4.56

0

Mar 15, 2016

My wife gave me this book for Christmas 2015. I've been coloring in it with my 4yr old daughter. Mostly she helps me pick colors and bumps me from time to time.

I've done maybe 6 or so, but here are 2 that I have finished (I'll post the others later)
My favorite one so far. I'm trying to avoid "rainbows" but I really liked this one


Experimenting with Warm and Cool colors


This is actually the first one that I colored


This one took me a loooong time. I call it "Eel-ementals"... You know... because each My wife gave me this book for Christmas 2015. I've been coloring in it with my 4yr old daughter. Mostly she helps me pick colors and bumps me from time to time.

I've done maybe 6 or so, but here are 2 that I have finished (I'll post the others later)
My favorite one so far. I'm trying to avoid "rainbows" but I really liked this one


Experimenting with Warm and Cool colors


This is actually the first one that I colored


This one took me a loooong time. I call it "Eel-ementals"... You know... because each eel is meant to represent... like... an element... but they are eels... eel-ementals.... get it?


I was trying to make good use of whitespace with these JamFish


Probably my least favorite that I have done so far. I was trying to make good use of black...


The starfeesh and C-Harse are the first two that I colored after getting my new set of colored pencils. Primsacolor work like a dream.



I mentioned earlier/elsewhere that my 4yr old daughter colors with me and gives me coloring advice. Mostly when she colors we make copies of the pages, but not always... Still, I love these pages so much



I imagine this as the view through the window of a white and gold submarine


The Nefarious One challenged me on behalf of the Coloring Cult to use only Blues Silvers or Gold to make a picture. Naturally I thought of a "Blue" Whale. Since I'm such a rebel, I actually rubbed in some black as well to make one of my blues darker.


Just to see what it would look like, I did a picture by only outlining stuff. I liked how it turned out... but wont do it again. My daughter thinks it is incomplete and urges me to "finish" it


This ended up looking a little more 70s than I wanted, but I like it anyway. I was experimenting with Yellow and Brown
...more

0

Mar 14, 2016

WARNING! This is an ongoing project so this review will probably be bumped whenever I remember to update what I've been doing.

I was originally doing this book -> Nature: 70 designs to help you de-stress but I'm a bit tired of colouring flowers so I'm going to alternate with this gorgeous one.

So, the pics!

(view spoiler)[

Shades of blue Challenge.


Current work in progress.
(hide spoiler)]

In case you're interested, I'm doing this with a group of wonderful friends. Check their books here:
Cathy's WARNING! This is an ongoing project so this review will probably be bumped whenever I remember to update what I've been doing.

I was originally doing this book -> Nature: 70 designs to help you de-stress but I'm a bit tired of colouring flowers so I'm going to alternate with this gorgeous one.

So, the pics!

(view spoiler)[

Shades of blue Challenge.


Current work in progress.
(hide spoiler)]

In case you're interested, I'm doing this with a group of wonderful friends. Check their books here:
Cathy's Happy Mandalas.
Sandra's Secret Garden & Enchanted Forest.
Sarah's Rêves.


...more

3

Feb 16, 2016

EDIT: Having attempted some more of these I'm going to say EF is still my favourite. I like this book but there's a lot of repetitive geometric designs with very fine lines. There's a few pics I'm not bothered about colouring; googling shows great versions, but I'm not an artist so not looking for too complex.

Three of my efforts under spoiler-cut, finishing these feels like quite an accomplishment ;):
(view spoiler)[ One of the easier manadalas
Festival Fishies

Two page sea-life scene (Would like EDIT: Having attempted some more of these I'm going to say EF is still my favourite. I like this book but there's a lot of repetitive geometric designs with very fine lines. There's a few pics I'm not bothered about colouring; googling shows great versions, but I'm not an artist so not looking for too complex.

Three of my efforts under spoiler-cut, finishing these feels like quite an accomplishment ;):
(view spoiler)[ One of the easier manadalas
Festival Fishies

Two page sea-life scene (Would like to add some blue background but ability verses ideas...yeah, nope!) (hide spoiler)]
-- -- -- --
Love this series of colouring books.
Finding Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest & Coloring Book [EF] totally absorbing and now been gifted (lovely hubby) with this book.

