Finally I am doing my first giveaway! Hopefully there will be many more to come. This book is called Bugs of the Future Primitive and is a fine art colouring book by English artist Ian Pyper, which features primitive drawings of bugs in various evolutionary and transformatory states! Sounds fun and strange and interesting? That's because it is!
The book is packed with drawings of all different kinds of bugs, and is all about how similar their way of life is to ours. This is from the Introduction: ''Bugs build hives & colonies which protect against enemies, and they promote survival strategies against the vagaries of weather & the harshest environments to create their own ecological niches.''
To be in with a chance of winning this fantastically eclectic book, just complete the Rafflecopter below! Facebook Likes & Shares are NOT mandatory but very much appreciated! This competition is open worldwide.
17 Comments
These Sakura Gelly Roll pens are unlike anything I've seen before! The ink releases thickly onto the paper, leaving a raised 3D effect that shines as if still wet. They glide so smoothly across paper, but can be used on several surfaces including plastic, glass and metal, and are water-resistant. I love how they give such a glossy finish, although you have to leave them a few minutes to dry before it's safe to touch/turn the page. The embossed feeling under the fingertips is sooo satisfying! You have to colour quite slowly to give the ink time to distribute evenly, and there's a slight click to the nib that releases more ink if you press down slightly.
As you can see, it's hard to be careful on intricate designs because the ink comes out so thick, so that's something to bare in mind if you only do fine detail colouring. The nib is 0.8mm, but it seems broader to me. Also, because the ink flows so freely, I'm not sure how long they will last.
There's a clear pen included incase you want to create colourless texture, which is a handy addition if you like leaving white spaces like me. I'm thinking of crafting some stained glass designs on acrylic sheets with the kids, they'd look fabulous! There are so many uses. These Glaze pens are the 'Brights', but they also come in 'Basic' shades which are a little duller. There are loads of different Gelly Roll types- Moonlight, Metallic, & Stardust being a few- and I want them all! They're definitely my favourite gel pens by far. They don't bleed at all either, always a plus! I hope you've enjoyed my review and will be getting yourself some Gelly Rolls- you won't be disappointed! You can find this particular pack on the link below, but there are many other different styles: The Green Lady's Colouring Book is a small book that packs a lot of punch. With 8 beautiful illustrations, you can really dedicate your time to this book without feeling overwhelmed. Each design is a homage to everything folk & celtic, so if you're a Festival-loving colourist this is definitely the book for you! You'll find goddesses, witches, even Stonehenge itself within the pages. There's exquisitely intricate Henna patterns for you to get your fineliners into. I only wish there were more pages as I absolutely love the ones that Gwen has included. The book is spiral bound which I love, as it can get annoying having to hold a book open with one hand whilst you colour with the other. The paper used is the same or maybe slightly thicker than normal printer paper, so markers may bleed through- my fineliners did slightly. It doesn't matter though, as each design is one-sided so you can Sharpie away to your heart's content! You don't even need to put a sheet of paper under to protect the next page, just find something to lean on and spiral the rest of the pages out of the way. Take a look at this witch I finished this morning. I used Faber-Castell pencils first, then highlighted parts with fineliners to create depth. Gwen Davies is an artist from Cardiff in Wales, specialising in Henna tattoo design & application, as well as art & jewellery. The Green Lady's Colouring Book can be purchased on her Etsy page here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/227946514/adult-colouring-book-eight-pages-for
I was absolutely gobsmacked when a packaged arrived from Edding yesterday, and I saw how generous they had been. I asked for any of their products to review, and they sent me a huge selection! I am so grateful and beyond excited to try them out! Edding are a German maufacturer well known for producing high quality. I certainly found that to be the case at any rate! I got stuck in straight away with my Tattoo colouring book, as there was a page full of the same design for me to test them all on. First of all: the Fine, Broad, and Brush Colourpens, and Colour Markers. As you can see, colour-wise they're all identical. The difference of course is the tips. What I love about these is that whatever image you have to colour- whether it's small and intricate or poster-sized- you know you're going to be getting the same colour tone throughout the Edding range. I hate it when a pen runs out mid-way through a picture and the other pens you have just aren't the same shade! There's no worrying about that with Edding. There is an impressive 40 different colours to choose from in this range! The pens themselves are a delight to use, particularly the brush tips as they slide so smoothly across the paper and the flexibility of the nib really does feel like using a paintbrush! Covering large areas quickly is easy, a huge plus! Colours are bold and vibrant, and the water-based ink means they wash out of most textiles and