Category Archives: Adult Color Books

The Adventures of Rover’s Magical Kingdom 1: Coloring Book for all … (Volume 1)

By: Global Doodle Gems

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my first coloring book by Rover Hsiao. The designs range from fairly simple with wide open areas to color to more detailed and intricate designs. The designs have a very playful look and feel which is in line with the title referring to the author’s magical kingdom.

There are cute little girls, animals, doodle hearts, mandalas and sweet looking young women in these designs. I chose one of a little girl and another of a young woman for my first two projects. I enjoyed coloring them with various coloring pencils.

This is also my first book by the publishing company, Global Doodle Gems, so I wasn’t sure what to expect as far as paper quality, etc. I found the book to be on par with books published through CreateSpace (similar paper quality, printing, etc.) so if you are familiar with that company, you will have an idea of what to expect there.

This is what I experienced while coloring and testing this coloring book:

60 Cute Designs in a variety of styles and subjects

Printed on one side of the page.

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

Glue Bound

Designs stop before the binding area

Book can be forced into a fairly flat position by breaking the spine.

Alcohol and water based markers bleed through this paper.

Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page and India ink pens can spot through if more than one coat of color is applied.

Colored pencils work well with this paper. I found that both oil and wax based pencils put down good color. I use multiple light coats to build up to a deeper pigment. I could layer and blend well with all pencils except some of the harder lead pencils did not blend as well as the other brands of pencils. Very hard lead pencils, such as Verithins, also had good color but could leave dents that could be seen at the back of the page.

I recommend using a blotter page of card stock or heavy weight paper or several sheets of regular paper to keep ink or dents from marring designs below the page you are working on.

The Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy Coloring Book

By: J. R. R. Tolkien

Rating: 4 of 5

Rather than discuss how this coloring book is like or different from movies (or the books), I will discuss only how I feel about it as an adult coloring book. I will note that this coloring book is based on the movie trilogy of the Lord of the Rings. The characters look like those actors or characters rather than any illustrations in this books.

The designs in this book have two distinct styles. This makes sense as the credits for them are both to an individual (Nicolette Caven) as well as a company. They are different but mesh fairly well together. The designs with the wording are generally fairly simple to color while the more elaborate two-page spreads are quite involved, detailed and have intricate and small spots to color.

Doctor Who: Travels in Time Colouring Book

By: BBC

Rating: 5 of 5

Sweet & Simple Whimsy Girls: Mermaids and More to Color

By: Hannah Lynn

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my second full size coloring book by Hannah Lynn. I somehow missed her smaller pocket size book but plan to pick that up in the near future.

The designs in this book are as cute as those I have been enjoying in her first book. The girls all have big eyes and lush hair. I find the designs to be somewhat detailed but not with intricate or small spots to color. At the front of the book, the artist has included thumbnails of each of designs. I appreciate this table of contents as it helps me find my designs and make my coloring decisions. She has also included a few tips and hints as to ways to color with the book.

There are fantasy girls such as fairies and mermaids and there are also some fun themed designs which include Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz. I have been having so much fun coloring these designs. I have been using alcohol-based markers or various brands of colored pencils and, in some cases, a combination of both markers and pencils to color my first projects.

This is what I found in coloring and testing this coloring book:

50 Cute Fantasy and Theme Big Eye Girls

Printed on one side of the page

Paper is typical CreateSpace, thin, white, slightly rough and non-perforated.

Glue Binding

Designs do not merge into the binding area

All designs have framing lines around the outer edge which provides a good stopping point and finishes off all elements. I find this makes it easier for me to color and have a more finished looking project.

Alcohol and water based markers bleed through this paper to some degree. Alcohol-based bleed through rapidly while water-based are more spotty on the back of the page.

Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page. If I have to apply a lot of color, sometimes the ink can spot through on the page.

Coloring pencils work well: both wax and oil-based pencils lay down color (both with a soft and a firm hand), layer, and blend well; hard lead (like Verithins) dent the back of the page.

Because of the seeping ink and potential for dents, I used and recommend using a blotter page behind the page you are working on. The artist also recommends this. While she suggests 4-5 pages of regular paper, I have found that a page of thick card stock also works well.

Mermaids Grayscale Coloring Edition (Fantasy Coloring by Selina) (Volume 7)

By: Selina Fenech

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my second grayscale coloring book by Selina Fenech. While I loved the artwork in both books, this book is a vast improvement in how it is printed compared to the copy of her first book that I purchased. In that book, the skin tones were too dark and rather muddy. Because of how clear and good the contrast is in this book, I am left wondering if I received a bad printing with the first one.

I really like this book. I love the artwork as I do with Ms. Fenech’s line drawn coloring books as well. This book appears to have been taken, at least in part, from the first mermaids line coloring book Ms. Fenech published. I don’t own that book so I can’t verify that for sure.

This book has many mermaids both close ups of one and group designs of multiple mermaids. There are a couple of designs that mimic Art Nouveau poster art and which match the lovely fairies that I colored in the first grayscale coloring book by this artist.