Illustrations have the same whimsy and selection of mandalas, double-page scenes and decorative animals. Sea-life being so splendidly varied there's plenty of scope for imagination to make demands on your arsenal of colours, with treasure to be hunted along the way.

The pages are smoother than with EF making it easier to colour with pencils however there's a lot of very fine detail and narrow lines to colour - pencils will need to be kept very sharp and fineliner pens are the best bet for most pictures. Pages are thick enough there's rarely bleed-through.

Wont be for everyone because of the intricate detail, some pages are very challenging. Needs a steady hand and focus. One to work up to, a few look very intimidating!

To give an idea of how fine some lines are here's my attempt at the opening page:

off to buy finer pens the w/e ;) ...more

5

Dec 10, 2015

Lost Ocean is a colouring book that the reader/artist can really immerse themselves in and get lost within its gorgeous pages. Although it is an adult colouring book, it can actually be enjoyable at any age. This book makes the reader feel artistic, provides an amusing game and aids in relaxation.

As a non-artist, Lost Ocean provided me with a sense of artistic skill. I found the drawings to be detailed, yet simple to colour. There are differing levels of difficulty in some of the designs that Lost Ocean is a colouring book that the reader/artist can really immerse themselves in and get lost within its gorgeous pages. Although it is an adult colouring book, it can actually be enjoyable at any age. This book makes the reader feel artistic, provides an amusing game and aids in relaxation.

As a non-artist, Lost Ocean provided me with a sense of artistic skill. I found the drawings to be detailed, yet simple to colour. There are differing levels of difficulty in some of the designs that allow the artist to decide the commitment level for each colouring session.

Another aspect of this book that makes it so enjoyable are the hidden objects throughout the book to colour and discover. At the beginning of the colouring book, there is a legend of hidden treasures and trinkets to be found. From magic potions to messages in bottles, the reader will be kept busy searching for these fun items while colouring away.

Time simply flies by when you are engrossed in an adventure that is both relaxing and enjoyable. It was certainly a wonderful distraction for me this holiday season to sit and colour for a few hours at the end of a busy day. I highly recommend Lost Ocean to anyone who enjoys relaxing through artistic methods.
...more

0

Jan 03, 2017

Coloring Video 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NgEy...
Coloring Video #2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQe0t...
Coloring Video #3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mkvk...
Coloring Video #4:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ryy...

4

Oct 21, 2015

Joanna Basford, the biggest name in adult coloring books, has a spectacular new coloring book for adults called Lost Ocean: An Inky Adventure & Coloring Book that brings to mind all manner of meditation mandelas, craft projects, color theories, visual recognition games, to say nothing of the wonders of the underwater world. The pictures are dense and detailed, far too complex for a child to manage, but perhaps just perfect for a teen or adult, perhaps even a much older adult, who wishes to Joanna Basford, the biggest name in adult coloring books, has a spectacular new coloring book for adults called Lost Ocean: An Inky Adventure & Coloring Book that brings to mind all manner of meditation mandelas, craft projects, color theories, visual recognition games, to say nothing of the wonders of the underwater world. The pictures are dense and detailed, far too complex for a child to manage, but perhaps just perfect for a teen or adult, perhaps even a much older adult, who wishes to try out a color palette, or concentrate on something unrelated to daily life.

Apparently the phenomenon of an adult coloring book market is large and growing, and Penguin provides a kit for groups of adults to work together on projects—a “community coloring club” is what they call these gatherings. They have also announced the release of a Coloring Club Kit which includes:

• Recipes for refreshments.
• Playlist. Johanna Basford tells us she likes to draw to music by bands like The xx, and Florence and the Machine, “anything with too strong a beat interrupts the flow of the coloring.” We’ve compiled a special playlist to help unleash your creativity.
• Ice Breakers to get your coloring club members chatting.
• A special Q&A with the undisputed Queen of coloring books, Johanna Basford.
Truthfully, I was thinking these might be a good solution for adult community centers, but I can imagine a craftsperson finding the designs intriguing for color design. And finally, someone who needs design help generally might find inspiration here.

