still a great cohesive presentation of the series. There is a heavy use of black in the designs which doesn’t bother me but may be an issue for others.
This is what I found while coloring in the book and testing the paper with my coloring medium:
59 designs based on the comic Spider-Man
Printed one side of the page
Paper is white, medium weight, slightly rough and perforated
Glue Binding
The designs stop at the perforations
Alcohol and water based markers bleed through the paper to some degree
Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page
Colored pencils work well with the paper. I tested both oil and wax based with good results. I could get good pigment due to the rough tooth of the paper. I could layer the same and multiple colors easily and blend well using a pencil style blending stick. Hard lead pencils can leave dents through the paper.
I use and suggest others use a blotter page behind the working page (if you don’t remove pages from the book to color.) I use card stock but a couple of sheets of heavy weight paper work well, too.

Vincent Van Gogh (Art Colouring Book): Make Your Own Art Masterpiece (Colouring Books)

By: Daisy Seal

Rating: 5 of 5

This is one of a new series of Make Your Own Art Masterpiece coloring books from Flame Tree. In this coloring book, the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh is explored. The designs in this book have a lot of detail which can be sometimes intimidating. In this book, some of detail lines suggest areas for shading.

There are 45 line drawing designs to color. The designs were chosen by Daisy Seal and were illustrated by David Jones. The designs cover a good range of Van Gogh’s artwork. It’s amazing to think that such a wonderful and popular artist only sold one painting during his lifetime.
On the opposite facing page of each design, is the name of the work, when it was created and how it was published. There is a thumbnail of a small portion of the design with some color showing.
The inside flaps at the front and back of the book have black and white line drawings which can be colored as well. The cover is quite smooth but will accept various forms of color medium.
This is what I found in coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper
45 Designs based on the artwork of artist Vincent Van Gogh.
Designs are printed on one side of the page
Paper is light ivory, heavy weight, slightly rough and is perforated.
Sewn Binding. You can remove pages at the perforations if you wish but it will separate the designs from the describing thumbnails.
Book fairly easy to lay flat in the open position.
The designs do not merge into the binding area. The designs have framing lines at their outer edges so you don’t have to color up to and over the edges.
Alcohol based markers bleed through this paper.
India ink pens can leave slight shadows of color on the back of the page.
Water based markers and gel pens do not bleed through the paper.
Coloring pencils worked well. Both oil and wax based pencils worked well for providing good pigment. Though the paper is slightly smooth, I was able to layer the same color for deeper tones, layer multiple colors and to blend easily using a pencil style blending stick.
If you use a medium that bleeds through the paper, I suggest using a blotter page under your working page. I use card stock but heavy weight paper works well, too. This will keep ink from seeping through and marring the pages below.

She Said It Best: Dolly Parton: Wit & Wisdom to Color & Display

By: Kimma Parish

Rating: 5 of 5

This is one of a new series of She Said It Best coloring books from by Kimma Parish. In this coloring book, the wit and wisdom of Dolly Parton is explored. While most of the quotes are from statements she has made over her career, some are quotes from her songs and movies.

Ms. Parton is a no-holds back kind of lady. It comes through in her words and in her music. The quotes range from very funny to sincere to slightly sad but true statements. She is a real go-getter and is not shy about letting others know.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Ms. Parton on stage at the Grand Ole Opry and her performance was the highlight of my husband and my trip to Nashville. It’s wonderful to have this book to remind me of that great concert and all the pleasure I have had from her music and performances over the years.
While some of the designs are directly related to the applicable quote, not all are that specific. They are appropriate to the overall subject with cowgirl boots, microphones, and high-heel shoes among them.
The format of the book is smaller at approximately 8.5 x 6.25 inches. It makes it easier to carry if you wish to work with it on-the-go. As the book is sized down, it does make for some small and intricate areas to color. On the whole, I would not categorized the book as intricate; however, it does have a nice amount of detail on most of the designs.
This is what I found in coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper
61 Designs based on the quotes by Dolly Parton.
Designs are printed on one side of the page
Paper is white, medium/heavy weight, slightly rough and is perforated.
Glue Binding. You can easily remove pages at the perforations if you wish.
Book fairly easy to lay flat in the open position by creasing/breaking the spine.
The designs do not merge past the perforations.
Alcohol based markers bleed through this paper.
India ink pens can leave slight shadows of color on the back of the page.
Water based markers and gel pens do not bleed through the paper.
Coloring pencils worked well. Both oil and wax based pencils worked well for providing good pigment. Though the paper is slightly smooth, I was able to layer the same color for deeper tones, layer multiple colors and to blend easily using a pencil style blending stick.
If you use a medium that bleeds through the paper, I suggest either removing the pages from the book before coloring or using a blotter page under your working page. I use card stock but heavy weight paper works well, too. This will keep ink from seeping through and marring the pages below.

