Monthly Archives: September 2016

Beautiful Days (A Pressure Releasing Coloring Book Making Life Blossom) (Chinese Edition)

By: Pu Yingmei

Rating: 5 of 5

Beautiful Days is the Chinese edition of a coloring book by Pu Yingmei. The wording within the designs are all in English; however, the covers are in Chinese. The information page states that the original version of the book was in published in South Korea in 2015 while the Chinese version was published in 2016.

The designs cover a wide range of popular subjects including animals, sewing, dolls, typewriters, paints, and even a type of hippie VW style van. There are many designs with lots of flowers and doodle art to allow the colorist the ability to re-image the designs with a wide ranging color palette.

The binding on this coloring book is sewn but it is different from what I have seen in US and UK sewn books. The stitching is in red and there is no binding cover on the edge you can see the folded edge of the paper and the stitching. Surprisingly, this works really well for getting the book to lay flat for coloring. No matter what page I turned to in the book, the book easily fell into a flat position.

The paper in this book is a cream tone and is heavyweight with a slight roughness to the paper. That provides a good tooth for gripping colored pencil pigment. I was able to test both oil and wax based pencils with good results. The pigment went on well with multiple layers of the same color, with layers of multiple colors and I was able to easily blend both types of pencils with a blending stick.

The designs are printed on both sides of the page, so I tested my other coloring medium and found that only alcohol-based markers bled through the page. I had no bleed through or shadows on the back of the page from water-based markers, India ink pens or gel pens.

Creative Haven Summer Scenes Coloring Book (Adult Coloring)

By: Teresa Goodridge

Rating: 4 of 5

This is my second coloring book by Teresa Goodridge. It shares some of the same issues that I had with the first book, which are 1) the designs are very sketchy and seem sized down from the original artwork and 2) the sample colored images in the book (front and back page both inside and out) are of the actual painted artwork on which the designs are based rather than a colored sample based on the line drawings in the book. Even though it has similar issues, I find that I like these designs better and the faces of the people in the book (with the exception of those on the Ferris wheel designs) can be colored with at least a flesh tone marker or pencil.

I can work with the smaller less finished drawings but I think it is a little disingenuous to show the paintings and allow customers to think that their finished projects can look anything like those. It seems like someone made a line drawing version based on the original work. Details are changed somewhat and sizing becomes an issue. The line drawings have a cartoon feel to them rather than the elegant look of the original art.

The designs are evocative of summer with beach, cabin, dock and other scenes which bring to mind summertime activities. There are lots of flowers and insects that make me think of gardening during the warmer months.

For my first project, I chose to do a wooded cabin in the woods. It reminded me of summer vacations that my family has had in the past. I was able to use alcohol-based markers for the first coat of color and then details with my colored pencils. I’ll post a photo of my first project as well as samples from the book.

This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper. I will list, in the comments section below, the coloring medium I use for testing and for most of my coloring projects.

31 Summertime designs with a cartoon style quality compared to colored samples in the book.

Designs are printed one side of the page

Paper is white, medium weight, slightly smooth and has perforated pages.

Glue Binding

The designs stop well before the perforations and have a framing line at the outer edges

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper

Water-based markers bleed through in spots

Gel pens and India ink pens leave shadows of color on the back of the page. India ink can spot through on the paper if I apply multiple layers

Colored pencils work well with this paper. I was able to get good color and to get deeper pigment by layering the same color. I found that I could layer multiple colors and blend easily using a pencil style blending stick. This was the case with both oil and wax-based pencils. Hard lead pencils leave dents on the back of the page.

I prefer to use a blotter page under my working page to keep ink from seeping through or dents from marring the pages below. You can also remove pages from the book to color. I like card stock for my blotter page but a couple of sheets of heavyweight paper work as well.

The Coloring Book of Cards and Envelopes: Christmas

By: Nosy Crow

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a really adorable set of color it and make your own Christmas cards. The designs are extremely cute with areas to color or write in on all sides of the note cards. I would have been happy with just the cards but the set of 24 also comes with fold it yourself coordinating envelopes and stickers to seal them with. The designs are detailed and some have a few intricate areas to color. I don’t find them difficult to color but they may present issues for someone with vision or fine motor skill issues.