most importantly, don't bleed through pages. They're also safe to be left cap-less for 3 days without drying out, and are odourless! The only thing I would say with the brush tips is not to go over the same area twice if possible, as the tip area is so wide and wet with colour that it can soak the paper a bit and cause feathering- but that's all about technique, not the pens themselves. Nib sizes are 0.5-1mm (fine), 1-2mm (broad), variable (brush), and 3mm (marker). Now onto the Metallics! These metallic pens, inset in a very practical tin, are just brilliant. They're extremely lightfast (resistant to sunlight), so the colour comes out thick and bold and isn't affected by whatever lighting enviroment you're in. They would work best on dark paper, but I haven't got any of that at the moment unfortunately! As you can see on the picture with the hearts, I had to try and be very precise as these will cover black borders with no problem. The nib is 1-3mm, so these are probably best to use on designs which don't have too much border. I'll use these to add shine to mandalas or for making details pop, but I wouldn't use them for colouring large areas of paper as they do create lines. They don't bleed either :) The gel rollers come in a pack of 7 (16 shades available), and have a fine 0.7mm nib. They glide across the paper with ease, and again would look stunning on black paper. The rubber grip makes them comfortable to hold, and they're great for glamming up the more precise details on pictures. These fineliners, perfect for complex detail at just 0.3mm, are again beautifully presented in a quality tin. They would be great for illustrations, too, and come in 16 brilliant colours (I received the 10 pack). You can't deny that Edding produce superior materials; the sheer variety of styles shows just how importantly they take colouring, sketching and art in general. Edding have surely manufactured every pen medium you could ever need, there are tonnes more different pens in their range! Lastly, I bring out the big guns- the Gloss Paint markers that will write, colour & draw on just about any surface! Glass, metal, plastic, paper- they're even water, light and heat resistant! These would be fantastic for colouring on laminate or transparencies, if you need to do a presentation for example. They are not pens I will use for everyday colouring of course, but it's great to have something so versatile in my collection.
Each pen is made of metal, and you have to shake them first to get that lovely thick colour ready to use. I tested them on plastic as you can see in the photo, and the result is rich, broad colour. The bullet-style nibs are 1-2mm, so they're surprisingly thin, and dry very quickly. Also, the ink doesn't smell strong at all, as you might expect with this type of pen. Available in 14 different colours! I hope you have enjoyed my review of Edding pens, I urge you to have some of these in your hoard, as the quality really is wonderful and they're not expensive. I can see these fast becoming my go-to pens, especially those brush tips :) Watch out for future colouring book reviews that will feature these pens in more action! These products were given to me in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase Edding products online through various websites, including Amazon. Last night I added a new page to my blog, my story about why I started colouring and how it helps my anxiety disorder and all round mental health. Please do give it a read and share if you can, I'd love for someone who is struggling to be helped by discovering colouring. It can be found under my blog title at the top of the main page :D
Many thanks as always xx
Today I am reviewing a book that's close to my heart - because I love tattoos! I only have a few (I'd love a sleeve but they're too expensive) but I thought I'd show them to you to get into the spirit of the book!
I have both my children's names and DOB on my wrists, and on my left arm is a modified quote from children's book The Giving Tree. On my right arm is a quote for my dear Nanna, who I was extremely close to. She died a year ago. She was Italian, and roughly translated the quote says, 'Nanna: One who holds our hand for a while and our hearts forever'. She loved daisies and the colour purple :) I also have a small 'J' on the side of my hand, which is my husband's initial.
Anyway, on to the book! I received it from Carlton Books Ltd. in exchange for an honest review. This book, illustrated by Beverley Lawson, is absolutely stuffed with amazing tattoo art of all kinds, over 120 infact! There are so many beautiful ones it's hard to know where to begin; celtic, animals, tribal, mandalas, skulls, hearts, scrolls... the list goes on! There's something for everyone here, even those who don't like tattoos are sure to appreciate the stunning artwork on offer.
Paper quality is good- I tested Triplus, Stabilo and Edding markers without a problem, although Sharpies (as usual) do bleed.
There is an assortment of thick, bold borders and fine, delicate lines to the illustrations, so you can pick and choose your mediums with each design. There are so many different styles, you're definitely getting bang for your buck! I particularly loved the animal tattoos, especially owls which there are a few of scattered in the book. Sugar skulls are another favourite of mine, and native American totems. Gah, I don't think there's one page in this book I don't love! Take a look at my finished pages, they're beautiful if I do say so myself! I had so much fun colouring them (and filing some away for my future tattoos!)