My sister is a docent at a seaside State Park that carries items like this in their museum store. Looks like a good seashore gift item generally, or a purchase a seaside Bed & Breakfast might find attractive. Keep your eyes peeled for this title in a bookstore near you this season, or buy it directly from the penguinrandomhouse.com website.

On my blog you will find a few sample pages and a giveaway posted until the book is released October 27. ...more

4

Nov 20, 2015

Under a lot of stress? Grab a copy of an adult coloring book. Lost Ocean is a bit more difficult than Ms. Basford's earlier books. The details are smaller in some of the pages, so you will need to sharpen those pencil crayons to a finer point. Pages take days and hours to color, and you will probably never have the right shade of green or blue. (Which in itself can be a bit stressful!)

Lost Ocean follows the same format as Secret Garden in that as you color, there are hidden treasures to find in Under a lot of stress? Grab a copy of an adult coloring book. Lost Ocean is a bit more difficult than Ms. Basford's earlier books. The details are smaller in some of the pages, so you will need to sharpen those pencil crayons to a finer point. Pages take days and hours to color, and you will probably never have the right shade of green or blue. (Which in itself can be a bit stressful!)

Lost Ocean follows the same format as Secret Garden in that as you color, there are hidden treasures to find in the pages.

My only beef with these coloring books is that the pictures go into the binding (when the picture spans two pages), making coloring that part a little awkward. I'm also not sure if the paper will survive markers, hence the pencil crayons.

All in all, great value for the money as this book will keep you occupied for a long time. By the way, these books are not only for adults - I gave my nieces a copy of Secret Garden last summer and they had a blast with the books. So maybe ages 12+ and artistically inclined would be a better recommendation. ...more

5

Oct 29, 2015

Sharpen up your colored pencils, because these are lovely, enticing, and intricate designs! You WILL need very sharp colored pencils to do them justice.

Some studies say that coloring like this is a worthy alternative to sitting meditation. Since trying to do sitting meditation makes me crazy, I have been looking for alternatives- and adult coloring books seem to work similarly.

And this one is gorgeous! Also very intricate, so one will have lots of chill time working on it- I just spent about 20 Sharpen up your colored pencils, because these are lovely, enticing, and intricate designs! You WILL need very sharp colored pencils to do them justice.

Some studies say that coloring like this is a worthy alternative to sitting meditation. Since trying to do sitting meditation makes me crazy, I have been looking for alternatives- and adult coloring books seem to work similarly.

And this one is gorgeous! Also very intricate, so one will have lots of chill time working on it- I just spent about 20 min coloring a small fish.

Fun to do piecemeal, and very, very pretty. ...more

5

Dec 11, 2015

Okay, I admit it - when I first heard about adult colouring books, I was skeptical. Could sitting down to colour be enjoyable? Relaxing? Dare I say - stress relieving? And then I tried it - and the answer is yes to all of the above.

Johanna Basford has a number of adult colouring books out - all quite amazing. I thought I would dive (pun intended!) into Lost Ocean: An Inky Adventure and Colouring Book.

I liked the gold accents on the cover - it hints at treasure within. (I'm a magpie - anything Okay, I admit it - when I first heard about adult colouring books, I was skeptical. Could sitting down to colour be enjoyable? Relaxing? Dare I say - stress relieving? And then I tried it - and the answer is yes to all of the above.

Johanna Basford has a number of adult colouring books out - all quite amazing. I thought I would dive (pun intended!) into Lost Ocean: An Inky Adventure and Colouring Book.

I liked the gold accents on the cover - it hints at treasure within. (I'm a magpie - anything shiny catches my eye!)

Now, are you one of those people who will start at the beginning and do all the pages in order? Or are you like me - I'll pick the one that appeals to me and start with it, choosing another as the mood strikes. Lost Ocean offers a wide range of choices from intricate, to simple. Basford has touched on all things oceanic from images of creatures of the deep - fish, octopuses, mermaids, lobsters, crabs to sunken galleons and their treasures, whimsical designs and more. The last picture is a double sided four page foldout - okay I am indeed saving that one 'til last. Every page from cover to copyright page has images to bring colour to.

