Jasmine Becket-Griffith coloring book

The subject of today's review is the Jasmine Becket Griffith coloring book. It's a bit different from most of the other books in my collection. 

Unlike the Johanna Basford books which have original artwork created specifically for adult coloring, this book contains line work that was adapted from the paintings created by the artist. 

Jasmine Becket-Griffith coloring book

Description

This book contains 55 of her original paintings adapted as line work for coloring in. The book has a dust jacket with a half completed image printed on it. The actual cover of the book is a plain brown card. 

I actually like this better than other illustrated covers since I don't have to worry about getting the book dirty. There are 96 pages inside providing a lot of coloring time for her fans and adult colorists alike.

Artwork

This is not a book meant specifically for her fans, anyone who loves coloring fantasy type images will love this book. The characters in the book range from mermaids, warriors, werewolves to pirates and fairies. Each illustration is a fantastic mix of cute and Gothic elements that work really well.

Most pages contain a single illustration that fills the entire page with a black outline where the image ends. There are a few pages that contain 4 smaller illustrations which are great for times when you don't have the patience to complete a full picture or for practice. 

The artist has also included detailed descriptions about each page so you can get some ideas for how to color each illustration. Some people like to look up her original paintings and re-create them as accurately as possible. Others avoid looking at her original artwork so that they're not influenced by her color choices or style. How you want to color these pictures is entirely up to you!

Paper Quality

The paper quality in this book is really good. The images are printed single-sided on 150 GSM off-white or ivory paper. The pictures are printed on the right with detailed descriptions and the characters' names on the left. 

The book lies quite flat and since each page is bounded by a black outline. There are no pictures that go into the spine of the book itself. Some of the images have intricate details while others offer wide-open spaces.

Suitable Mediums

• Colored pencils work well
• Watercolors work great!
• Markers are ok too

The paper took water really well. It absorbs water quite fast, so you have to be quick with blending and pulling colors around. But the paper doesn't really buckle much, even after I added multiple layers (allowing each to dry before adding more). 

Value

This book sells for around $12 on Amazon, a perfect price point. It offers high-quality paper with beautiful illustrations that are a joy to color. Even a beginner who does nothing more than fill each space with a single color without any blending or shading can get striking results. It is also good practice if you want to improve your skills at coloring skin, hair, fur etc. Overall I would consider this book a must buy for most colorists, regardless of skill level.