Travel Between the Lines by Wandertooth Media

Summary
Current Price: £6.59
Number of Pages: 108
Size: 28 x 21cm
Paper colour: White
Paper surface: Smooth 
Paper thickness: Average
Linework: Fine​ 
Perforated: No 
One sided: Yes 
Binding: Glue 
Drawings go into the spine: No​
Waterbased pen bleed: Slight 

Travel Between the Lines is a unique colouring book that is based on real photographs from the travels of husband and wife explorers, Geoff and Katie Matthews. The couple had their personal pics from 29 countries converted into 47 line drawings for you to colour, including locations such as Spain, China, Lithuania, Hong Kong and Argentina.

There is a mixture of vast panoramics and close up, more intimate scenes, featuring a variety of complexities for the colourist's preference. The illustrations were all digitally recreated from genuine photographs taken by Geoff and Katie, so there will always be an original to refer back to on their social media accounts if, like me, you want to keep true to the real colours.

There are sprawling buildings, bustling towns, picturesque vistas and cosy side streets to choose from, each one offering an insight into a far away place we might never have seen otherwise. Each illustration is numbered and has a short story/description at the back of the book, allowing you to feel more connected to the scene you are colouring, as if seeing it through the travellers' eyes.

Digital drawings aren't usually my thing at all, but this book is the exception to the rule. Like Fantastic Cities by Steve McDonald, the fact that these are all real places make the crisp, clean lines almost map-like, and the sheer amount of detail means it's nowhere near the same category as those cheaply churned out digital colouring books that are saturating Amazon at the moment.

Travel Between the Lines is an A4 sized book with a glossy card cover and each image is one sided. The paper thickness is average so scrap paper is needed if you're using markers. However, I used Derwent Inktense pencils with lashings of water and it only bled through in one area (which I went over A LOT due to a mistake), so it's not bad quality paper by any means. Each illustration is encased in a border which is off-centre on the page, a little off-putting but likely a printing oversight. The fact that this is the only quibble I can find with the book speaks volumes on how much I like it, especially as it is the complete opposite of the hand-drawn original illustrations I love the most.

The book would make a fantastic gift for any globetrotters, frequent holidayers or just die-hard daydreamers you know! As I said earlier, I coloured my picture with Derwent Inktense pencils and a Derwent Waterbrush, which was quite a feat- getting into the tiny gaps was not easy, neither was staying within the lines! It took me two days in total but I'm pleased with how it turned out.

The photo I used as a reference

My finished page

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. You can find it on Amazon here:

Travel Between the Lines Adult Coloring Book: Inspirational Coloring for Globetrotters and Daydreamers