Animal Kingdom Book of Prints by Millie Marotta

Millie Marotta produces some of the most beautiful linework for the colouring community, her books are internationally successful and her name is right at the top of the colouring bestsellers list. We've all seen her four current books: Animal Kingdom, Tropical Wonderland, Wild Savannah & Curious Creatures. We've seen the stunning linen-bound Deluxe Editions, the petite postcards, even the fancy printed homeware. So what next? 

Although many colourists will think there is no topping the Deluxe Editions, others will argue that a larger format and easily detachable card like in Johanna Basford's Artist Editions would be more ideal to frame and display than those bound in books. Not to mention the fact that whilst immaculately produced the Deluxe Editions are very pricey and may not suit the average colourist's budget, leaving them with the limiting double-sided books. 

The perfect solution is this brand new format featuring 20 specially selected illustrations from Animal Kingdom. Bound with lay-flat glue that allows you to remove each page easily and neatly, this Book of Prints provides a middle-ground for colourists who want quality without a hefty price tag. Each page is made from super thick cardstock (it feels slightly thicker than JB's Artist Editions), is bright white in colour and perfect for any type of medium you can think of from markers to gouache paints & beyond. It has a smoother surface than JB's more toothy card, but you can still blend coloured pencils well. Here is a preview of all 20 illustrations in the book:

The variety of images is really mixed; standalone animals like the mighty gorilla are centred to occupy your full attention for a short while, whereas page-fillers such as the resplendent peacock give the colourist more lengthy detail to get stuck into. Some illustrations have intricate, fine-liner-demanding spaces whilst others make the most of white space, leaving areas for you to add your own unique patterns if you wish. Most of the pages have lots of blank area surrounding the image to practice adding background scenes or pastel tones if you wish to. 

The size of each page is 33 x 25cm. Frames of this size can be found on sites like Amazon (I did a quick search here) for around £10 each. These prints are crying out to be pulled from the book and exhibited on your walls or given to a loved one as a personal gift, and at under £15 for 20 hand-drawn illustrations on premium quality stock they're very good value for money. Imagine colouring them all and having a gallery of stunning pieces adorning your staircase, guest bedroom or sprinkled all over the house!

Here's a print I completed with Prismacolor pencils. I decided on a blue/green marine palette for my seal and I love how it has turned out. 

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. You can find it on Amazon here:
Animal Kingdom Book of Prints (UK Edition, released on 09.03.17) or US Edition (available now, but contains 18 illustrations instead of 20).