iiiiReader Book Reviews

Steampunk Animals Coloring Book (Adult Coloring)

By: Jeremy Elder

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my second coloring book by Jeremy Elder. My previous one was also a steampunk inspired book, Steampunk Devices. There are many animals in the book including: snail, rabbit, owl, turtle, monkey, walrus and many more.

The designs in the book and imaginative and are lots of fun to color. The animals are set in backgrounds rather than simply an animals on a page. Each of the animals has machinery built-in which is a must for a steampunk fan.

The designs are detailed but are not intricate and hard to color. There is plenty of room for blending or adding your own details to make the coloring project a more personalized one.

My earlier book by Mr. Elder was released under the Creative Haven line of Dover books and I wish that this one, Steampunk Animals had also been so released. Unfortunately, it was released as a standard Dover Coloring book. The difference is distinctive as this book is printed on both sides of the page, has a slightly different feel to the paper, and is not perforated.

However, the price is also less than a Creative Haven book, so I can and will buy a second copy of this book as I will want to use markers on the pages. If you use only colored pencils, you may be happy with just the one book as-is.

This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing it with my coloring medium. I will list my coloring mediums that I use for testing and coloring in the comments section below.

30 Steampunk inspired Animals Designs

Printed on both sides of the page

Paper is medium weight, smooth, white and non-perforated

Staple bound with three heavy duty staples

Designs stop well before the binding area and can be removed in whole from the book by removing the three staples at the binding.

All designs have a framing line around the outer edge to give a natural stopping point for the design and all of the elements within it. I really appreciate this feature in coloring books.

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper

Water-based markers spot through and/or leave colorful shadows on the back of the page

Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page. India ink pens can bleed through in spots if you apply heavily or use multiple coats.

Colored pencils worked well with this paper. Both oil and wax-based pencils provided good pigment, layered well with the same or multiple colors and blended well using a blending stick. Hard lead pencils did not dent through the page.

If you choose to use any medium other than colored pencils, you will probably find bleed through or colorful shadows on the design at the back of your working page. For me, that ruins the design. My choice will be to buy a second book if I want to use markers/gel pens/India ink. I still suggest a blotter page under your working page as it will keep the following pages (other than the one on the back of your working page) from being ruined by seeping ink. I like card stock for this purpose but find that a couple of sheets of heavyweight white paper work well, too.

Marie Catoinette: Kitty Wigs Presents A Cautionary Tale of Excess: An Historically Imaginative Adult Coloring Book

By: Julie Jackson

Rating: 5 of 5

This is an adorable set of designs featuring cats wearing wigs similar in style and theme to those decadent wigs worn by the aristocrats of the 18th century. Of the 29 designs, a full 22 of them are of cats. The remaining designs are also nice but not what really drove me to purchase and want to color in this book.

The designs have a lot of shading in them. They are almost but not quite what I would consider grayscale coloring. I will be using some grayscale techniques in coloring this book. The illustrations are by Paul Labadie whose self-taught skill in art is quite beautiful and detailed.

The designs are detailed and some contain intricate and small areas to color. They are of just the cat in the wig and don’t have background to color. I think that works best for this subject matter as the wigs are so elaborately styled you would not want to detract from them in any way.

This is what I found while I was coloring in this book and testing it with my coloring medium. In the comments section below, I will list the coloring medium I use to test and color with.

29 Detailed and somewhat Intricate Designs with 22 of them being cats in wigs

Printed one side of the page

Paper is typical for CreateSpace publications: thin, white, slightly rough and non-perforated

Glue bound

Designs stop well before the binding area so it is easy to cut pages out if you choose to do so

Book can be opened fairly flat for coloring but you will need to crease or break the spine to do so

Alcohol and water-based markers bleed through this paper.

Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page. India ink pens can leak through if you apply heavily or use multiple coats.

Colored pencils work well with this paper. It has enough tooth to grab a good amount of color. I was able to layer the same color, multiple colors, and blend easily using a blending stick with both oil and wax-based pencils. Hard lead pencils dent through the paper.

