Chalk-Style Family Coloring Book: Color With All Types of Markers, Gel Pens & Colored Pencils
By: Deb Strain
Rating: 5 of 5
This is my second coloring book by Deb Strain in the chalk-style format. Effectively, this means that the design is in white with black background. The design is still printed with black ink on white paper but, to some degree, it gives the look of being white marks on a chalk-board. I think that with Ms. Strain’s designs, because of her great details and designs, the pictures look a little less like chalk and more like simply designs on a black background. As I really like her designs, it doesn’t bother me that there is more of a concept of chalk than I find in reality.
The designs in this book are all about family. They all include words or sayings that relate to families and the emotions we have for them (although the dangling hearts are a tad esoteric in that only one heart has the word love in it repeatedly.) I am planning on coloring quite a few of these to mount as big cards to send to my family members. I think it will be a beautiful way to express my feelings for them through my coloring hobby.
What is new and interesting about this coloring book is that the publishers have changed their format a bit. They still have a great couple of pages where the artist gives her opinions and advice, still great colored examples, and the back of the page still has quotes, journal lines, etc. What is different is that the eight colored sample pages are included in the book, not as full size designs, but as medium designs with a thumbnail of the color sample, a few samples of the colors used and a quick sentence or two about the how the colors work with the design.
I’ve now found this in my three latest books from this publisher, so it may be that this will be their new format going forward. The pages with this information have smaller designs and are perforated not only at the binding but also between the design and the information/thumbnail. While I appreciate aspects of the new format, I also miss having those designs in full page. Some of the details become small and intricate once the design has been shrunk making it a little more challenging to color.
This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing my various coloring medium on the paper:
32 Family Style Saying/Word Designs in Chalk-board style (white images on black background) with 24 large designs and 8 medium ones
8 Medium Designs include colored thumbnails and coloring advice on the page
Designs are printed on one side of the page.
Paper is medium weight, slightly rough, black printed on white paper and is perforated for easy removal. The paper is noted as archival-grade and acid free for 200 years.
Designs stop well before the perforations
Alcohol and water-based markers bleed through the page
Gel pens and India ink pens can spot through to the back of the page
Colored pencils work well with the paper. Both oil and wax based pencils provide good color, layer, and blend well. Hard lead pencils can dent through the page.
I use card stock as a blotter with this style of book, if I don’t remove the pages from the book for coloring. The blotter will keep seeping ink and marring dents from damaging the pages below.