Author Archives: Iiiireader

Fantasia An Adult Coloring Book Of Fantasy & Mythology: Spiral Bound, 100lb Coverstock Paper, Perforated Pages, Story Edition

By: Casey L Gilmore

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a beautiful and very different type of fantasy coloring book. Along with the extremely well-drawn artwork, the artist has included an interesting story about each of the design characters in the book. The story pages are printed on the left side and the designs are on the right. It helps put the character into context and gives me a back story to think about as I am coloring. The designs are detailed and some include a considerable amount of shading. It stops short of grayscale but some of the techniques I use in grayscale, I use with portions these designs.

It seems to me that some of the characters come from mythology and legend, some from fantasy games, and others possibly from the imagination of the artist. It proved to be a really nice mix of design concepts.

The book is published in a fantastic manner. The pages are heavyweight card stock and the binding is spiral. This makes it easy to get the book to lay flat for coloring. Add to that, the pages are all perforated and you simply can’t get a better published coloring book format than this one.

This is what I discovered as I colored in this book and tested the paper with my coloring medium:

20 Fantasy Detailed Fantasy designs with story included

Printed on one side of the page

Pages are heavyweight, warm white, lightly smooth, and perforated

Spiral binding

Designs stop before the perforations for ease of removal without loss of design elements

Book opens to flat position effortlessly

Alcohol-based markers can lightly spot through the page with heavy application. If you use a free flowing marker, such as Copics, you might want to use a blotter page below for peace of mind though I doubt it will bleed through to the page below.

Water-based markers, gel pens, and India ink pens do not bleed through the page

Coloring pencils work well with this card stock. I was able to blend, layer and get good pigment lay down with both oil and wax based pencils.

I received a free sample of this coloring book for test and review purposes.

Mini-INKLINGS colouring book by Tanya Bond: Coloring book for adults, teens and children, featuring 30 single sided fantasy art illustrations by Tanya … and other charming creatures. (Volume 3)

By: Tanya Bond

Rating: 5 of 5

I really enjoy Tanya Bond’s coloring book series, Inklings, so when I found out that she had released a mini format book, I immediately purchased it. I was very happy to see many new designs and a few that are familiar. The ones that are similar to her other books have been re-done to fit the new format and feel like a new coloring experience as well. The lines are nice and dark and well-connected unlike other books where the lines fade away because the images were reduced too far. These designs feel as if they were drawn for this size format.

The coloring book is approximately 9 x 6 inches and it fits perfectly in my handbag to carry around with me. The designs are detailed but not at all intricate which, again, makes them a perfect project for on-the-go. Each of the designs are titled at the bottom of the page, along with a copyright. I like the title but wish the copyright had been less intrusive.

The designs feature the ethereal maidens with large expressive eyes that I have found in all of Ms. Bond’s designs. I love all of the girls with their fun hats in this book. They remind me of my younger daughter who loves to crochet/knit wild hats for herself.

This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium:

30 Designs of Large, Expressive Eyed Girls in 9 x 6 inch format book

2 Pages set aside for Color Tests

Printed on one side of the page

Paper is thin, white, slightly rough and non-perforated. It is typical of anything published through CreateSpace.

Glue Bound

Designs do not merge into the binding area

Book can be opened flat with a little effort for coloring

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper readily

Water-based markers bleed through in spots

Gel pens and India Ink artist pens create colorful shadows on the back of the page. India ink pens can spot through if multiple layers are applied.

Colored pencils work well with this paper. I can use either wax or oil based pencils and get good pigment (with multiple layers of the same color), layer multiple colors well and blend well using a pencils style blender stick. My hard lead pencils, such as Verithins, can cause dents through to the back of the page.

I use a piece of card stock or a couple of pieces of heavy weight paper as a blotter when coloring in this book. It keeps ink from seeping through or dents from marring the pages below my project page.

Wholehearted: A Coloring Book Devotional

By: Paige Tate & Co.

Rating: 5 of 5

My review is of the standard paperback version of this book. As I have purchased and reviewed the Premium version of other of this publishers books, I’m certain that the paper in the spiral-bound version of the book is an improvement over what the paperback.

This is an excellent devotional guide which can be accomplished in 30 days (as the writer suggests) or at your own speed if you prefer to save out the time you spend in devotional study.

The format of the book alternates between one day of suggested tasks and prayers to the next day of coloring. That amounts to fifteen days each of both formats. Each day is prefaced with cited verse of Scripture and the task/coloring relates back to that verse.

Each day has a page of verse and then the author shares her personal thoughts and experiences which relate to the verse. Then, you either follow the tasks or color the design depending on which day it is.

I found the course of study to be of immense personal use for me. It seemed as if the entire book had been geared towards the issues I have been facing. The stories that the author tells are heartfelt and the suggested tasks are ones that, while I found a bit emotionally challenging, were ultimate rewarding for me.

The coloring was just a small part of this book and the designs are geared to and highlight the Bible verse. Each of the drawings can be accomplished in a day.

