Monthly Archives: June 2017

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.

The Age of Glamour: An Art Deco Coloring Book

By: V&A;

Rating: 5 of 5

This coloring book is produced by the Victoria and Albert (V&A;) Museum. The designs which are included are from art pieces housed at the museum (including the V&A; National Art Library.) On my trips to England, I have stayed in Kensington and was fortunate enough to visit the V&A; and this book reminds me fondly of those trips.

All told, there are 49 pages of line drawing designs to color. The designs are beautiful representations of the original Art Deco artwork, many of which have full page color designs right beside so you can look for inspiration at the originals as you color.
Art Deco is the elegant and forward-thinking style of the 1920s through the 1930s. The design patterns and the clothing was elegant and sleek very different from the elaborate styles of the Victorian period.
In addition to these, there are color thumbnails at the back of the book which give information about the original works including artist, the name of the work, how it was produced and where and where it is at the present.
The designs are detailed line drawings in light greenish gray and are printed with white and cream backgrounds (usually elements of both colors.) A few of the designs have intricate and small areas to color.
The one disappointment I had was that the colored illustrations and line drawings were not consistently placed in the book. If the color illustrations had always been on the left side and the drawings to color on the right, I could have made the choice to sacrifice the illustrations and use alcohol-based markers even though they bled through the paper. As it is, I can do so part of the time but in some instances, the line drawings are back to back on the same piece of paper.
This is what I found in coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper
49 pages of line drawing designs derived from Art Deco period artwork, 35 full color pages of illustrations and color thumbnails at the back of the book.
Printed on both sides of the page
Paper is white, medium/heavy weight, slightly rough and is non-perforated. Back grounds are printed as cream on white with greenish gray line art.
Sewn Binding which is also glued to the cover. You can still snip some threads to remove pages. I won’t do so to keep the integrity of the book together.
Book fairly easy to lay flat in the open position.
While some designs do merge into the binding area, many do not. Many designs have a framing line at the outer edges.
Alcohol based markers bleed through this paper. If you use this medium with this paper, it will likely mar the design/illustration on the back of the page.
Water based markers, India ink pens 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.

Intricate Ink: Animals in Detail Volume 2: A Coloring Book by Tim Jeffs

By: Tim Jeffs

Rating: 5 of 5

While this is a really beautiful hardback coloring book of 25 grayscale designs by Tim Jeffs, I must admit I was a bit disappointed that in Volume 2, there are only 25 designs as compared to the 50 designs in Volume 1. If the cost were half, that might make sense but that is not the case. If you haven’t purchased the first bookIntricate Ink: Animals in Detail Coloring Book, you may want to consider that as it is a wonderful value.

Having said that, I still love the new book. It adds more animals to the beautiful designs I already own. The animals look incredibly life-life. So much so, you might think that they are photographs but they are all done by the artist himself. There is beautiful shading already added (via tones of gray) and coloring is a real joy.
My preferred method of doing grayscale is to use alcohol-based markers as a base coat and then to add shading and details with colored pencils. It works beautifully with this book.
Included in this book are the following animals (in order): Bearded Dragon 2, Swallowtail Butterfly, Jackson’s Chameleon, Parson’s Chameleon, Blue Crab, Mandarin Duck, African Elephant 4, Asian Elephant, Elk, Flamingo, Red Fox, Giraffes, Hummingbird, Jaguar 3, Lionfish 2, Mandarinfish, Moos, Barred Owl, Great Gray Owl, Peacock, Green Tree Python, Rooster, Sea Turtle 2, Tortoise, and Toucan.
This is what I discovered while coloring in this book and using my coloring medium to test the pages:
25 Grayscale Designs based on the artwork of Tim Jeffs
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. 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

Doodles: Adventures in Outer Space – Adult Coloring Book: Find Inner Peace on an Intergalactic Journey

By: Okami Books

Rating: 5 of 5

When I first saw this title of this coloring book, I thought it was a second in a series (as the publisher has another book with a similar title.) It turns out that this book is by another author (Ferdi Jajai) and while the theme is in common the designs are different. For the most part, in these designs, the creatures are an element of their own rather than being used to create another creature or item.

I am a real fan of doodle creatures books. They make me smile while I am coloring them. I can choose to bring out some of the details or to blend them into the overall designs. The designs are very detailed to color and some have intricate and small spots as well.
This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper:
40 Detailed Doodle Creatures designs in outer space
Printed one side of the page
Paper is typical of CreateSpace: white, thin, slightly rough and non-perforated.
Designs do not merge into the binding and there is plenty of room to cut out pages if you choose to do so. The designs have a framing line at the outer edge
Glue Binding
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.
I like to use a blotter when working in the 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.

Majestic Nature – Adult Coloring Book: Dive into the Nature and Relieve Your Stress (Animals, Birds, Meditation)

By: Okami Books

Rating: 5 of 5

The designs in this coloring book are inspired by nature. There are many designs of animals and of flowers, sometimes both in the same design. The lines of each design are flowing and elegant. Some of the animals are presented in a life-like realistic manner and some of them are filled with doodle elements. It provides a nice mix of different design styles in a single book.

The designs are detailed and some of them include small and intricate areas to color. The designs fit well on the page and have finished elements at their outer edges. The one design which might have left unfinished elements has a framing line so that the design can be completed and still look well-finished at the edges.
This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper:
40 Beautiful and Flowing Nature designs featuring animals and flowers
Printed one side of the page
Paper is typical of CreateSpace: white, thin, slightly rough and non-perforated.
Designs do not merge into the binding and there is plenty of room to cut out pages if you choose to do so.
Glue Binding
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.
I like to use a blotter when working in the 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.

Color Your Own Marvel Tsum Tsum

By: David Baldeon

Rating: 5 of 5

I will attach a silent video to this review with 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, the designs are based on a variety of Marvel characters and their Tsum Tsum characters as well. The standard characters are just what you would expect from this high quality series. The Tsum Tsum characters are adorable and are presented within the designs as action characters. One of my favorite designs is of Groot holding Tsum Tsum Rocket up to give Rocket a kiss on the cheek. Fun to color and cute as well.
In addition to the fun design pages, there is a short comic story at the end of the book featuring Spider-Man and Spider-Man Tsum Tsum. It is only six pages long but is definitely a fun addition to the coloring book.
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 Marvel characters and Tsum Tsum Marvel characters
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.