I use a blotter page of card stock when coloring in any CreateSpace coloring book. I put it under my working page and it keeps ink and dents from marring the pages below.

Creative Haven Dream Birds Coloring Book (Adult Coloring)

By: Miryam Adatto

Rating: 5 of 5

I own several coloring books by Miryam Adatto. Each new book is an adventure into her signature abstract view of design. My previous books were landscapes and beautiful abstract faces, so I was very interested to see her take on birds. This is not a book of realistically drawn birds, it is lovely abstract view of birds in various settings, including flowers, plant life and even surrounded by hearts.

The birds in the book are not all familiar to me, but I did recognize owls, a peacock, an egret, a flamingo, ducks, geese, a turkey and an eagle among them. The way the designs are formed invites the colorist to use a multitude of colors and to experiment with unusual concepts in her imaginative world.

This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium. I will list the coloring medium I test and color with in the comments section below.

31 Highly imaginative and abstract designs of birds

Printed one side of the page

Paper is Creative Haven’s typical great quality, it is white, medium weight, slightly smooth and has perforated pages.

Glue Binding but you can remove pages at the perforation easily

The designs stop well before the perforations

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper

Water-based markers can bleed through in spots 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 in small spots if you apply heavily with multiple layers.
Coloring pencils work well with this paper. I was able to use both wax and oil based pencils equally well. They lay down good color, layer the same color and multiple colors and blend easily using a pencil style blender. Hard lead pencils, like Verithins, leave dents on the back of the page.

I either use a blotter page under my working page or I remove pages from the book to color. I like card stock for my blotter page but a couple of sheets of heavyweight paper works as well.

Art of Coloring: Disney Villains: 100 Images to Inspire Creativity and Relaxation

By: Disney Book Group

Rating: 4 of 5

Of all of the Disney coloring books released over the past 12 months, this one has been the one that I have most be looking forward to. While there is heavy patterning on a lot of the villains, it is not as extensive as that used in the Disney Animals coloring book.

For the most part, I am ignoring the patterns and looking at the outlines and coloring in big swathes of color in both of these books. I find that it will be easier to do so with this book as the patterning is not doodle style. I am considering the patterning in this book as a form of texture in the villains clothes. For those who like to color lots of tiny detail, it can be worked as tiny areas to color.

The book is divided into three chapters: Villains from the Animal World, Monsters and Sorcerers, and Villainous Humans. While I might have chosen different villains, there was a nice assortment from the following movies: Peter Pan, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Princess and the Frog, the Aristocrats, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, Aladdin, The Jungle Book, Cinderella, The Rescuers, The Sword in the Stone, Sleeping Beauty, Tangled, Robin Hood, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Great Mouse Detective, The Lion King, Mulan, Lady and the Tramp, Ratatouille, Pinocchio, The Little Mermaid, and The Emperor’s New Groove.

There are only 9 designs which span across 2 pages. All of them are what I call wallpaper repeating pattern designs. I really appreciate that no unique designs were spread across two pages as it is so difficult to try to color into the binding area. There are an additional 23 single page wallpaper designs in the book as well. The majority of the designs in the book are single page unique designs.

Floral Bouquets Coloring Book for Adults

By: Happy Coloring

Rating: 5 of 5

I own several of Julie Emerson’s animal coloring books so I was intrigued to see that she had come out with a floral book. The designs in this book are a bit of a departure from what I am used to from Ms. Emerson but they are quite lovely as well. The designs depict realistic but not overly detailed floral bouquets. There are no backgrounds, almost all of the designs are just the flowers either in vases or tied together with ribbons. There are roses, lilies, poppies, orchids, daisies and much more.

I like the level of detail as it makes for an interesting project to color but one that can be finished fairly quickly. As a gardener, I really appreciate that the flowers are depicted naturally and not with a lot of doodles in them. I like doodle designs as well but I especially like to color flowers in a more realistic way.