I’m looking forward to coloring these pictures and having fun with the colorways because the book contains two of each of the twenty-five designs. If I really mess something up, I have another one to try. If I have problems deciding on a colorway, I have two designs that I can try two different ways. For my first projects, I used alcohol markers with an overlay of colored pencils. It worked well but as I am new to all of this, the results are not all that great but I sure enjoyed the time I spent coloring these pretty pictures.

25 x 2 each Grayscale Designs from Selina Fenech’s actual artwork

Printed on one side of CreateSpace typical white, thin non-perforated paper

Glue Bound

Designs do not merge into the binding area. There is a framing line around the outside of each design so you can cut the page out without any design loss.

Alcohol and water-based markers bleed through this paper (I suggest you use a blotter page below the page you are working on if you use these.)

Gel pens and India ink pens leave color shadows on the back of the page.

Coloring pencils work well with this paper. You can put down light to heavy color, it blends and layers well. Hard lead pencils leave dents on the back of the page.

Adult Coloring Book with Color by Number or Not – Mandalas Vol. 1 (Volume 2)

By: C. R. Gilbert

Rating: 5 of 5

This my second book in this series of coloring books which are designed to teach you to color. The concept of the book is quite different. As with my first book in this series, there are two versions of each of the 20 designs. The first is a regular line drawing and the second has color numbers placed in each of the segments of the design. These two pages are followed by an additional page which provides the key to the color by number page as well as two additional spots where you can use your own colors to replace the colors for each number. On this page, you are provided two segments of the design in which you can test out your color choices.

While I generally do not do color-by-number books, I really like the way this book is put together. As I don’t like to have numbers showing through, I can follow the key for colors but do it on the version of the design that doesn’t have the numbers printed. For those who can cover those numbers or for those who simply don’t mind, the pre-numbered designs work well, too.

There are 20 different mandala designs in this book. They range from fairly simple to very detailed. For my first two projects, I chose a a designs that had fewer intricate spots but involved many round shapes. I used different coloring medium for each (pencils on the free-style version and water-based markers on the pre-numbered one.) I did my version of the design first so I would not be influenced by the color by number design and used a wide variety of colors. I then colored the same designs using the pre-printed number page and following the color key which essentially used three shades of blue.

This is what I found in coloring, testing and looking through this coloring book:

20 Designs printed in two formats along with 20 test pages as well for a total of 40 coloring opportunities
Printed on one side of the page
Paper is thin, white, slightly rough, non-perforated paper typical of CreateSpace published books
Book is Glue Bound
Designs do not merge into the binding area
Coloring book can open fairly flat for coloring purposes
Alcohol and water-based markers bleed through this paper.
Gel pens and India ink can spot through or leave shadows of color depending on how much I put on the page.
Coloring pencils work well: wax and oil based soft lead lay down color (both with a soft and a firm hand), layer, and blend well; hard lead (like Verithins) dent the back of the page but lay down good color

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

Fabulous Women: A Colouring Book for Adults: Lovely Ladies at Work and Leisure

By: Christine Vencato

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a coloring book which depicts women of various time periods size, shape and age. I really appreciate that the scenes are those that I might expect from everyday life. I love the title Fabulous Women and that it applies to all women who do what they do every single day.

The designs are all very nicely drawn and are easy to color. What I notice first about them is how the eyes of the subjects grab your attention and draw you into the design. It is almost like looking into the soul of the woman and seeing what she is doing from her eyes as well as from your own.

For my first project in this book, I used a variety of colored pencils that I have been considering. I purchased a couple from various brands and was pleased with how they worked. That put all of them on my to-be-purchased list over time. I find that my coloring pencils work fairly well with CreateSpace paper.

This is what I discovered in testing and coloring in this book:

24 Designs of Women in everyday events (for their time period)
Printed on one side of the page.
Paper is typical of CreateSpace. It is thin, white, slightly rough, and non-perforated.
Glue Bound
Designs do not merge into the binding area and have a framing line around the outer edge to finish all elements for ease of coloring.
Can be opened to a fairly flat position for coloring
I recommend a blotter page be used under your working page for all types of coloring medium to save the rest of the book from seeping ink or dents.
Alcohol and water-based markers seep through this paper to varying degrees.
Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page and can spot through if they are used heavily for deeper coverage.
Coloring pencils work well with this paper. Both oil and wax based pencils put down good color, layered well both with the same and different colors and blended easily. Hard lead pencils leave dents on the back of the page.

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

Adult Coloring Book Vintage Series: The Masters of Fashion Illustration

By: Wendy Piersall

Rating: 5 of 5

This is an absolutely beautiful fashion coloring book. The artist pays homage to five artists from the Art Deco and Art Nouveau periods: Helen Dryden, Erte, George Wolfe Plank, Frank Leyendecker, and George Barbier. The designs in the book are hand-drawn from the original works and have been beautifully rendered for coloring.

I own a number of fashion coloring books and I must say that this one is one of my favorites both for style of the design as well as for the care with which they have been drawn. The designs all have a framing line around the edge to give you a definite end to the design. I always find that gives me a more finished and polished look to my project.

