Monthly Archives: July 2016

Pride and Prejudice: A Coloring Classic

By: Jane Austen

Rating: 5 of 5

I love Jane Austen novels and one of my favorites (as with many others) is Pride and Prejudice. As a young girl, I remember reading it late into the night with a flashlight under the covers. While I missed many of the nuances of the story at that time, the romance itself was enthralling enough for me to read it over and over again. Later in life, I used this novel for several papers in various English classes. So, I guess you can say I am a big fan of the story.

Sometimes that can and have made me very critical of takes on this novel. While I admit I am disappointed that there are not more designs which include Elizabeth and Darcy or other of the characters, I think the designs are quite lovely and will be lots of fun to color. Some of my favorite excerpts are included, including It is universally acknowledged… so the story is fun to read as I color. Just coloring my first choice of designs in the book made me reach for my Kindle to read the story in full once again.

The cover is in black print on white (with elements you can color) with gold foil highlights on the front. Both covers fold out and there are some elements on the flaps that can be colored but the inside of the covers are really just pretty patterns with nothing to color except background.

As I noted, there are lovely designs of gloves, flowers, and whatnot. The book is a little light on characters. The designs are intricate and detailed in spots but should not pose any particular issues in coloring apart from the fact the book is printed on both sides of the page.

This is what I found while coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium of the paper.

78 Storybook designs pages (including three pages of the language of flowers lovely little addition to the book.)

Designs are printed on both sides of the page

Paper is heavyweight, white, slightly smooth, and non-perforated.

Sewn Binding which makes it easy to remove several pages at a time by snipping a few threads. This method makes sure you don’t lose portions of the design if you want to remove pages.

Designs merge into the binding area.

Some designs spread across two pages with essential elements merging into the binding area.

My copy of the book lined up very well on the two page designs.

I could get the book to lay fairly flat by breaking (or creasing) the spine.

Alcohol-based markers bleed through slightly on this paper.

Water based markers (except for brush end Tombows) left the slightest indistinct shadow on the back of the page. Tombow did not leave a shadow.

Gel pens and India ink pens did not bleed through this paper.

Colored pencils did well with this paper. I was able to color with light or heavy pigment, layer and blend using both my various wax and oil based pencils. I use a pencil style stick blender for my tests. Hard lead pencils did well and did not dent/score through to the back of the page.

Romeo and Juliet: A Coloring Classic

By: William Shakespeare

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a very well made coloring book which illustrates Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. The line drawings are very well done and very pretty. I do wish there might have been a few more designs of the actual characters in the play rather than props, etc. Apart from that little nit, I am happy with the book in other ways.

The cover is in black print on white (with elements you can color) with orange foil highlights on the front. Both covers fold out with pretty patterns that you can color if you choose to do so.

The story is excerpted with many of the most memorable lines included. There is quite a focus on the end where Romeo and Juliet both die, so it is not a sugar-coated version. It stays true to the actual play.

The coloring book has been published by the Doubleday’s Books for Young Readers but it is not a child’s book. The drawings are intricate and detailed enough for any adult to enjoy.

This is what I found while coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium of the paper.

78 Storybook designs pages (including several of The Apothecarys Shelf of herbs and spices)

Designs are printed on both sides of the page

Paper is heavyweight, white, slightly smooth, and non-perforated.

Sewn Binding so you can remove several pages at a time with loss of any of the design elements by snipping a few threads.

Designs merge into the binding area.

A good number of designs spread across two pages with essential elements merging into the binding area.

My copy of the book did not line up extremely well so that the two-page designs were off by a fraction of an inch.

Book can be forced fairly flat by breaking/creasing the spine

Alcohol-based markers bleed through slightly on this paper.

Water based markers (except for brush end Tombows) left the slightest indistinct shadow on the back of the page. Tombow did not leave a shadow.

Gel pens and India ink pens did not bleed through this paper.

Colored pencils did well. Using oil and wax based pencils in various brands, I was able to color with light or heavy pigment, layer and blend. I use a pencil style stick blender for my tests. Hard lead pencils did well and did not dent/score through to the back of the page.

Chalk-Style Expressions Coloring Book: Color With All Types of Markers, Gel Pens & Colored Pencils

By: Valerie McKeehan

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my first coloring book by Valerie McKeehan though I have a couple of other chalk-style coloring books by other artists. I was surprised at how life-like these designs were until I read how Ms. McKeehan creates her designs which is process which includes actually creating the design on a slate with chalk. I find the process interesting and the results (the designs in the book) fun to color and visually very chalk like in nature, with the imperfect sketchiness one associates with the style.

Many of the designs include inspirational expressions while others just have a happy saying or thought. In all cases, the words stand front and center with the designs grouped around them.

