Monthly Archives: June 2017

Dragons: An Adult Coloring Book with Fun, Beautiful, and Relaxing Coloring Pages (Perfect Gift for Dragon Lovers)

By: Jade Summer

Rating: 5 of 5

This wonderful fantasy coloring book contains 25 unique designs but you are given two copies of each there is a total of 50 design pages. The line drawings are of various types of dragons. There is a nice variety of dragon styles with all having a serious look about them. A few seem gentle in the hands of their human, with even the baby dragons, there is no mistaking that each one can be ferocious when necessary.

Gray is used in a number of the illustrations for shading purposes. It’s easy to color over and get a nice shade effect. The designs are quite detailed and some contain small and intricate areas to color.
While you can have access to .PDFs when you purchase this book, my review is based on the book as it is received from Amazon. That way you will know what the pages look like and how they accept color. I like that the publisher provides the digital version as well so you can choose the paper you wish to use and/or to color the pictures as many times as you choose.
This is what I found while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium:
25 x 2 each intricate and detailed dragon inspired designs for a total of 50 coloring pages
Designs are printed on one side of the page
Paper is typical of CreateSpace: white, thin, slightly rough and non-perforated. The back of the page is printed black.
The designs do not merge into the binding. There is a heavy framing line at the outer edges of the design.
Glue Binding (there is room to cut the pages out if you choose to do so.)
Though you cannot see the bleed-through easily due to the back of the page being printed in black, I recommend the use of a blotter page when working in this 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.
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.

Magic Beauty: Coloring Book for Adult: Animals, Birds, Flowers, Mandalas, Beautiful Fairies

By: Nadiya Vasilkova

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my second coloring book by artist Nadiya Vasilkova. As with the first book, Magic Totem, Magic Beauty is printed mostly in a grayscale pointillism style. This is the style that was developed by Georges Seurat and Paul Signac during the 1800’s. The designs are beautifully drawn and include animals, flowers, and people.

In pointillism, the image is created by using very small uniform dots of color in place of the brush strokes we are used to seeing in paintings. Similar to Impressionism, the further you stand from a pointillism painting, the more you see the overall effect. The designs in this book are not printed in color but rather in varying shades and density of gray.
As with regular with grayscale coloring, you choose your colors based on the design. Light colors with light dots or areas where there are no dots, medium with medium, and dark with dark or densely dotted areas. I now use a base coat of markers with my colored pencils providing detail and shading.
What is interesting about this book is that she incorporates line drawings as well and some times that have both line drawings and pointillism mixed together. It makes for a unique and interesting design to color.
Along with the 39 design pages which are new in this book (includes presentation page), there are a bonus of 12 pages from Magic Totem as well.
This is what I found in coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium:
39 new designs and 12 bonus designs in beautiful grayscale pointillism and line drawings
Printed one side of 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.

Orphan Black: The Official Coloring Book

By: Insight Editions

Rating: 5 of 5

I really enjoy the TV series Orphan Black and was happy to find this coloring book which is based on it. The illustrations are very well drawn by a team of illustrators (Adam Raiti, Robin F. Williams, and Pablo Matamoros.) The characters are instantly recognizable and many of the iconic scenes from the show are reproduced (though I would have loved a scene of the sisters dancing together, that is not included.)

The illustrations of Sarah, Cosima, Alison, Helena and more showcase the wonderful and versatile talents of actress Tatiana Maslany. That one actress can play so many parts in a series with such believability is outstanding. I also loved the designs of Felix Dawkins (actor Jordan Gavaris.) Really, so many wonderful scenes bring back memories of the series I will probably have to watch the old episodes as I color in the book to create the proper ambiance.
I would have loved to have seen this book printed on only one side of the page so I could use wet medium but it is printed on both sides of the page. Because of that, I will be using pencils for coloring in it (see my tests of color medium below.)
The designs are detailed and some have small and intricate areas to color. For the most part, I do not consider this a difficult book to color (though coloring into the binding is always difficult no matter how detailed or not the design is.)
This is what I found in coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper
79 line drawing designs derived from the TV series Orphan Black with an additional 15 pages of full color glossy photos from the series.
Printed on both sides of the page
Paper is standard size (11.5 x 8 inches), cream color, medium weight, slightly rough and is non-perforated.
Glue Binding
Book is difficult to open flat. You will have to break/heavily crease the spine in order to get it somewhat flat.
The designs do merge into the binding area. A few designs have a framing line at the outer edges.
Only one design spreads across two pages; the rest are limited to one page.
Alcohol based markers bleed through this paper.
Water based markers, India ink pens and gel pens either bleed through or leave colorful shadows on the back of the page. Tombow brush end pens did not bleed through but started to abrade the paper with a second layer.
If you use wet medium with this paper, it will likely mar the design on the back of the page.
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.

Dancing Around the World – Adult Coloring Book: Swing Your Pens on a Unique Journey Through the World

By: Okami Books

Rating: 5 of 5

This is an interesting coloring book of dancers in midst of dance. The designs are all inspired by costumes and dances from around the world. The backgrounds are empty but the dancers clothing is fairly detailed due in great part to the various pattern lines on the costumes.

Most of the designs are very well done, however, there are a few where proportion, position and scale are slightly off. If I could leave a 4.5 because of this issue, I would. As I cannot, I rounded up to a five. I also wished that the name of the dance and the country of origin had been included somewhere in the book, perhaps on a page near the front which listed the information for all designs.
This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper:
40 Designs of dancers from around the world
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.