The envelopes have areas to color and decorate as well and the inside of the envelope is done is a all-over holiday theme design. The designs of the cards are really cute with all sorts of Christmas theme items, including Santa, deer, birds, bears, Christmas trees, and some adorable penguins. This is my first set of note cards by this company but it certainly will not be the last one.

The cards are printed on a medium weight card stock while the envelopes are printed on a heavy weight paper. All of the pages are perforated for easy removal from the book, however, you still need to cut (using scissors or paper cutter) certain parts of the page.

Each page of cards has two on it with a cutting line to separate them. The book also recommends that you trim the perforated side of the cards and the envelopes as it is slightly rough once it is removed from the book.

The fold lines are lightly scored on both the cards and the envelopes. There are written instructions on the method of folding the envelopes as well as stickers at the back of the book that can be used to help seal the envelopes. I don’t know how well these envelopes will hold up in the mail but my intent is to use them as gift cards which will not be mailed. If you are going to mail them, be aware that they are an unusual size and will probably require additional postage.

My alcohol-based markers bled through both types of paper.

My water-based markers were mixed. None of them bled through the note card paper but all but Tombow brush end markers bled through the envelopes.

Gel pens and India ink pens did not bleed through or leave marks on the back of either types of paper. I really liked the way that my India ink pens worked with and looked like with these cards.

Colored pencils work well with the slight rough texture. I got could color with both oil and wax based pencils. I was also able to layer and blend well using a blender stick.

The World of the Hunger Games: The Official Coloring Book

By: Scholastic

Rating: 2 of 5

I’ll include a silent video flip-through so you can decide if this book meets your expectations (as it did not meet mine.)

When I pre-ordered this book, there wasn’t a product description but a coloring book which was the official one and based on all four movies should include a good number of designs of the characters stand-alone and in iconic scenes as well, right? Apparently, not this one. There are a couple of scenes shown but two are from behind and one has Katniss strategically covering her face as she pulls back her arrow.

There are a few character designs at the end of the book but not what you would expect based on other movie/book coloring books out there. These few designs seem to be more focused on the fashion rather than the character.

While the designs in the book are well drawn, most are architectural in nature. If you are going to show me Katniss’ living quarters, then show me her in those quarters. Ditto with the rest of the areas shown.

I expected to see scenes from the movies and instead received what look like designs of empty sets, quite a few of symbols and district shields and also a number of wallpaper style designs of repeating patterns. Had I been able to see a Look Inside of this book at any point, I would not have ordered it.

While I won’t be testing the paper with my coloring medium because I fully intend to send this book back, I can tell you what I have seen about the paper.

94 pages of designs mostly based on sets and symbols and very few including any characters.

Printed on both sides of the page

Paper is medium weight, ivory, smooth and non-perforated

Glue binding

Designs merge into the binding area

Most designs spread across two pages

Little Witches and Wild Things: A Magical Adult Coloring Book to Celebrate Halloween

By: Kristi Elgaaen

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a beautifully drawn coloring book with Halloween, witch and animals design pages. The book includes 41 designs (including the presentation page and the introduction page.) A number of the main elements of the designs are repeated with different and/or varying amounts of detail in the background. Some of them are cropped and close up details of a larger design. The lines are very light in color compared to most other coloring books so that they recede in the finished, colored project.

The designs are highly detailed and contain many intricate and small details for coloring. Even the designs with less detail are still a good challenge for coloring. The designs of the little girl witches are very sweet. The cover of the book is not indicative of the designs in it.

I’ll confess to being a tad confused as the artist has two other books of the same title available at this point. One is particularly for left-handed colorists, so I understand that one. The other book, which was published ten days earlier than this one, is the book that puzzles me. It appears that this book has more designs in it but that the other one has fewer designs but has two copies of each one. From what I can see, there are designs common in each of the same titled books.