And then there's the added fun of trying to also find hidden images in the drawings - diamonds, rings, keys, gold coins and others. (No worries - there's an answer key at the back!)

Lost Ocean is produced on nice, clean, crisp white stock - all your colour choices will show up true. I thought I would start with imagining some brightly coloured fish under the waves.

Remember - there's no 'right' way to colour - enjoy it! Have you tried adult colouring books yet? Lost Ocean would be a good one to get your feet wet! (pun intended!) ...more

5

Nov 30, 2015

Colouring was one of my favourite hobbies to do as a child and when my children were old enough to enjoy it I'd happily join them. There's something creative and yet so relaxing about passing the time with a gaggle of sharpened pencil crayons in seemingly every colour of the rainbow and a big colouring book.

Adult colouring books have been all the rage lately and Johanna Basford has created a wonderfully creative way for adults to enjoy colouring again. The pages are made from thick, quality Colouring was one of my favourite hobbies to do as a child and when my children were old enough to enjoy it I'd happily join them. There's something creative and yet so relaxing about passing the time with a gaggle of sharpened pencil crayons in seemingly every colour of the rainbow and a big colouring book.

Adult colouring books have been all the rage lately and Johanna Basford has created a wonderfully creative way for adults to enjoy colouring again. The pages are made from thick, quality stock and are FILLED with detailed graphics of fish, octopi, sea creatures and greenery to fill hours of time or you can choose to colour in fits and spurts as your creativity desires. Also included are various objects that readers can find within the pages of the book.

I was always the kid who went for the detailed pages of a colouring book. I didn't want one giant cow on an entire page where I'd hardly have to colour anything at all. I wanted detailed pictures filled with chances to use many different shades and colours. Basford has created exactly my kind of colouring book. And while occasionally some of the graphics are so detailed that it was hard to get even a well sharpened pencil crayon in between the lines overall this is the colouring book of my dreams.

Lost Oceans is a fun way to pass the time doing something that I loved as a child but seemed to have forgotten about as an adult. It's something that I can spend a hour on or, more likely, sit down for twenty minutes to finish off a detailed fish before jumping back into my hectic life. Colouring can almost put you in a meditative state and I appreciate how I can happily zone out of the chaos around me and just focus on bringing the picture before me to life.

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Johanna Basford and Penguin Books for providing me with a complimentary copy of this colouring book in exchange for my honest review.

**This book review can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca) where I share hundreds of book reviews and my favourite recipes. ** ...more

5

Mar 01, 2016

Needs more more mermaids, but is otherwise fantastic.

I also have not coloured any of these yet. I just photocopy out a sample, colour that, reject it as not good enough and then go back to cooing over the unblemished book.

5

Aug 24, 2018

One of my favorite coloring books. Johanna Basford always makes the most beautiful coloring books. They mostly remind me of fantasy lands you'd want to escape to.
Highly recommend if you love to color. I use these for peacefulness since I suffer with an illness. Coloring helps so much.

2

Apr 12, 2016

So I realized AFTER I bought this book (I'm an impulse buyer) that this one was published by a different publishing company and BOY HOWDY can you tell the difference. First of all, there's no dust cover, which doesn't really bother me, I always take those off anyway, but it's one of those faux-dust covers where there are little flaps in the front and back and THAT pisses me off. Either do or don't, you know? Commit or don't, just YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH.

Also, the texture of the pages is totally So I realized AFTER I bought this book (I'm an impulse buyer) that this one was published by a different publishing company and BOY HOWDY can you tell the difference. First of all, there's no dust cover, which doesn't really bother me, I always take those off anyway, but it's one of those faux-dust covers where there are little flaps in the front and back and THAT pisses me off. Either do or don't, you know? Commit or don't, just YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH.