Animals as Humans – Adult Coloring Book: Animal Portraits – Inspiration and Relaxation

By: Okami Books

Rating: 4 of 5

Based on the title of this coloring book, I had hoped to see animals in human clothing doing things that humans would do. What the book actually contains are 40 designs of animal heads with collars which are based on human clothing. The animals have the structure of the real animal but are filled with intricate doodles designs. While the animals are detailed, the clothing is not and in some cases are merely a few lines to suggest the top.

As the designs are extremely intricate because of the doodles, I don’t suggest this as a coloring book for anyone who has vision or fine motor issues. For those who like to use a lot of different colors, this presents a nice set of designs which have a lot of detail for that purpose.
This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper:
40 Animals Head designs with human clothing collars
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.

The Peace, Love and Understanding Coloring Book

By: Singleton

Rating: 5 of 5

I was fairly young child during the Hippie era (though my oldest sister embraced it for a while living off the land in Maui which was quite different in the 70’s from how it is now.) I do remember the songs and the beautiful colors and imaginative designs that earmarked the era. It was the background to my childhood and had a profound effect on me. Whether you are like me and lived through this period or are younger and want to see a bit of our history and have it influence you as well, I think this book is a fun coloring opportunity for all.

This coloring book is filled with 60 designs which evoke that period. With the music from the time running through my head as I color in the book, I can really put myself into the Hippie frame of mind. The designs stay true to the concept of the title with lots of peace symbols and sayings which reinforce the concept of peace, love and understanding.
The designs are generally detailed with lots of small and some intricate spots to color. There are also many areas with open space for fun blending and layering of colors perhaps even adding your own touches as well.
This is what I found in coloring and testing in this book:
60 Hippie Peace Love and Understanding inspired designs by artist Singleton
Printed on one side of the page
Paper is white, heavy weight, slightly smooth and is non-perforated.
Sewn binding with more than usual glue adhering it to the cover. You can snip a few threads to remove some pages but may have a tug a bit to get the pages out.
Book can be opened fairly flat for coloring
The designs do not merge into the binding area
Alcohol based markers bleed through this paper. If you use this medium for coloring, I suggest using a blotter page of card stock or several sheets of paper to keep ink from seeping through the ruining the pages below.
Water based markers, India ink pens and gel pens did not bleed through the paper. Gel pens did not bleed through and did not require extra drying time.
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.

Psalms to Color and Soothe the Soul

By: Felicity French

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a lovely coloring book of 47 designs inspired by the book of Psalms. The designs are very pretty but do not generally reflect the verse. The words themselves are part of the design and are meant to be colored. In some cases, the words are, in fact, the design. The verses are all cited but the translation used has not been given an attribution. The designs are quite detailed and in some spots, intricate and small to color.

This is one of the nicest coloring books of Psalms that I own. The verses are given the prominent position on the page and the designs are very pretty to color. I think about the verse and how it applies to my life as I color the design. It takes a restful activity and adds an element of worship for a more meaningful experience.
This is what I found while coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper:
47 Designs inspired by the book of Psalms
Designs printed on one side of the page with the verse cite printed on the design page.
Paper is heavyweight, white, slightly smooth and non-perforated
Sewn Binding you can remove several pages in whole at a time by snipping the threads. The pages are also slightly glued in, so it may be a little more difficult than with other sewn binding books.
Some designs merge past the perforations into the binding area. Nothing essential to the design will be lost if you remove a page from the book.
Opens fairly flat for ease of coloring.
Alcohol-based markers bleed through the page. If you use this medium, I suggest using a blotter page to keep ink from seeping through. I use card stock but a couple of pages of paper should work as well.
Water-based markers, India ink pens and gel pens do not bleed through the page. Some do leave light, colorful shadows on the back of the page.
Colored pencils worked well with this paper. I tested both oil and wax based pencils and found that I was able to apply layers of the same color to get rich pigment. I could also layer multiple colors well and I could blend both oil and wax based pencils easily with a pencil style blending stick.

Inkspirations The Power of Positive Inking: Coloring for Success

By: Jack Canfield

Rating: 5 of 5

This is both a coloring book and a book of positive messages and suggested affirmation actions. There are coloring elements on the message page which tie in with the coloring design on opposite page. The author of the messages is Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul and The Success Principles). The artist is Judy Clement Wall who is also the artist on several other Inkspirations coloring books.

The designs appear to be hand-drawn, which is something I really enjoy in a coloring book. It gives my finished project an artistic quality that I don’t find in computer generated designs. The designs are detailed but not what I consider intricate.
The quotes, positive messages and affirmation guidance are interesting and make a lot of sense. It is something to think about as you color the coordinating page.
This is what I found while coloring in the book and testing my coloring medium on the paper:
30 Positive and Inspirational designs with quotes and positive message on facing page
The designs are printed one side of the page quotes and positive message on the back of the preceding page
Paper white, medium weight, slightly rough and has perforated pages.
Glue Binding but with perforated pages so removing a page is fairly simple.
The designs stop well before the perforations and have a framing line at the outer edges.
Book has a stay flat binding which allows the book to easily open to a flat position for coloring.
Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper
Water-based markers bleed through in spots and show colorful shadows on the back of the page
Gel pens and India ink pens leave slight shadows of color on the back of the page. India ink pens can bleed through when I apply more than one layer of ink.
Using markers and/or pens will probably mar, to some degree, the messages printed on the back of the page.
Coloring pencils work well with this paper. I was able to get good color lay down, layer the same color and multiple colors and to blend easily using a pencil style blender. I tested both oil and wax-based pencils with similar results.
I suggest either removing pages from the book to color or using a blotter page under your working page. I like card stock as it keeps ink from seeping through and damaging the pages below.