Poster Masterpieces

I've been a little reluctant to check out any of the 'color your own' series, since most of the pictures are adapted from paintings, and depending on which artists does the adapting, they may or may not make for good coloring. This is another Marty Noble book, so it rocks. Color Your Own Poster Masterpieces features a lot of posters from the Art Nouveau time period. There are 30 posters to color.

Art Nouveau Patterns

I'll buy any coloring book that has designs or repetitive patterns. I think the finished artwork always looks so cool. And there's more planning involved when you have to determine color matches and what is going to repeat most and which colors to chose as highlights or accents. Never thought coloring could be so challenging, eh? That's why I do it. Sometimes it's a mindless relaxation, a means to just not think (beyond selecting colors), other times it really is a focused project. Either way is cool. Art Nouveau Patterns is another Marty Noble book. All the Dover coloring books by Noble are must-haves. There are 30 designs in this book. As with all the Dover books, if you use marker, even though the paper is pretty thick, they will bleed through. So you have to decide if you can do without the design on the back of the page. But if you use colored pencils, you're good to go.

Wondrous Wizards

I realize I forgot to color her hair on this one. Hmm, probably would have made gold or black. The gray on the overjacket is actually silver gel pen. Had to have a bit of sparkle for a wizard, don't you know. Wondrous Wizards is a fun book if you like fantasy drawings. Mostly male wizards, but there are a few females in it as well.

Empire Fashions

I have ALL of the DOver fashion coloring books. All of them. If you haven't noticed yet that coloring is my obsession, then keep coming back to the blog; you'll learn sooner or later. ;-) I'm not too keen on the Empire time period, but I do like coloring the intricate details of the dresses. Tom Tierney's Empire Fashions is another must have. You'll spot Napoleon and Josephine in this one as well.

Intricate Butterflies

I love all the new Intricate coloring books! They all have 45 designs to color. The pages are a little thin, though the backs are blank, but some marker bleed-through is experienced, so put a sheet of paper behind your design if markers are your thing.

Intricate Butterflies by Chuck Abraham is a must-have. I see he's got an Intricate Valentine book planned as well. You know I'll grab that one when it comes out!

Coloring Mandalas

So call this one my Goth Mandala. :-) And obviously my scanner is too small for the nice wide square pages in this spiral-bound book. Coloring Mandalas by Susanne F. Fincher is a keeper. There's 72 designs inside. Only one on each page, so the backs are white to allow for bleed-through if you use markers. Essential, if you ask me.