For coloring purposes, the paper in this book is white, thin, slightly rough and non-perforated. Alcohol and water-based markers bleed through. Gel pens and India ink leave shadows of color on the back of the back. Colored pencils work well (both oil and wax based) but hard lead pencils can leave dents. I use a blotter page under the page I am working on (both coloring and using a pen for writing) to keep ink and dents from marring the pages below.

Autumn Magic: Gorgeous Autumn Patterns to Color (Color Magic)

By: Barron’s Educational Series

Rating: 4 of 5

As Autumn inspired coloring books are few and far between, I am always looking for new ones. Autumn Magic is the latest entry in the magic series by Barron’s. As I have a couple of books in this series, I was not surprised by either the fact that the pictures were printed on both sides of the page and that all of the artwork is licensed from Shutterstock/iStock rather than created specifically for this book.

With these types of licensed designs, if you own other books of this nature, you are apt to find designs that you have already. That was certainly the case for me with this book. However, there is enough designs in the book that I haven’t had before to make it a fun coloring experience for me. Because of the repetitive artwork, I detracted a star from my rating. I think a company of this size should be able to obtain original artwork and/or license artwork that has not been licensed over and over again.

The designs are well printed on a good quality paper. Some designs are detailed and some are quite intricate and may require special small nib pens or markers or really sharp pencils to color. While most of the designs are related to Autumn and/or Halloween, a few of them seemed less applicable and more general in nature.

This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium:

78 pages of Licensed Autumn/Halloween inspired designs are printed on both sides of the page

Paper is heavyweight, white, smooth and non-perforated

Sewn Binding (you can remove several pages at a time by snipping threads if you choose to do so.)

Designs are single page and do not merge into the binding area

All Designs have framed around the outer edge

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper rapidly. If you use these, you will bleed through to the design on the back side of the page.

Ultra-fine and brush end water-based markers do not bleed through the page. Fine point water-based markers do bleed through in spots.

Gel pens and India ink pens do not bleed through the page. However, gel pens require additional drying time.

Colored pencils work well with the paper. I used wax and oil based pencils equally well for good pigment, layering and blending. Hard lead pencils did not dent through this paper.

Johanna Basford 2017 Coloring Day-to-Day Calendar

By: Johanna Basford

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my first daily calendar set by Johanna Basford. The designs in the set are excerpted from Secret Garden Enchanted Forest and Lost Ocean. The pictures are generally cropped from the full design and have either been enlarged or made slightly smaller to fit the design area on the daily calendar page.

The designs are really fantastic given the daily concept of the calendar. Usually, with this type of calendar, designs are small and somewhat simple. These designs are really beautiful and detailed but for the most part, are not small and difficult to color. There are a couple of designs that borderline that area but for the most part, some designs have been enlarged from what they were in their respective books and are actually easier to color (though, of course, it is only a portion of the original design.)

I plan to work a few pages ahead of the calendar so I can enjoy the current day in its fully colored glory. It’s a fun way to revisit some of my old favorites but still feel like I’m having a new coloring experience. I look forward to this style of calendar again in the future from Ms. Basford.

The pages are a full 5 x 7 inches as is the beautiful keepsake box that the calendar sits in. The box is decorated in black and white with gold foil touches. The inside of the box is white print on black background and there is a black attached ribbon which can be used as a bookmark in the pages.

The design portion of the page is slightly taller than four and one half inches by four and three eighths inches wide. The rest of the page is the calendar portion. The pages are loose leaf in the box. Monday through Friday each have their own page and Saturday and Sunday share a page. There are also four color testing pages included in this box as well.

The paper is fairly thin, white and lightly smooth. The designs are printed on one side and the reverse is blank. I tested my various coloring mediums and this is what I found:

Alcohol-based markers bleed through the paper

Water-based markers can leave a slight shadow on the back of the page

India ink pens spot through the paper

Gel pens do not bleed through or leave shadows

Colored pencils work well with the paper. While it feels smooth to the touch, I found that there was still enough tooth to the paper to get good pigment coverage, especially using multiple layers. I was also able to layer different colors well and to blend easily using a pencil style blender stick. This was true of both oil and wax based pencils.

If you use markers or India ink, I suggest that you place the page you are working on on a blotter page of heavyweight paper. Just be sure not to have another calendar page below your work and you should be fine. Otherwise, you could damage the page(s) below.

The Art of Marjorie Sarnat: Elegant Elephants Adult Coloring book

By: Marjorie Sarnat

Rating: 5 of 5

I own a number of coloring books by Marjorie Sarnat by several different publishers. This makes a difference in the paper used, whether or not colored samples are included and also whether or not the pages are perforated. “Elegant Elephants” is a book published by a new (to me) publisher and, in this case, other than the designs on the front and back cover, there are no colored samples and the pages of the book are not perforated.

