Daily Archives: July 17, 2017

Color Me Stress-Free: Nearly 100 Coloring Templates to Unplug and Unwind (A Zen Coloring Book)

By: Lacy Mucklow

Rating: 5 of 5

Color Me Stress Free is another fun addition in the “Color Me” coloring book series. Of 77 designs I counted in the book, 17 are what I would categorize as mandalas. The designs in this book are detailed and intricate. Some have small areas to color which may require sharp pencils or pens/markers with ultra-fine points.

The book has seven chapters, which include: Disorganization, Relationships, Finances, Work, Health, Time and Travel and Commuting.
Each chapter has a lead-in which describes the intent of the designs within.
There are color tips at the beginning of the book and there are some fully and some partially colored examples throughout (at the beginning of each chapter. The designs are detailed and some include intricate and small areas to color.
This is what I found while looking through and coloring in this book:
77 Designs for stress-free coloring – Designs by Angela Porter
Designs are printed on one side of the page
Paper is medium weight, white (with color print on the back of the page), slightly rough and non-perforated
Sewn Binding
Designs do not merge into the binding. All designs either have a framing line at the outer edges or have finished edges (such as a mandala.)
The book is thick but could be opened to a fairly flat position without breaking the spine
Alcohol-based markers bleed through the page
Water-based markers, India ink pens and gel pens leave shadows on the back of the page
Coloring pencils, both oil and wax-based, worked well with this paper. I was able to layer the same color for deep pigment. I could layer multiple colors and blend easily using a pencil style blending stick.

Adult Coloring Book: Whimsical Patterns: Farmers Market (Volume 3)

By: Francis Keene

Rating: 5 of 5

This is the third coloring book in the Francis Keene coloring book series of called Whimsical Patterns. In this book, artist Evelyne Park has provided 30 designs of Farmer’s Markets and items associated with them. I live very close to a wonderful Farmer’s Market which is in operation from March until October.

During those months, I like to spend my Saturday mornings picking up fresh veggies and fruits and seeing what special treats (such as wonderful rosemary lemon bread, jams and jellies and fresh potted herbs and flowers) I can pick up for that week. This coloring book reminds me of our market, right down to the fun entertainment for children.
I found the designs to be both cute and detailed. A few of them have smaller and more intricate areas to color. The designs are hand-drawn with the charming not quite perfect look that makes my finished projects have a unique and hand-made look. Because it is hand-drawn, the level of ink saturation on the designs from from design to design and even sometimes within a single design.
This is what I discovered while coloring in this book and testing my coloring medium on the paper:
30 line drawing designs of both Farmer’s Markets and items associated with them.
Printed one side of the page
Paper is typical of CreateSpace: white, thin, slightly rough and non-perforated.
The designs do not merge into the binding area. Most of the designs have a framing line at their outer edges.
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.