Also, the texture of the pages is totally different than Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest, and I mean that in a bad way. The pages are about the same thickness, but the texture is really smooth and STARK WHITE so all my coloured pencils and markers come off as different colours than they do on the other books, which are more "creamy" in colour. Listen to me, I sound like a hipster selling paint colors.



Also also, the black outlines aren't as dark? In her other two books, I could go all out with the dark colors and you could still tell where the artist's outline started and where my inept fumblings began. But in this book, if I'm colouring in, say, a leaf, it just looks like a green blob. Boo.

I'm always worried whenever I colour in this book. I'm constantly checking to see if my markers are bleeding through, and the whole reason I bought these books in the first place is to LESSEN my anxiety, not to increase it.

One and a half thumbs down. The designs are gorgeous, as always with this artist, but I can't appreciate them because of the aforementioned problems. ...more

1

May 17, 2016

I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways and forgot about it for a long time. Then two things happened. First, I saw the book in a store. Second, I went on Goodreads and discovered that its rating was 4.65, which is well above average. After all that I couldn't resist leaving a negative review. The problem is I didn't expect that the 'advance uncorrected sampler' I asked through giveaways in reality would be a ten-page excerpt. I feel offended. Besides 'magical journey beneath I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways and forgot about it for a long time. Then two things happened. First, I saw the book in a store. Second, I went on Goodreads and discovered that its rating was 4.65, which is well above average. After all that I couldn't resist leaving a negative review. The problem is I didn't expect that the 'advance uncorrected sampler' I asked through giveaways in reality would be a ten-page excerpt. I feel offended. Besides 'magical journey beneath the ways' is a description that falls very far from reality. That promise makes me think of some real creatures to color, while the book is just an assembly of sea-themed patterns. ...more

4

Jan 25, 2016

While not a reading book, I wanted to rate this book. Since I have always enjoyed coloring, I am enjoying the current adult coloring craze and the books that reflect a more sophisticated style.

4

Feb 04, 2016

Hands down, my favorite of Basfords books. I heart coloring details.

5

Feb 28, 2016

I own and love this coloring book. The pictures are intricate and paper is good quality.

5

Dec 23, 2015

Really cool adult coloring book. more on http://bookwinked.wordpress.com

5

Dec 22, 2015

The Lost Ocean is definitely my favourite Johanna Basford colouring book to date. It does have a couple of overly intricate designs but I absolutely love at least 95% of the book.

I just need more time to colour because I doubt I will ever finish the book or any of the other colouring books I own.

5

Oct 28, 2015

This book is a visual orgasm. I can't help but compare it to The Time Chamber by Daria Song, since that is the only other "adult" coloring book I own. If this were a competition between the two, Lost Ocean would win.

Lost Ocean is what I originally had in mind when I set out to get a coloring book for myself. There is no story per se. Instead, Johanna Basford presents us with a series of related images: tropical fish, octopuses, sea horses, mermaids, and more! The reason I like it better than This book is a visual orgasm. I can't help but compare it to The Time Chamber by Daria Song, since that is the only other "adult" coloring book I own. If this were a competition between the two, Lost Ocean would win.

Lost Ocean is what I originally had in mind when I set out to get a coloring book for myself. There is no story per se. Instead, Johanna Basford presents us with a series of related images: tropical fish, octopuses, sea horses, mermaids, and more! The reason I like it better than Time Chamber is that besides the discreet images, other illustrations include repeating patterns that help you zen out. It also contains multiple mandalas, a couple of two-page spreads, and even a two-sided pull-out image. All of the illustrations are beautifully done; I would highly recommend this book for the artwork alone.

I'm not sure where I saw a coloring book that had tear-out pages in case you were so impressed with your skills that you wanted to frame the finished product or put it up on your refrigerator. This book does not do that. The pages are firmly stuck in there. The quality of the paper is good, smooth, and perfect for colored pencils. I would be hesitant to try markers on this.

