Monthly Archives: August 2017

Posh Adult Coloring Book: Inspired by Nature (Posh Coloring Books)

By: Marjolein Bastin

Rating: 5 of 5

Attached to this review will be my silent video which will show all of the pages of the book, both the designs and the photos. I will also upload a few pages in photos as well.

This is a beautiful book of designs based on artwork by Marjolein Bastin. The book is published by Posh (who also publish the Thomas Kinkade coloring books) and this one follows the same format as the Kinkade, that is, a line drawing to the right and a matte color photo of the design to the left. The size of the book is the same (smaller than most coloring books) as is the texture of the paper. What is different is that the line drawings are in a variety of colors from yellow to green to blue to purple and more. Each design is done in a single color. The line work is delicately done and somewhat difficult to see and the colored lines do not seem to show through when I am coloring in the book.
I have loved Marjolein Bastin’s artwork for years. I buy her calendars, gift cards, and other household decorated items. I have loved cross stitching her designs, many of which seem to be represented in this book. It is a real thrill to be able to color designs based on her nature work.
The designs are beautiful but lack details so that my finished projects will look quite different from the originals. However, I do get to enjoy Ms. Bastin’s exquisite nature studies while I am coloring. I plan to purchase a second copy of this book to keep just for the colored designs. My coloring medium generally shows through and mars the photo images, so I will want the second book just to enjoy a book of her work.
I could wish for (at least) two other books in the future. I would love to see a book of Vera Mouse designs and I also would love to see a larger format book of grayscale coloring based on Ms. Bastin’s work. That would be a great way of getting all the detail in a coloring book which is inherently difficult with a coloring book of line drawings.
The designs are printed on the right hand side of with the photo of the actual painting on the left hand side (i.e., opposite each other in the book.)
Here is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my medium:
63 Marjolein Bastin nature designs with 63 color photos as well
Designs printed on one side of the page with a photo on the back of the page.
Paper is bright white, very slightly rough, non-perforated and medium weight. Line drawings are printed in a wide variety of colors (one color per design.)
Designs stop before the binding area and do not leave elements dangling unfinished
Sewn Binding
Pages can be cut out without loss of designs or binding threads shipped to remove more than one page at a time. I don’t plan to do so as I want to keep the continuity of the colored picture and design together.
Alcohol-based markers bleed through the paper
Water-based markers leave shadows of color (with some spotting through) on the back of the page except for the brush end of Tombows which did not leak through.
India ink pens leave shadows of color on the back of the page
Gel pens do not bleed through
Colored pencils work well with this paper. I tested both oil and wax based pencils and was able to get good results from both. I got good pigment (especially with multiple layers of the same color.) I was able to layer different colors and to blend easily using a blending stick.
If you decide to use markers, you will probably have some amount of bleed-through onto the back of the page. I recommend using a heavyweight sheet of paper or card stock below your working page. That will keep ink from damaging the next design below but they will mar the colored picture on the back of the page.

Creative Haven Elegant Angels Coloring Book (Adult Coloring)

By: Marty Noble

Rating: 5 of 5

Marty Noble is one of my favorite designers. This is her second coloring book of Angels (though the first one released in the Creative Haven line.) The designs are elegant and beautiful, as one expects from this designer. They are delicate and detailed with lovely backgrounds as well. She always provides enough room for blending and shading so you can make these designs your own.

