Return to site

Inspired by Nature

Artist: Erica Henry

Review by Alexandra Heep

· Nature Themed,Gardens
broken image

Inspired by Nature is a coloring book by Erica Henry published through the Create Space platform. Fun fact: It was released on my birthday 2015. The book features 25 hand drawn pictures, mostly of assorted whimsical garden scenes, and several blank pages in the back that you can remove and use as a shield against marker bleed-through. No worries, the book has single sided designs, this is just a precaution for those who don't like using colored pencils. The pages are not perforated, but remove easily with a box cutter or scissors.

Below you will find two examples that I colored. The illustrations might not seem terribly challenging, but leave lots of room for you to add your own personal touches. I'm not a really advanced colorist, so my colorings seem simple, but the designs in this book allow you to experiment with different techniques, backgrounds etc. As such, I think it's good for beginners because they won't feel overwhelmed with a lot of tiny details, but also for advanced colorists because they can use these pictures to experiment.

For example, the first picture you see was for a challenge that required to color leaves without using the color green. The second was done for a challenge that required the use of gray, black and white, plus one color. Also, this book is good for when you're having an off day or aren't feeling well because it won't hurt your eyes to look at too many swirls and things. Or, perhaps you have older children who are too old for kiddie books, but don't have the attention span yet to focus on intricate designs. Lastly, if you love nature, this is definitely for you, just as the book title suggests.

One thing though: Since it was published through Create Space, it has that awful paper that they use. However, that's beyond the artist's control.

broken image
broken image