Other than the confusion over the books with the same name, I think this is a fantastic coloring book for someone looking for a bit of a challenge with detail and who likes to color Halloween inspired designs. I’m really pleased with the book and hope to see more from this artist in the future.

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

41 Halloween-inspired designs, including both the presentation and introduction pages

2 color test pages as well as blank pages at the back to test your various medium

Designs are printed on one side of the page

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

Glue Binding

Designs do not merge into the binding area and most have a framing line at their outer edges

Alcohol-based markers bleed through the page easily

Water-based markers bleed through in spots to the back of the page

Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page. India ink pens can bleed through in spots if you use multiple coats or apply the ink heavily.

Colored pencils worked nicely with this thin but slightly rough paper. I tested both oil and wax based pencils and got good color with multiple layers of the same color, good results from layers of different colors and nice blending results using a blending stick. Hard lead pencils can dent through and damage the page below.

I suggest using a blotter page of card stock or a couple of sheets of heavier weight paper under your working page. It can keep seeping ink and marring dents from ruining the pages below.

Supernatural: The Official Coloring Book

By: Insight Editions

Rating: 4.5 of 5

My husband and I really enjoy watching Supernatural so when I saw this coloring book, I pre-ordered it immediately. The designs in the book are lots of fun and bring back a lot of memories of the previous seasons and some iconic scenes.

Sam and Dean Winchester are the main focus of the coloring book but lots of the other characters (including Castiel and Crowley) are included as well. The drawings are well done and, for the most part, look very realistic. There are a few pages of wallpaper style designs (repeated patterns) but not too many. There are also designs of items that are symbolic to the show.

I wish that a better grade of paper had been used and that less pictures spread across two pages. The two page spreads make it difficult to color into the binding to finish the design. The paper is ivory but is thin enough that, in some cases, the heavy black lines from the design on the back of the page shows through. This could have been solved by a better grade of paper or lighter lines versus heavy black ones. I haved detracted a half star for these issues but as I as can’t do that on Amazon, I rounded it up there and gave the book a 5 star rating instead of a 4.5.

This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium. I will include, in the comments section below, a list of the coloring medium I use for testing and for most of my coloring projects.

78 pages of designs inspired by the Supernatural television series
plus 16 pages of color photo pages. These photo pages are of some of the designs included in the book.

Designs are printed on both sides of the page

Paper is thin, ivory, slightly rough (good tooth for colored pencils) and non-perforated

Glue binding

Designs merge into the binding area

Many designs spread across two pages

The coloring book is difficult to open to a flat position and coloring into the binding area will be difficult as well

Alcohol-based markers bleed through the paper quickly. I don’t recommend these as they bleed through and ruin the design on the back of the page.

Water-based markers can show the slightest of shadows on the back of the page depending on the color used and how heavily you apply it.

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

Colored pencils did the best with this paper. This is the medium I will use to color in the book. I tested oil and wax-based pencils and got good results with both. I was able to get good pigment with light application and deeper pigment with multiple layers. I also was able to layer multiple colors well and blend easily using a blending stick.

Creative Haven Steampunk Mandalas Coloring Book (Adult Coloring)

By: Marty Noble

Rating: 5 of 5

I have both of Marty Noble’s previous Steampunk inspired coloring books. Those are figure and machine drawings versus the mandala format of this new book. I recognized many of the elements from the first two books as incorporated (in smaller form and format) into the mandalas in this book. Because of the circular format, many of the designs represent cogs and clocks which evokes steampunk as well.

The designs are all in circular format and includes gears and clock workings, guns, hot air balloons as well as elements of fashion (such as hats, wrist-lets, feathers, gloves and goggles.)

The designs in this book are detailed and contain intricate and small areas to color. I used my ultra-fine point markers and pens to color the clock mandala as my first project. I’ll post a photo of it as well as samples from the book.

This is what I found while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium. I will list, in the comments section below, the coloring medium I use for testing and for coloring.

31 Steampunk inspired mandalas in circular format

Printed one side of the page

Paper is white, medium weight, slightly smooth and has perforated pages.

