4 out of 4 stars
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The adult coloring book craze has taken the world by storm, with new coloring books being released constantly, in a number of varying styles. I have personally been a fan of adult coloring books for many years, and was delighted at the opportunity to review one.
Find Calm in the Garden of Paradise by Elizabeth Eliuk is a unique coloring book, in that it offers more than just coloring pages. Instead, the book includes a personal touch by the author to help guide the reader or artist in making it his or her own. It starts with an introduction that explains that the art style within the book is reminiscent of the Arts&Crafts movement of the 19th-century. This becomes especially noticeable within the more whimsical or dreamlike drawings, and adds an interesting vintage touch to the general mood of the book.
The author also includes a miniature art lesson, which includes guidance on different types of coloring pencils and ink media, explanations about the process of layering color, and an exploration of the color wheel. The author explains all the concepts in this section in simple and straightforward terms, allowing even someone with no artistic knowledge or experience to learn from them. Wisely, this section is rather short, so as not to distract from the main purpose of the book - to color!
The coloring pages themselves are beautiful, intricate, and unique. I have looked through dozens of coloring books of similar styles, yet none that have had the exact mix of elements that I saw in this one. There is a nice balance between natural images full of realistic botanical detail, and ornately decorated whimsical scenes of magic. The pages are designed skillfully and elegantly, with a wide range of large and small details to suit any mood of coloring. Some of the pages allow for additional personalization, such as a blank border or background that can be drawn in and then colored.
The images range from landscape scenes, to close-ups of birds, flowers, and butterflies. There are repeat appearances of peacocks and pomegranates, which spoke to me of themes like fruitfulness, fertility, and life. As I mentioned earlier, the pages include sections with very fine detail (such as can only be colored with a very fine tip) and other larger pieces that can be colored with crayons or markers. I believe this is one of the strong points of the book, as it allows the book to be accessible to folks with a wide range of mobility in their hands. In all, I see absolutely nothing to critique about this work, other than that it could perhaps be a bit longer, simply so it could be enjoyed more. If given the opportunity, I would definitely purchase this as a hard copy for myself, or to give as a gift to others. Therefore, I rate this coloring book 4 out of 4 stars, and recommend it to anyone who already loves to color, anyone who wants to expand his or her understanding of basic art concepts in a fun way, or anyone who is looking to explore a relaxing and satisfying new hobby.
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Find Calm in the Garden of Paradise
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