This is what I discovered when coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium. In the comments section below, I will list the various coloring mediums I use for testing and coloring.

30 Designs of Floral Bouquets plus a color-able title page

Printed one side of the page

Paper is typical CreateSpace paper: thin, white, slightly rough and non-perforated

Glue Bound

Designs do not merge into the binding there is plenty of room to cut the pages out if you choose to do so.

Book opens fairly flat for coloring by breaking or creasing the spine.

Alcohol and water-based markers bleed through this paper. Water-based are more spotty rather than how the alcohol-based flow through rapidly.

Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page. India ink can seep through in spots if you apply multiple layers of ink.

Colored pencils work well with the paper. It has a nice amount of tooth and both oil an wax-based pencils work equally well. I was able to lay down a good amount of pigment, layer the same or multiple colors and blend easily using a pencil style blender. Hard lead pencils, like Verithins, dent through to the back of the page.

Between seeping ink and dents from pencils, I use a blotter page to keep the rest of my book from being damaged. I like card stock for my blotter but a couple of pages of heavyweight paper work as well.

Cat-a-Doodles Adult Coloring Book: Mandala Series 1: Flowers, Hearts and Really Cute Cats (Volume 2)

By: Jo Toye

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my second coloring book of Cat designs by Jo Toye. In this book, Ms. Toye has created 24 mandala designs which feature cats. The designs are provided not only in the standard circular format but also sized to fit a 5 x 7 inch card as well. The latter designs are elongated and sized down giving them a unique look and also a unique feel as I am coloring them.

The designs are detailed but not intricate. I am using my standard coloring medium to finish the designs and I have found that in addition to my colored pencils, my alcohol-markers in the ultra-fine point or markers with brush nibs work well for the elements of the designs.

Ms. Toye has included some hints about color placement at the front of the book. There are also thumbnails of each of the 24 designs as well.

This is what I found while coloring in this book and testing it with my coloring mediums. In the comments section below, I will list the coloring medium I use for both testing and coloring most of my projects.

24 x 2 Cat Mandala Designs each design is provided in full page format as well as sized for 5 x 7 inch use.

Printed on one side of the page

Paper is thin, white, slightly rough and non-perforated. It is the paper which is typical for CreateSpace publications

Glue bound

Designs do not merge into the binding area and there is plenty of room to cut designs out if you choose to do so.

Book opens fairly flat for coloring by creasing the spine.

Alcohol-based markers bleed through this paper rapidly.

Water-based markers bleed through in spots.

Gel pens and India ink pens leave shadows on the back of the page; however, India ink can bleed through if you use multiple layers of ink.

Both oil and wax-based colored pencils work well with this paper. I was able to layer the same color to get a deep pigment, layer multiple colors and blend easily using a pencil style blender. Hard lead pencils leave dents through the back of the page.

I use a blotter page under my working page to keep ink and dents from damaging the pages below. I prefer card stock but using a couple of sheets of heavyweight paper works well, too.

I was provided my first copy of this coloring book free for test and review purposes. I have since purchased additional copies for family and friends.

The Official Trolls Coloring Book (DreamWorks Trolls) (Adult Coloring Book)

By: Random House

Rating: 3.5 of 5

My youngest daughter loved trolls when she was a little girl and had the scattered all over her room. When I saw this new coloring book based on the DreamWorks movie, it made me think of our searches for trolls to add to her collection. I picked the book up so I could think of her and our fun together while coloring.

The designs in this book are based on the characters in the new movie, so they aren’t exactly the traditional trolls that I think of. I’m find with that as the characters are so cute. The designs are by artist Jan Gerardi and are nicely detailed and have lots of open area for easy of coloring, shading and blending. While they are detailed, they are not intricate or have tiny areas to color.

The cover is nicely printed with deep fuchsia foil accents. You can also color the rest of cover front and back if you choose to do so. The inside of both the front and back cover are cute floral line drawings which can be colored as well.

