Stress Less Coloring books by Adams Media

22/11/2015

Summary
Current Price: £9.99
Number of Pages: 208
Size: 23 x 20 cm
Paper colour: White
Paper surface: Smooth
Paper thickness: Thin
Linework: Assorted
Perforated: No
One sided: Yes
Binding: Glue
Drawings go into the spine: Yes
Waterbased pen bleed: Yes

These books are part of a series of 12 that have either been released or are due for release soon from Adams Media. They are very thick and comprehensive with over 100 different styles of design, making them ideal for the new colourist who wants everything all in one book.

Flower Patterns

As you can guess, this book is filled with lots of different flower species, leaves, petals, stems and swirls for you to fill with colour. There is a mixture of line thicknesses from very fine to bold and black, for whatever on your personal preference. Some of the designs are quite wallpaper-y, so those who find repetition boring may not be into this book- but there's a good variety of different pictures to choose from so I'm sure you'll see something you like. I would recommend this book as a Christmas present to someone who is new to colouring and loves flowers, as there is so many pages of designs they'll have fun flipping through.

Mandalas

Jim Gogarty is the king of Mandalas in the colouring world, creating hundreds of relaxing symmetrics for you to chill out with. This book again contains over 100 of them so this is like a bible for these meditative circles. The styles range from simple to complex, all rendered in crisp fine lines. I think the whole 'Stress Less' series makes for great pressies as I have to say that this is also a good one for the novice who is just starting out. As a seasoned colourist I prefer pen-and-ink drawings that are a little less digital-looking. Let Jim's flowing mandalas melt away all the tension of the day and lose yourself within the clean, fluid lines.

Both books are made with cheap feeling, thin paper which is a bit of a let down, but all drawings are one-sided so any markers can be used. The cover is part soft touch, part gloss, giving it a quality feel that would be perfect for gifting to a loved one.

Here's a picture I finished from Flower Patterns, coloured with Tombow brush pens.