The designs are printed on the right side of the page. On the back of the page are quotes about life and living it to its highest potential by a variety of sources. There are also journal lines. I’ve seen these before in books by this publisher but the first time I have seen them in color are in this style of chalk-style book with black backgrounds.

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

32 Expression Words Deigns with designs in white on black background

Designs printed on one side of the page

Paper is medium weight, slightly rough, black printed on white paper and is perforated for easy removal. The paper is noted as archival-grade and acid free for 200 years.

Designs stop well before the perforations

Alcohol and water-based markers bleed through the page

Gel pens and India ink pens can spot through to the back of the page

Colored pencils work well with the paper. Both oil and wax based pencils provide good color, layer, and blend well. Hard lead pencils can dent through the page.

I use a piece of card stock as a blotter under my working page. It keeps ink and dents from marring the rest of the book. You can also simply remove the page from the book before coloring to keep the rest of the book safe.

Lacy Sunshine’s OZ Coloring Book Volume 15: Adult and Childrens Coloring Book (Lacy Sunshine’s Coloring Books)

By: Heather Valentin

Rating: 4 of 5

I own a couple of coloring books in the Lacy Sunshine series by Heather Valentin. They are all quite cute and feature large-eyed youngsters in cute clothing. In this coloring book, the characters take on the guise of the characters in the Wizard of Oz.

I found it quite fun to color these (using alcohol-based markers and colored pencils). They are fairly quick to finish compared to other more detailed projects, so they are perfect for when you want to finish a design in an afternoon or day.

The print quality of this particular coloring book seems a little inferior to the other books I have in this series. I was able to color but it makes the finished product a little less satisfactory for me. The print seems lighter and somewhat disconnected, hence a four star rating instead of five. The artwork is as good as ever but perhaps the quality control on the print should have been addressed.

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

32 Wizard of Oz style designs featuring characters from Lacy Sunshine series

Printed on one side of the page

Paper is typical for those published by CreateSpace: thin, white, slightly rough and non-perforated.

Glue bound, so you will have to cut pages out if you want to remove them from the book

Designs do not merge into the binding area

Book opens flat fairly easily for coloring

Alcohol and water-based markers bleed through this paper to varying degrees

Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page. India ink can bleed through if you layer it or use it heavily.

Colored pencils work well with this paper. Wax and oil-based pencils provide good pigment and I can layer and blend well with both. Hard lead pencils (like Verithins) can leave dents on the back of the page.

Because of the bleed through and dents, I always use card stock as a blotter to keep ink and hard lead pencils from marring through the page to the designs below.

Chalk-Style Garden Coloring Book: Color With All Types of Markers, Gel Pens & Colored Pencils

By: Deb Strain

Rating: 5 of 5

I’ve recently started coloring more of these black background chalk style designs. With these, the pages are white and the back background the and designs are printed in a matte black. The designs are detailed but are not too intricate. This is nice as you can use all of your standard markers, colored pencils, and gel pens with these designs.

The subject is the garden and there are lots of flowers, plants, flower pots, and more. I love to garden and I enjoy coloring flowers with different colors, including some that simply don’t appear in nature. My garden is blooming right now and it’s a perfect time for me to bring the outside in. I also like to color flowers and gardens during the winter months when there is so little color in my yard. It helps make the drab days a little less dreary.

There are 32 designs in this coloring book. I’m really impressed by it as it is my first coloring book by Deb Strain though it will certainly not be the last one. The designs are printed on the right side of the page. On the back of the page are quotes about gardens, growing, etc. by a variety of sources. There are also journaling lines. I am used to these elements in a book published by Design Originals but what is fun and different for me is that there are some very pretty colored design elements surrounding the quotes. One of the quotes, by Alice Sebold, sums up how I feel when I am gardening or coloring: I like gardening its a place where I find myself when I need to lose myself.

Charley Harper: 50 Drawings, Coloring Book

By: Charley Harper

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a wonderful hardback coloring book filled with 50 pages of designs of artwork by Charley Harper. I first saw Mr. Harper’s work re-created in cross stitch a number of years ago. I had such fun with those projects, that I looked into his work generally and discovered a mid-century modernist whose work was both beautiful and whimsical at the same time. Since then, I’ve enjoyed his work in prints, calendars, and more. It’s become tradition in my house for me to have a Charley Harper calendar hung in my pantry each year. I’ve also enjoyed the work of his wife, Edie Harper as well.

The late Mr. Harper’s work in this coloring book revolves around animals which are created with his attention to clean lines. While I have used to seeing his work with individual animals, I was surprised to find detailed and intricate studies of entire ecosystems in these designs. It creates a really nice mix for me to color with some designs being easier to color and others taking considerably more thought and time.

