A new Johanna Basford book is a cause for mass excitement in the colouring community, and this latest addition was no exception. In fact I think Magical Jungle may be even *more* anticipated than the previous titles, as Johanna promised us so many additions and improvements that us die-hard colourists would really appreciate. Let's go through the list:
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Specially sourced heavy ivory paper
The paper is gorgeous- the best yet. It's thicker than its predecessors and has an ivory tint that is just 'off white' rather than creamy. The texture is great too, not coarse at all but with a wonderful tooth for coloured pencils. It's also very hardy, so people like me who use a rubber a lot won't see any effect on the page. None of the (many) waterbased pens I have tested on this book bled through or even shadowed on the reverse side. Even watercolour pencils fare well- just be restrictive with the amount of water you use and buckling should be kept to a minimum. |
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More double page spreads The double page spreads are absolutely stunning, showcasing jungle animals like crocs, snakes, parrots & monkeys amongst natural waterfalls, dangling vines, exotic flowers and watering holes. The spreads are, as promised, more frequent in this book and it's what gives Magical Jungle its flow rather than the high number of repeating patterns and single page illustrations in Lost Ocean. Magical Jungle does feature many standalone images, but most of them are 'scenic' rather than wallpaper style, which is exactly what fans were looking for. |
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Less intricacy Some parts of Lost Ocean were just *crazy* intricate, like even people with 20-20 vision were reaching for their magnifying glass. Magical Jungle keeps this to a minimum and there are lots of wider spaces for you to create blends and add your own detail if you want to. |
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A blank margin at the spine Yay! No more getting annoyed with a restrictive binding and almost pulling the pages out trying to colour in the centre. Now, there's nothing in the spine for you to get your knickers in a twist over, yet the double spreads still work as one scene. |
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Four one-sided, perforated illustrations for framing This is a total treat! We only ever see single sided pages in Johanna's Artist Editions, so to be able to have a selection added to the colouring book is fantastic. The perforation makes them easy to remove for framing & display, and of course you're able to use any medium you want without fear of bleed through. These pages are in lieu of the large fold-out page usually found in the books. |
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A Test Page for colouring mediums The test page is something a lot of colouring books have incorporated but it's not something ever found in a Johanna Basford book- until now. I'm often struggling to find a bit of paper to scribble palette and blending ideas onto when I'm colouring, so to be able to flip to the back of the book and have sample paper to use is very handy indeed (especially if you want to test for bleed). |
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Where a lot of people were disappointed with the paper, intricacy and non-storybook feel of Lost Ocean, Magical Jungle takes us back to the cohesive fairytale style of Enchanted Forest that everyone loves. Before I go any further, here's Johanna herself to show you the book in its entirety (I thought it would be better to hear her talking about each illustration rather than me post the usual slideshow of images).
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The majority of the book is made up of LEAVES. Lots and lots of them! But what would you expect of a jungle? So yes, there is a lot of plants and fronds but also super cute animals like the elephant in a bottle, panda and hippo. One of my favourite illustrations is this open book with a happy little monkey hanging from a branch; I think it reflects how the book brings the magic of the jungle off the page.
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Overall, Magical Jungle is everything I'd hoped for and more, with so many different types of illustrations like floral wreaths & spheres, double-page ribbons and draping canopies that allow you to create the scene underneath. Here are the pages I've completed so far. Originally I put in a very subtle pastel background of the lizard laying on a log, but it didn't turn out how I imagined it so I erased it all and created a literal 'Concrete Jungle' scene! Forgive my drawing skills; I'm still stuck in primary school when it comes to drawing people!
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And now for the giveaway! I have a spare copy of Magical Jungle that could end up on your doormat! To be in with a chance, enter via the Rafflecopter below. Ends on 18th August 2016, open worldwide. Good Luck!
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