Friday, August 14, 2015

Colored Pages


It's fascinating to see a page come to life after a few brushes of color isn't it? I can't remember where I first saw these incredible coloring books, perhaps it was in an Anthropologie store or online somewhere, but I was immediately captivated. Coloring was one of my favorite pastimes 
as a child so when I discovered these adult coloring books I thought I had struck gold.
A few weeks ago I broke down and purchased my first one, Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring BookI searched long and hard online to find what would be the best options
when it came to tools. Hands down, Prismacolor colored pencils won me over. 
Near the end of this post I will provide a list of tools I use to bring these pages to life.  

Apparently, after purchasing this book, I discovered that adult coloring books are a huge thing right now. Perhaps they're nostalgic for some and for many, they are great stress-relievers and a way for people to unwind after a long day at work. I came across an interesting article that was published in The New Yorker just last month and I have included a segment of it here: 

"In 2011, the British publishing house Laurence King asked Johanna Basford, a Scottish artist and commercial illustrator specializing in hand-drawn black-and-white patterns for wine labels and perfume vials, to draw a children’s coloring book. Basford suggested instead that she draw one for adults. For years, she told her publishers, her clients had loved to color in her black-and-white patterns. The publishers were convinced, and ultimately ordered an initial print run for “Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book” of thirteen thousand copies. Since the book’s release, in 2013, it has sold about two million copies worldwide; for a time earlier this year, “Secret Garden” and a follow-up, “Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest and Coloring Book,” were the two best-selling books on Amazon. “If someone saw you coloring in one of my books, they wouldn’t give you a weird look, because it’s the same kind of artwork you would see on a champagne bottle,” Basford told me. “The artwork itself is sophisticated––not like a car or a 
bunny with a bow in its hair.”


After flipping through the pages of the Secret Garden, I quickly got online and swiped it's twin up too: Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest and Coloring Book.


The reviews online were so good for these pencils I just knew I had to have my own set. I read serious art students and tattoo artists use Prismacolor for their sketches. I guarantee, you will 
never go back to Crayola again. I could color with these little guys all day. 


Each page is more enchanting than the last!



                 Of course, use the tools best suited for you. But if you like the look of my pages than 
I have provided a list of tools here: 
I have enjoyed filling these wonderful books with color! It has been so relaxing for me. It is a great way for me to escape and allow my mind to rest. I do enjoying listening to audio books, 
podcasts, or music while I leisurely color. Just the other day I was able to 
listen to 24 books of Genesis in one sitting! 

I hope you find yourself picking up your own copy of these magical books and discovering many hours of enjoyment in them as I have. Happy coloring! 


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