The angels in the designs range from children to lovely adult women. The scenes sometimes include animals. Many of the designs represent a certain subject, such as a stained glass window, music and several with angels in motion with birds. Simply beautiful and fun to color.
I noticed that the feel of the paper is slightly smoother than some of the Creative Haven books I have received recently. It also appears to be slightly thinner as I can vaguely see some of the from the design below. I’ve noticed that the paper seems to change quite frequently on these books. Because of that, if you buy one of these books, it may be slightly smooth or slightly rough depending on when and where it was printed. Colored pencils still work well with the slightly smoother paper (see below.)
This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium.
31 Elegant and Gorgeous New Angel designs by Marty Noble.
The designs are printed one side of the page
Paper is the usual Creative Haven quality: white, medium weight, slightly smooth and has perforated pages.
Glue Binding but with perforated pages so removing a page is fairly simple.
The designs stop well before the perforations. The designs have a variety of styles of framing lines at their outer edges.
Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper
Water-based markers bleed through in spots (somewhat heavier than with previous paper in the Creative Have line) and show 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 when I apply more than one layer of ink.
Coloring pencils work well with this paper. I was able to get good pigment (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. Hard lead pencils, like Verithins, leave dents on the back of the page.
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.

Creative Haven Midnight Safari Coloring Book: Wild Animal Designs on a Dramatic Black Background (Adult Coloring)

By: Lindsey Boylan

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a coloring book of safari/jungle animals by Lindsey Boylan where the backgrounds are pre-filled in with flat mat black and the design stretches over the entire page from side to side. The paper is still white but is printed black (unlike some publishers who use black paper with white ink.)

There are 31 designs in the coloring book this book. The design have a varied level of detail some are fairly easy to color while others have intricate and small areas. Some of the animals have a bit of doodle style elements included which gives you the ability to use a broader range of colors. There are many animals in the book, including elephant, lion, leopard, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, zebra, flamingos and more.
I noticed that the feel of the paper is slightly smoother than some of the Creative Haven books I have received recently. It also appears to be slightly thinner as I can vaguely see some of the from the design below.
I’ve noticed that the paper seems to change quite frequently on these books. Because of that, if you buy one of these books, it may be slightly smooth or slightly rough depending on when and where it was printed. Colored pencils still work well with the slightly smoother paper (see below.)
This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium.
31 Safari/jungle style animals with doodle elements printed black backgrounds and detail lines. The coloring areas are left white.
The designs are printed one side of the page
Paper is the usual Creative Haven quality: black backgrounds printed on white paper, medium weight, slightly smooth and has perforated pages.
Glue Binding but with perforated pages so removing a page is fairly simple.
The designs generally cross over the perforations and some small amount of the image will be lost if you remove the page from the book. Elements are left unfinished at all four edges of the designs.
Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper
Water-based markers bleed through in spots (somewhat heavier than with previous paper in the Creative Have line) and show 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 when I apply more than one layer of ink.
Coloring pencils work well with this paper. I was able to get good pigment (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. Hard lead pencils, like Verithins, leave dents on the back of the page.
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.

Celtic Myth & Symbol: A Coloring Book of Celtic Art and Mandalas

By: Jen Delyth

Rating: 5 of 5

This coloring book has forty designs which are Celtic inspired. The designs include spirals, knotwork, mandalas, symbols and even patterns. The artist, Jen Delyth, grew up in Wales and was inspired by the artwork of her youth with its ties to the Celts. For my first project, I choose to color Cranes Knot Panel which incorporates birds into the knotwork design.

The designs in the book have a look of both balance and eternal movement with the unending knots and spirals. Some of the designs are open and easy to color with lots of room to blend while others are more detailed and yet others very detailed and have intricate and small areas to color. The book has a really nice mix of designs and challenge levels.
This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium.
40 Celtic inspired designs by Jen Delyth
Printed on one side of the page
Paper is heavyweight, white, slightly rough, and perforated
Glue Binding
Designs do not merge past the perforations and most have a frame of sorts around the outer edge of the design.
Alcohol-based markers bleed through the page
Water-based markers and India ink pens bleed through the page in spots.
I use a blotter page below my working page when using these wet mediums. It keeps the ink from seeping through. You can also remove pages before coloring to keep the rest of the book from being damaged.
Gel pens leave a slight shadow on the back of the page but do not bleed through. Some pens require additional drying time.
Colored pencils work well with this slightly rough paper. I was able to layer and blend easily with both oil and wax based pencils.
I was provided an advance reader copy of this book by the publisher.