In creating these designs, the artists at the publishing company hand traced the outlines of Mr. Harper’s artwork. The designs in the book are thus is an exact duplication of the original artwork. Included in the book are also numbered color thumbnails of the original art printed on high gloss pages. Also included is a table of contents which provides the names for each of the designs. I may decide to follow Mr. Harper’s lead or I may choose to put my own spin on some of his designs. There are so many to choose from, I can easily do both.

This is what I discovered while coloring in this book and using my coloring medium to test the pages:

50 Designs based on the exact artwork of Charley Harper plus title page, intro page and Contents page have areas you can color as well.

Printed on one side of the page

Paper is heavyweight, white, slightly smooth, and non-perforate

Sewn Binding with a thin glossy hard back cover

Includes color thumbnails of the original artwork

The designs include framing lines around the outer edge

There is enough room to remove a page if you wish to do so. I won’t but, instead, will use the book as a coffee table book both while I am coloring it and when it is finished.

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.

Chalk It Up To Grace: A Chalkboard Coloring Book of Removable Wall Art Prints, Perfect With Colored Pencils and Markers

By: Paige Tate Select

Rating: 5 of 5

Chalk It Up To Grace is the latest premium edition Christian coloring book by Paige Tate & Co. While I have a number of the earlier books, this is the first coloring book I have by artist Shannon Roberts. Ms. Roberts style is both elegant and fun at the same time. She provides an insight into her spiritual inspiration as a Christian in her biography at the back of the book. It’s always wonderful to hear about what God has been doing in the lives of other believers. The designs in this book are a mixture of inspirational Scripture and Christian sayings along with lovely designs that surround the words and bring attention to them.

The book has 30 full page designs and an additional 14 designs which are printed two to a page. The smaller designs are scaled down versions of some of the full page designs. The pages are mostly black with the coloring elements in white. The way the pages are printed is black ink on white paper. While the pages are perforated, you will still have to cut the smaller designs along the cutting lines provided if you wish to remove them from the book. The larger prints will fit into an 8 x 10 inch frame and the smaller ones will fit well in a 5 x 7 frame.

This book, as with the other premium edition books, is printed on a heavyweight paper that is much more substantial than the paper used in this publishers regular coloring books. The book is approximately 10 x 8.5 inches with a beautiful black cover with gold foil accents and pretty partially colored illustrations (and yes, the cover art is the very first page in the book and serves double purpose as a title page and a coloring designs.)

Chalk-style coloring is a fun new way of coloring designs. The black background makes the colors you use pop, especially if you use light or fluorescent colors in your work. Some dark colors can end up a little too dark, so you may want to check your colors to see how they work on black before committing to them. I am using a variety of mediums for each design including alcohol and water-based markers, gel pens, and colored pencils.

This is the overview of what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing my various coloring mediums on the page:

30 Large Format and 14 Small Format Scripture/Saying Based Designs in for a total of 44 coloring opportunities

Printed on one side of perforated, black background, slightly rough heavyweight paper

Designs do not merge past the perforations

Glue Binding

Book can open to fairly flat position though I removed my pages from the book for coloring

Alcohol-based markers bleed through the paper

Water-based markers left shadows of color on the back of the page

Gel pens and India ink pens left indistinct shadows on the back of the page.

Coloring pencils work well with the paper. I tested a variety of both wax and oil based pencils and had good results with all of them for color, layering, and blending. I use a pencil style blending stick with for my tests. My hard lead pencils provided good color and did not dent the back of the page.

Leafy Animals: Midnight Edition: A Beautiful Adult Coloring Book with 55 Intricate Animals to Color on Black Paper

By: James Alexander

Rating: 5 of 5

This is the first coloring book that I have purchased that has solid black pages. I have a number of midnight or chalkstyle books but they are all black ink printed on white paper. With Leafy Animals, the page is a deep black, both front and back, with white ink making up the designs. This process makes the black very true and seems to make the colored design pop even more. I’m using light colors and fluorescent tones to make my projects stand out from the black base. The paper is still the thin, slightly rough paper one can expect from CreateSpace published books.

There are 55 different animal designs of all sorts. The animals are presented in full body with leaves either adorning them or making up the body of the animal. Included are mammals, fish and sea creatures, insects, reptiles, and birds. The designs are simple in the sense that it is just the creature on black background with no extra design. The designs, while detailed, are not overly intricate.

The book is published by CreateSpace and purports to be the first coloring book printed on black paper. I would think that the paper style would become an option for other CreateSpace independent artists and we will see more of it. That’s great with me as I am enjoying the process of coloring on this style of paper. With the exception of colored pencils, it is very forgiving if you color outside of the lines. Colored pencils can overlay the black and give it a whitish, kind of waxy, look.