The designs are really quite special and there are 34 of them in this book. As with all of Ms. Sarnat’s coloring books, the designs are very detailed but don’t have tiny, intricate details that are hard to color. There are a number of “doodle” style designs as well as designs which feature other types of details added to the hides of the elephants. This makes coloring fun as you can color the creatures in any fashion you can imagine.

This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper:

34 Detailed Elephant Designs by Marjorie Sarnat

Printed on one side of the page

Paper is medium weight, white, slightly rough and non-perforated

Glue Binding

Designs do not merge into the binding area and there is enough room to cut pages out if you choose to do so.

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper. I suggest you use a heavyweight blotter page of card stock or several sheets of paper below your project page if you are using alcohol-based markers. This will keep seeping ink from ruining the pages below.

Water-based markers, gel pens and India ink pens do not bleed through the paper but do leave slight shadows on the back of the page.

Colored pencils work extremely with this paper. I tested both oil and wax based pencils and got good results with color, layers of the same color, layers of different colors, and blending with a pencil style blending stick.

This is a revised review of this coloring book. I purchased my first copy of the book from Amazon. Shortly thereafter, I was informed by the publishing company that they had switched printers and the new paper used was an improvement. They provided me with a copy for test and review purposes.

I agree that the new paper is a vast improvement over my original copy. I have since purchased additional copies of the new book as gifts for families and friends. Apart from the lack of perforated pages, I rate this printing as good as any other coloring books I have purchased by Marjorie Sarnat.

Whimsical Halloween Coloring Book: Witches, Vampires Kitties and More!

By: Molly Harrison

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my second Whimsical coloring book by Molly Harrison. In this series, she highlights little girls with cute round faces and non-existent noses. They have an adorable look to them with their little eyes, broad faces, and fly-away hair. I did notice that a couple of the designs are duplicates of those I have in my other book. I’m not sure about this first book in this series as I don’t own it.

In this particular book, the designs are related to Halloween. There are witches, fairies, mummies, pumpkins, owls, kittens, and so much more. I always have a lot of fun coloring these little dolls and hope that someday Ms. Harrison will do a grayscale coloring book featuring them.

This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and using my coloring medium to test the paper (which is typical of CreateSpace who is the publisher of this book):

32 Cute Halloween Designs featuring little girls

Printed on one side of the page

Paper is thin, white, slightly rough, and non-perforated

Glue Binding

Designs do not merge into the binding area and can easily be cut out if you choose to do so.

Designs have a double framing line around the outside to give the project a more finished appearance and to save time and ink by not having to color the entire background.

Book opens fairly flat for coloring purposes.

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper.

Water-based markers bleed through to a lesser degree with spotting more than a full bleed through

Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page. India ink can bleed through if I use multiple coats or blending of two colors.

Colored pencils work really well with this paper. I can get good color with both wax and oil based pencils. I can layer and blend well using a blending pencil. Hard leads such as Verithins can dent/score through to the back of the page.

I used and recommend the use of a blotter page of card stock or several sheets of paper under your working page to keep seeping ink and dents from ruining the design below.

Autumn Magic Grayscale Coloring Book: Autumn Fairies, Witches, and More!

By: Molly Harrison

Rating: 5 of 5

I have been a fan of Molly Harrison’s regular line drawn coloring books since she released her first one almost a year ago. That first book was based on Halloween style designs. Once Ms. Harrison started releasing grayscale design books, I’ve been hoping for a grayscale book that utilized some of the same Halloween/Autumn styles as my first coloring book did. The wait is over as this is the book I have been hoping and waiting for.

Autumn Magic is a grayscale coloring book which features 30 of Ms. Harrison’s designs. As with her other grayscale design books, the contrast between light and dark areas in the book are spot on. There are many elements designs of adult fairies and witches as well as a few of the younger versions (I hope to see a grayscale book dedicated to her little girls as well in the near future.)

The designs are lovely to color. I am using a mix of alcohol-based markers and colored pencils and find that that works best for me. There simply aren’t enough Halloween based coloring books, especially ones that are as elegant as Ms. Harrison’s, so I am enjoying coloring in this book while waiting for her to release more of the same.

This is what I found while coloring in this book and testing my various coloring medium on the paper:

30 Elegant Autumn/Halloween Fairy/Witch designs in grayscale. All designs are based on Molly Harrison’s original artwork.

Designs are printed on one side of the page

Paper is thin, white, slightly rough (with good tooth), and non-perforated

Glue Bound

Designs do not merge into the binding and there is enough room to easily cut pages out if you choose to do so

Alcohol-based markers bleed through the paper. Water-based markers spot through enough to mar pages below.

Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page. India ink can leak through if you use multiple coats.

Colored pencils work well with the paper. It has good tooth being slightly rough. I can use both oil and wax based pencils with it and get good results in coloring, layering and blending. Hard lead pencils dent through to the back of the page.

I use and suggest the use of heavyweight paper or card stock as a blotter page under the page you are working on. It keeps seeping ink and dents from ruining the pages below.