Adult Coloring Book: Mandalas Paperback – December 21, 2015

The media could not be loaded. This is a smaller format coloring book of 45 different Mandalas. While the edges of the mandalas vary, they are all in a circular format (versus square or freeform.) Most of the designs are intricate while others are fairly open and easy to color. I appreciate that the book is smaller as it cuts off the empty area above and below the circular design and makes it easier for me to frame should I choose to do so.Some of the intricate designs also have small areas to color. I have just “discovered” Uni-ball Signo 0.38 gel pens which work fantastic for these small spaces. This gives me another medium to use other than my coloring pencils, so I am really pleased to have them (though they are missing what I call a true yellow.) I also had a lot of fun on one of the more open designs just using Sharpie Ultra-fine point markers (though you have to have a backing page.)These designs in this book are “curated” which means that they are licensed from various artists. It gives you a wider range of design styles but along with it, you get very different quality of lines and print. Some designs have heavy and/or dark black lines while others seem almost dark gray in color. In a few very, some of the lines seem less distinct than in others.The designs are printed on one side of thin white paper. The pages are not perforated but the artist has left ample room to cut a page out if you choose to do so. The binding is glued rather than sewn so you will have to cut the pages if you want to remove them. The designs all have finished elements as well as a small framing line on the outer portions of the design. I really like this as it helps give work a more polished a finished look, gives me a natural stopping point, and saves me time and ink.You can see a list of my coloring medium used for testing below. All of my markers (water-based as well as alcohol) and all of my gel pens bleed through this paper. My coloring pencils work well with it and behave according to their type of lead (though my hard lead pencils leave a noticeable indent on the back of the page. As the backside of the page is blank, I can use a heavyweight paper or chipboard beneath my working page to keep ink from leaking through or my indents from marring the page beneath. Chipboard can be purchased at an office supply store or on-line fairly inexpensively. I can reuse it many times over, so that is becoming my standard blotter sheet.These are the coloring medium that I use for testing. If there is something else you feel I should be testing, please let me know and I will see if I can add it to my growing pile:Markers: 1) alcohol-based – Copic Sketch, Prismacolor double ended markers (brush and fine point), Sharpies (fine and ultra-fine) and 2) water-based – Tombows dual end markers (brush and fine point), Stabilo 88, Staedler triplus fineliners, and Pentel markersGel Pens: Sakura, Fiskars, Uni-ball Signo 0.38 and TekwriterColoring Pencils: Prismacolor Premier Soft Core, Derwent Colorsoft, Prismacolor Verithins, and Faber-Castel Polychromos

I'm enjoying most designs in this book. I love the size. Seems perfect for me since I'm laid up in a recliner due to leg injuries and must do everything in my lap. Sadly, some designs are so busy, the lines leave little room for color. I like intricate and challenging mandalas but when the lining is so heavy that most of the design is black, I find it boring and/or frustrating. It would be nice to have perforations near the binding. It's difficult to remove a page without tearing so I spent a couple of hours loosening the binding and then cutting the pages out with an excisor knife. That way, I can turn the design round and round as I color -- the most Zen approach. The paper quality is just Ok. I would have liked a heavier paper to accommodate less viscous inks and blending of coloring pencil layers. Not too bad though if you know to take care.Despite its drawbacks, I give 5 stars because it was less than four dollars on Amazon prime. Well worth the money for so many hours of relaxation and distraction from pain.

Perfect!

I bought this book twice that’s how much I liked this book of Mandalas. It’s hard trying to find coloring books that I like and that are relaxing but fun to color. I buy a lot of coloring books mainly for my mother and my self but, then I do buy them for gifts for friends and family. This book is one of my favorites from all the books that I have bought so far! The Mandalas seem to come to life with color and your imagination come alive from page to page!I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking relaxation and fun and to anyone who loves Mandalas!

I had a situation where I could not move around for two months. I sat with the leg up and did coloring which I absolutely adored. I went thru so many coloring books and decided to see what Amazon had to offer. I decided to get this one. I love the smaller size as it is easier to turn around while coloring. I love the designs. The ones I have done so far are just fun and relaxing. I would recommend putting a sheet of paper underneath the Mandala you are coloring like they recommend. Best yet the price! Hands down I would recommend this coloring book.

Its ok, but you can go on line & find great patterns & download them for printing at home. (or where ever)I purchased an 8x11 size package of good stiff card stock at both SAMs & on Amazon & just print out the designs I want. I can use a hole punch if I want to keep them in a ring binder or just keep them in a folder. I dont have to deal with bleed through or book binding & I can just toss the ones I no longer want to keep.But, this book is again ok, but a bit expensive & unnecessary...

I'm giving the product 5 stars even though I returned it, because the product itself is beautiful. It was delivered timely and with great packaging. Of course, the one time I don't read the reviews before purchasing something, it turns out the reviews would have helped me immensely. I got them to give to clients who are Seniors, which would've been a cruel joke b/c, even though the picture itself is a good size, the lines within which you have to color are crazy small. For a teenager or younger or middle aged adult with colored pencils (I don't think crayon, or even marker, would work) I could see it being really meditative, though. The pictures are really lovely and it's great quality for the money. If only they made a version with bigger lines!