She Said It Best: Jane Austen: Wit & Wisdom to Color & Display

By: Kimma Parish

Rating: 5 of 5

This is one of a new series of She Said It Best coloring books from by Kimma Parish. In this coloring book, the wit and wisdom of Jane Austen is explored. While most of the quotes are from her books, there are also a few which are derived from her personal correspondence.

While, in many cases, the words are from a character, you can see the wonderful humor and insights of the author that make the works of Ms. Austen as fresh and fun today as they were when she first wrote them. I am a real fan of her books, having first read them when I was in grammar school. I re-read them often and each time I find something new and delightful.
While some of the designs are directly related to the applicable quote, not all are that specific. They are; however, appropriate for the period in which Ms. Austen wrote (such as clothing design, furniture, etc.)
The format of the book is smaller at approximately 8.5 x 6.25 inches. It makes it easier to carry if you wish to work with it on-the-go. As the book is sized down, it does make for some small and intricate areas to color. On the whole, I would not categorized the book as intricate; however, it does have a nice amount of detail on most of the designs.
This is what I found in coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper
61 Designs based on the quotes by Jane Austen.
Designs are printed on one side of the page
Paper is white, medium/heavy weight, slightly rough and is perforated.
Glue Binding. You can easily remove pages at the perforations if you wish.
Book fairly easy to lay flat in the open position by creasing/breaking the spine.
The designs do not merge past the perforations.
Alcohol based markers bleed through this paper.
India ink pens can leave slight shadows of color on the back of the page.
Water based markers and gel pens do not bleed through the paper.
Coloring pencils worked well. Both oil and wax based pencils worked well for providing good pigment. Though the paper is slightly smooth, I was able to layer the same color for deeper tones, layer multiple colors and to blend easily using a pencil style blending stick.
If you use a medium that bleeds through the paper, I suggest either removing the pages from the book before coloring or using a blotter page under your working page. I use card stock but heavy weight paper works well, too. This will keep ink from seeping through and marring the pages below.

Alphonse Mucha (Art Colouring Book): Make Your Own Art Masterpiece (Colouring Books)

By: Daisy Seal

Rating: 5 of 5

This is one of a new series of Make Your Own Art Masterpiece coloring books from Flame Tree. In this book, the artwork of Alphonse Mucha is explored. Some of the line drawings are details rather than a full reproduction of the artwork. This allows the illustrator to reproduce much of the fine detail work of the piece. I have other coloring books which show full body reproductions, so I am really pleased to have this as something new and different.

There are 45 line drawing designs to color. The designs were chosen by Daisy Seal and were illustrated by David Jones. While today, we accept Alphonse Mucha as one of the most notable Art Nouveau artists, he did not agree. There is a one page discussion about the artist, his influences, works and life, at the beginning of the book.
The designs have a very nice level of detail but are not intricate and difficult to color. On the opposite facing page of each design, is the name of the work, when it was created and how it was published. There is a thumbnail of a small portion of the design with some color showing.
The inside flaps at the front and back of the book have black and white line drawings which can be colored as well. The cover is quite smooth but will accept various forms of color medium.
This is what I found in coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper
45 Designs based on the artwork of artist Alphonse Mucha.
Designs are printed on one side of the page
Paper is light ivory, heavy weight, slightly rough and is perforated.
Sewn Binding. You can remove pages at the perforations if you wish but it will separate the designs from the describing thumbnails.
Book fairly easy to lay flat in the open position.
The designs do not merge into the binding area. The designs have framing lines at their outer edges so you don’t have to color up to and over the edges.
Alcohol based markers bleed through this paper.
India ink pens can leave slight shadows of color on the back of the page.
Water based markers and gel pens do not bleed through the paper.
Coloring pencils worked well. Both oil and wax based pencils worked well for providing good pigment. Though the paper is slightly smooth, I was able to layer the same color for deeper tones, layer multiple colors and to blend easily using a pencil style blending stick.
If you use a medium that bleeds through the paper, I suggest using a blotter page under your working page. I use card stock but heavy weight paper works well, too. This will keep ink from seeping through and marring the pages below.