The one real issue I have with the book is that the pages are already coming apart from the binding. All it took to start the process was literally turning the pages. I don’t know if my book is indicative of all or if mine is a fluke but it is bothersome because a good number of the designs spread across two pages. When I have a book with that type of design, I don’t remove the pages from the book to color. I keep them together and, unfortunately, that is not going to happen with this book.

While I love the designs and would give them a 5 star review, I don’t love the way the book is put together. I actually rate that a 2. The average is 3.5 and I round up as I cannot leave that rating on Amazon, on their platform it shows as a 4.

This is what I experienced while coloring in this book and testing the paper with my coloring medium. In the comments section below, I will list the coloring medium I use for tests and which I generally use for all of my projects.

96 pages of Trolls Designs (including title and preface pages). Designs are based on the new DreamWorks movie rather than traditional trolls.

Printed on both sides of the page

Paper is heavyweight, white, slightly rough, and non-perforated

Glue bound but pages are already detaching from the binding (issue due to printing on both sides.)

Many Designs are printed across two pages

Designs merge into the binding area

Opening this book to a fairly flat position for coloring hastens the detachment of pages. I am coloring in it with care.

Alcohol-based markers bleed through the page. If you use these, you will ruin the design on the back of the page.

Water-based markers, gel pens and India ink pens do not bleed through the page.

Colored pencils do very well with this paper. It has a nice amount of tooth and both oil and wax-based pencils perform well. I was able to get nice pigment and to layer the same color, multiple colors, and blending easily using a pencil style blending stick.

In summary, I wish the binding were better. I sincerely hope that it is just an issue with my book and not a general issue with the publication. I am coloring with care and putting a tie around the book when not in use to keep the pages intact. I’ve never had this issue with a coloring book before and was really surprised when it started to fall apart.

Centered – For Crayons And Wide Tipped Markers: Angie’s Gentle Mood Menders – Volume 2

By: Angie Grace

Rating: 5 of 5

This is my second coloring book in the Gentle Mood Menders series by Angie Grace. I also own one of her more intricate design series books, Breathe which is part of the Extreme Stress Menders series. As with Balance, the first volume in the Gentle series, Centered is a re-working of one of her popular Centered book in the Extreme Stress Menders series.

The big difference between the two Centered books is that this book has been made easier to color. The original book was very intricate and large where this one focuses on the central portion of the design. It still fits on the same size page as the original book but with less detail. Because it is less intricate, it means the designs are more open and that you can use larger coloring mediums to work with. I still find the mandalas nicely detailed and that I am having a lot of fun with the easier to color style.

In addition to larger tipped medium, I think it is also a book that can be used by individuals who could not color in the original book due to fine motor or visual issues. While I can’t compare it to the original book as I don’t own it, I did compare it to Breathe. I find that coloring in this book is a lot of fun and that the projects went by quickly for me without having to work in small detailed areas with tiny nib pens. I will admit that I used both fine and ultra-fine markers to do these designs but that was only for convenience sake and because I own both size markers in the same colors.

This is what I experienced while coloring in and testing my coloring mediums with this book. In the comments section below I will list the coloring mediums I used to test the paper in this book and which I usually use for my coloring projects.

50 Circular style Mandalas with wider lines and more open space than most mandalas

Printed on one side of the page

Paper is thin, white, slightly rough, and non-perforated

Glue Binding with plenty of space to cut out design if you choose to do so.

Designs stop well before the binding area

Alcohol and water-based markers seep through this paper to varying degrees. Alcohol-based seep through quickly while water-based are actually more spotty.

Gel pens and India ink pens leave colorful shadows on the back of the page. India ink pens can seep through in spots if multiple layers are applied.

Colored pencils work well with this paper. Using both oil and wax-based pencils, I got good pigment coverage, could layer the same and multiple colors, and could blend easily using a pencil style blending stick. Hard lead pencils leave dents through to the back of the page.

I recommend the use of a blotter page for under your working page. That way you can keep seeping inks and marring dents from damaging the design below. I use either card stock or several sheets of heavyweight paper.