This is my second coloring book by Wendy Piersall. While the subject matter is wildly different, what is not different is the extremely high caliber of the artwork. I just can’t say enough about how much I enjoy this artist’s work. What I can say is that my sincere hope is that Ms. Piersall will make this merely a volume 1 in her fashion design coloring books. I hope to see more in fashion from her in the future.

I was so pleased that the artist included test pages at the front of the book as I usually end up with a discard page when I test my various mediums on designs themselves. I love each of the designs in this book and didn’t want to lose even one of them. The designs are detailed and in some cases have intricate and small areas to color.

This is what I found what I found while coloring in and testing this book:

30 Beautifully hand-drawn fashion designs from the Art Deco and Art Nouveau periods

Printed on one side of the page

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

Designs do not merge into the binding area

Glue bound

Plenty of room to cut pages out if you wish to remove them

Book easily opens to fairly flat position for coloring

Alcohol-based markers bleed through the page. I recommend using a blotter page below your working page with this medium to keep ink from seeping through and ruining the page below.

Water-based markers, India ink pens, and gel pens leave shadows of color on the back side of the page

Coloring pencils work extremely well with this paper. I was able to lay down color lightly as well as firmly. I was able to layer and to blend very easily with both wax and oil based pencils. Hard lead pencils did not dent the back of the page.

Mythical Mermaids – Fantasy Adult Coloring Book (Fantasy Coloring by Selina) (Volume 8)

By: Selina Fenech

Rating: 5 of 5

Mythical Mermaids the latest fantasy coloring book by Selina Fenech. She is one of my favorite fantasy designers and this is my first book by her that is devoted to mermaids (though she does have an earlier coloring book with a similar subject.) The designs are of primarily mermaids though there are some mermen and a man or two who has been saved from a watery grave by a beautiful mermaid. Some of the designs include more than one mermaid but most of them focus on a single beautiful female.

Once again with Ms. Fenech’s books, I’m really happy that the book contains two of each design because it gives me the opportunity to explore each in different colorways. I generally go towards light and clean looking lines in my coloring but having a second copy of each design gives me an opportunity to try different techniques and darker colors and heavier shading.

The mermaids are all gorgeous, of course. There is a hint of nudity but all of the female parts are well covered by hair and whatnot. The mermen are without shirts but that doesn’t really matter in any case. There are no children in this book and most of the poses are highly romanticized while stressing the female form of the subject.

For my first two projects, I chose to use alcohol-based markers. I have been using pencils to shade but for these two, I tried using my markers for shading as well.

I will provide a more detailed description of the physical book below but here is a quick overview of what I found:

25 x 2 Mermaid Fantasy Designs

Printed on one side of page

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

Designs do not merge into the binding and there is plenty of room to remove pages if you wish to do so.

Glue Binding

Alcohol and water-based markers bleed through the paper (though water-based is more spotty compared to alcohol-based)

India ink pens and gel pens leave shadows on color on back of the page. Gel pens left dents on the back of the page.

Coloring Pencils work well with this paper. I was able to put down good color, layer, and blend well with both wax and oil based pencils. Hard lead left dents on the back of the page.

I recommend a blotter page below your working page to keep ink and dents from marring the page below.

The artist has placed a frame around the majority of the designs in this coloring book. There are three that do not have the lines but for the most part have finished elements on the outer edges of the design. I really appreciate when an artist includes this thoughtful touch. It makes it easier for me to complete the project with a finished look and saves me time, trouble, and especially ink.

Posh Adult Coloring Book: Cats & Kittens for Comfort & Creativity

By: Flora Chang

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my second coloring book by Flora Chang. The first one was a variety of modern folk art while this book is single subject, cats and kittens in the same wonderful folk art style. This is one of my favorite styles in coloring books. They are fun and easy to color. Some of the designs have a lot of detail but for the most part, they are more open and don’t require any special coloring medium in order to color them.

I’ve been having a fun coloring these designs. As I like to use markers, I’ve already ordered a second book because, unfortunately, my alcohol-based markers always bleed through on not only this paper but 99% of the adult coloring books that are made. It’s a problem with this book because the designs are printed on both sides of the page and using my markers means I ruin the design on the backside of the page.

This is what I found in coloring and testing coloring medium in this book:

126 pages of hand-drawn Cat and Kitten folk art designs
Designs are printed on both sides of the page
Paper is medium weight, white, somewhat smooth, and non-perforated.
Most designs do not merge into the binding area; however,
Some designs spread across two pages and merge into the binding area
Glue bound
Slightly smaller than average format size with rounded corners
Opens fairly flat if you crease the spine
Alcohol-based markers bleed through the page.
Water-based markers had mixed results. My Tombow’s did not leak through when I used the brush end. My other water-based markers did not bleed through completely but you could definitely see a shadow of the color on the backside of the page.
Gel pens and India ink pens did not leak through the page.
None of my gel pens leaked through and they did not require additional drying time.
Coloring pencils worked well and put down good color, layered and blended fairly well. Hard lead pencils did not leave dents on the back of the page.