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. You can find it on Amazon here:
Wendy is first and foremost a successful blogger, and wrote the book Mom Blogging for Dummies before turning to art. The first colouring book she published was Coloring Animal Mandalas, which includes an array of beautiful creatures just waiting to be given life through colour!
Back to this book, which was sent to me by PDF as it's not out until the Summer! This is definitely a book you'll want to pre-order if you love flowers and nature. The designs, of which there are 30, are truly stunning and so very intricate! There are a variety of drawings, most of them are so delicately illustrated that your fineliners will definitely be given a run for their money- but it's so worth it! Line thicknesses stay mostly in the finepoint range, but not so fine as you have to be nerve-wrackingly precise at the borders.
Today's review is a book that is on pre-order for release in August, Coloring Flower Mandalas by Wendy Piersall. This book was gifted to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
As the book isn't out yet, I don't have a finished copy in my hands to tell you about the quality of the paper. However, each design is printed one-sided, so bleeding should not be an issue.
Featured in this book are not your typical roses and daisies, oh no. Here you'll find all sorts of exotic flowers to colour, including Orchids, Gardenias, Tulips, Marigolds and more. The diversity is great, especially for the green-fingered colourists among us. I for one cannot wait to see what ideas Wendy comes up with for her next book, but whatever subject matter she puts her hand to you can guarantee the drawings will be exquisitely designed. Here are my finished pages! You'll notice as my blog goes on that I like to leave some areas blank in my colouring if I can, as I find it really makes the colours pop. Sometimes simple, sparse colour can be more effective than block colouring. For these drawings I used Pentel markers, Stabilo fineliners, and Faber Castell pencils.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. You can find it on Amazon here:
I've recently been in contact with Maria Ljungeld, an independent illustrator from Helsinki, Finland! Her website, BlackWhiteMustard.com, features her unique, hand-drawn colouring pages, which are completely FREE to download and colour to your heart's content! There's a new colouring page every week, and you can share your finished masterpieces on her Facebook page & join her Colouring Community! The designs themselves are so quirky and distinctive! Although mandala-esque, they are not your usual symmetrical, geometric patterns. Each page has a theme, whether it be food, radio... even the dentist! I can't wait to get colouring all of them because each one looks so interesting and most importantly, FUN! Here's a few examples of Maria's work: Great, right? Let me know how you get on by posting your completed work to the Colour with Claire Facebook page, I'd love to see them all coloured in!
Don't you just love when you're waiting for a parcel and you finally get that knock on the door or hear the shuffle of the letterbox? Or is is just me being strange? Haha. Well today I was so excited when these came through the door for me to review: Faber-Castell Art Grip pencils, and the Tattoo Colouring Book! The lovely people at West Design Products also sent me some pencils and stickers for my children, which is so thoughtful! They love them :) Today I'm hitting the shops with my youngest son who's been brilliantly behaved all week at school, so he's getting a pressie for his efforts. He's autistic and finds it difficult to listen and follow instruction, so I'm really spoiling him today because he has tried so hard. When I get back, I'll be reviewing Coloring Flower Mandalas by Wendy Piersall, so stay tuned!
Today I am reviewing a gorgeous book called Colour Therapy by Elizabeth James. This book was gifted to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book is the latest in Elizabeth James' series of Really Relaxing Colouring Books - Book 10 - and features 30 pages of beautiful designs, both intricate and easy for whatever you're in the mood for. I particularly love the Victorian-style tile patterns; I'm a sucker for symmetry and love anything vintage!
As I received a PDF copy I cannot comment on the quality of paper used, but I can tell you that each design is single sided (nothing printed on the back) so if you wanted to use Sharpies or alcohol-based pens, you don't have to worry about them bleeding through and messing up the illustration behind. Line thicknesses on the designs vary from thin to very thick. Personally I prefer thin, delicate designs but a variety of both is always good in a colouring book.
I would recommend this book to anyone, a beginner or a seasoned colourist, as the designs are so diverse. There's Mandalas, tiles, geometric patterns, nature, and the pictures can be quite detailed so it's going to last you a while- great value for money at just £3.95.
Here are some pages that I coloured, using my triplus fineliners, twistables and assorted gel pens. Hope you like them!
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. You can find it on Amazon here:
|