Coloring Book by Johanna Basford
Johanna Basford is an illustrator and ink evangelist. She prefers to use pen and pencils to create intricate hand-drawn illustrations in black and white. Her creativity comes from imagination and delight in fantastic. Moreover, she also has been supported by her works which have roots in flora and fauna.
She graduated in 2005 from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee with my degree in Printed Textiles and a portfolio stuffed with monochrome silk screen prints and drawings. Following that, she set-up my little studio and began on her mission to vanquish the vector and champion the (wobbly) hand drawn line.
Because of her talents, she has published 6 coloring books and it has been translated into 14 languages. The coloring books are,
1st Coloring Book, SECRET GARDEN (ARTIST'S EDITION)
2nd Coloring Book, ENCHANTED FOREST
3rd Coloring Book, SECRET GARDEN (NEW VERSION)
4th Coloring Book, LOST OCEAN (Released October 2015)
5th Coloring Book, MAGICAL JUNGLE (Released August 2016)
6th Coloring Book, JOHANNA'S CHRISTMAS (Launched on 27th October 2016)
The coloring books not only illustrations, but also there is a mystery that needs to be solved, like adventure.
By this review, I want to tell about coloring book ENCHANTED FOREST. This coloring book tells an adventure story, that we will travel the forest to find 9 hidden symbols along the way. If we can find the hidden symbols, we can unlock the castle door at the end of story and also we can reveal the secret hidden within.
My opinion about this coloring book is it has intricate or complicated, unique and interesting illustrations. However, the illustrations can invite us to play with the mystery inside, not only just coloring the illustrations by our desire. It is because this is can only be colored by hands using markers, drawing pen, color pencils and other coloring materials, it can help me to practice using coloring materials. Moreover, the challenge to find 9 hidden symbols also interesting to be solved in the end of story. It can help training our mind to solve a difficult problem by build our own imagination, and also help training our eyes to be more concern to find the hidden symbols.
This coloring book really helps me to get inspirations and some interesting visuals. On other hand, it can help me to use my imagination when I want to create an illustration, even I want to create a weird illustration.
Fox Illustration with Forest Theme by Johanna Basford
This is one of my favourite illustration from ENCHANTED FOREST. It is because it's very nice, interesting, unique and it's combined with animal and forest elements. The way she illustrates also eye catching although it looks complicated.
By this short review, some people will think that this coloring books will be bought and will be colored by children. However, for me everybody can buy and color this coloring book, even for adults and old people, especially for people who love drawing and adventure. Beside that, by this illustrations, it can help people to use their imagination not only coloring the shapes which is already there.
If you want to see other Johanna Basford illustrations, you can click on this link: http://www.johannabasford.com/