Glue Binding but you can remove pages at the perforation easily

The designs stop well before the perforations

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper

Water-based markers bleed through in spots and leave colorful shadows on the back of the page

Gel pens and India ink pens leave shadows of color on the back of the page. India ink pens can bleed through if you apply heavily or with with multiple layers.

Coloring pencils work well with this paper. I was able to use both wax and oil based pencils equally well. They lay down good color, layer the same color and multiple colors and blend easily using a pencil style blender. Hard lead pencils, like Verithins, leave dents on the back of the page.

I either use a blotter page under my working page or I remove pages from the book to color. I like card stock for my blotter page but a couple of sheets of heavyweight paper works as well.

Creative Haven Animal Whimsy: A WordPlay Coloring Book (Adult Coloring)

By: Jessica Mazurkiewicz

Rating: 4 of 5

This is a coloring book with designs of animals made up of words. I’ve done this type of pattern with cross stitch before but never with coloring. The projects are fun and fairly fast to color. There is plenty of room to add embellishments or blending if you choose to do so. The words describe the animal and take on the shape of the animal as well.

There are lots of animals in these designs, including: elephant, cat, rabbit, horse, wolf and more. I chose to do the design of the rabbit as my first project. I’ve been visited by a number of them over the spring and summer as they sampled my garden vegetables. I’ll post a photo of my first project as well as samples from the book.

This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium. I will list, in the comments section below, the coloring medium I use for testing and for coloring.

31 Animal word play designs

Printed one side of the page

Paper is white, medium weight, slightly smooth and has perforated pages.

Glue Binding but you can remove pages at the perforation easily

The designs stop well before the perforations and have a framing line around the outer edge

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper

Water-based markers bleed through in spots on the back of the page

Gel pens and India ink pens leave shadows of color on the back of the page. India ink pens can bleed through if you apply heavily or with with multiple layers.

Coloring pencils work well with this paper. I was able to get good color, layer the same color and multiple colors and blend easily using a pencil style blender. I tested both oil and wax-based pencils with similar results. Hard lead pencils, like Verithins, leave dents on the back of the page.

I either use a blotter page under my working page or I remove pages from the book to color. I like card stock for my blotter page but a couple of sheets of heavyweight paper works as well.

Creative Haven Art Deco Patterns Coloring Book (Adult Coloring)

By: William Rowe

Rating: 5 of 5

This coloring book contains designs which were first introduced in two Dover books: Original Art Deco Allover Patterns (1989) and Original Art Deco Designs (1973). As I don’t have either of these two previous books, the designs are all new to me. At a guess, the original books were also printed double-side and without perforations so the re-publishing of them in the Creative Haven line makes them much more friendly for those who like to color with a variety of mediums.

The designs are interesting patterns and include shapes that are certainly evocative of the Art Deco period. The designs are made up of straight lines and circles without any sort of swirls which is certainly a trademark look of the clean lines of the art period. I choose to do my first project as a gray and purple scale with colors moving from light to dark in a variety of patterns. I’ll post a photo of my first project as well as samples from the book.

I did not find the designs to be overly detailed or intricate so coloring them was fairly easy. A number of the designs are heavy in black ink but I will simply incorporate that into my color scheme for that page and consider it a saving of black ink.

This is what I saw while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium. I will list, in the comments section below, the coloring medium I use for testing and for coloring.

31 Art Deco inspired Pattern designs

Printed one side of the page

Paper is white, medium weight, slightly smooth and has perforated pages.

Glue Binding

The designs stop well before the perforations and most of the designs have a framing line around the outer edge

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper

Water-based markers bleed through in spots on the back of the page

Gel pens and India ink pens leave shadows of color on the back of the page. India ink pens can bleed through if used in several coats or applied heavily.

Colored pencils work well with this paper. They lay down good color for nice pigment, layering the same color provides deeper color, and I could easily layer multiple colors as well as blend using a pencil style blender. This was true of both oil and wax based pencils. Hard lead pencils leave dents on the back of the page.

I use, and recommend the use of a blotter page when working in the book. You can also remove a page before coloring. Either will keep ink from bleeding through and damaging pages below. I use card stock for my blotter page.