Overall, I am thrilled with my purchase! If you're looking for a good way to relax and be creative with a limited amount of guidance, this is a fantastic way to do it. The image is there; you just need to bring out the colors. ...more

5

Dec 20, 2015

Lost Ocean is an absolutely beautiful adult colouring book. If you like underwater scenes, you will probably enjoy this book. Basford is an wonderful artist and her pictures are full of incredible detail. In fact, if you are going to colour this book, make sure you have a good pencil sharpener (and maybe some reading glasses?). Some pages are mandala-like, others are scenes, and there are a few less detailed pages. However, each page would easily take hours to colour in.

Even though this book is Lost Ocean is an absolutely beautiful adult colouring book. If you like underwater scenes, you will probably enjoy this book. Basford is an wonderful artist and her pictures are full of incredible detail. In fact, if you are going to colour this book, make sure you have a good pencil sharpener (and maybe some reading glasses?). Some pages are mandala-like, others are scenes, and there are a few less detailed pages. However, each page would easily take hours to colour in.

Even though this book is clearly aimed at adults, my 10 year old daughter has enjoyed colouring in it as well, but she is a patient sort of child. She loves the imagination in the pictures and searching for the hidden pictures in each page.

The pages themselves are thick and can even stand up to colouring with a sharpie marker without bleeding through. It would be better if the book could lay open flat as many of the pictures span both pages and it is difficult to colour in the binding.

If you are looking for a book to take advantage of the meditative aspects of colouring and love the ocean, this is a great one.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for an honest review. ...more

5

Feb 23, 2016

As far as colouring books for adults go, this is one of my favourites. I love the various patterns, cool underwater themed designs, scenes of shipwrecks and ocean creatures.

It really is a very detailed book with plenty of gorgeous pages to colour. So if you're into that (I've been colouring as an adult for years and it is so much fun), you will certianly enjoy this book (and for that matter anything else by this artist/author).

On a side note, I'd recommended using coloured pencils with this As far as colouring books for adults go, this is one of my favourites. I love the various patterns, cool underwater themed designs, scenes of shipwrecks and ocean creatures.

It really is a very detailed book with plenty of gorgeous pages to colour. So if you're into that (I've been colouring as an adult for years and it is so much fun), you will certianly enjoy this book (and for that matter anything else by this artist/author).

On a side note, I'd recommended using coloured pencils with this book, as many of the illustrations are too detailed or fine for markers or crayons.

Also, the little game of hide and seek where you have to find the hidden objects is a fun addition. I decided that all the hidden objects would be coloured with metallic pencils as opposed to the regular pencils I use to colour the rest of the book... ...more

2

Nov 28, 2015

I received this in a Goodreads giveaway.

Unbeknownst to me though, I had entered to win a sample of the book, not the entire one.
Additionally, the details for most of it are very small, which makes it difficult to color in. I would feel more stress in determining how to color, which is not how I approach coloring.
One of the spreads was just fish with no scene. There are probably 30 fish on the spread, all with fine details. I was hoping for more scenes.

I gave the book to my niece who is less of I received this in a Goodreads giveaway.

Unbeknownst to me though, I had entered to win a sample of the book, not the entire one.
Additionally, the details for most of it are very small, which makes it difficult to color in. I would feel more stress in determining how to color, which is not how I approach coloring.
One of the spreads was just fish with no scene. There are probably 30 fish on the spread, all with fine details. I was hoping for more scenes.

I gave the book to my niece who is less of a perfectionist and more of an artist. She doesn't have any issues with the detailed parts, which is the only reason I gave this a 2 and not 1 star. ...more

5

Nov 18, 2015

Great book/illustrations. Worth the wait. Love all the ocean themed pictures (as opposed to her previous themes of garden and forest). Wonderful thick pages which unfortunately are two-sided but this is not unique in the coloring book business. Alternates nicely between single page and designs that cover 2-pages. The intricacy varies which is important to not feel overwhelmed. I conduct seminars in coloring and everyone else is loving it too!

4

Sep 06, 2016

The review is from my blog, where you can also see a video flip through https://thecoloringaddict.com/2016/08...

The third of Johanna’s books, Lost Ocean is printed on stark white paper, different from the usual creamy white. Also the covers aren’t brown but blue to keep with the sea theme. The images range from super tiny to normal. The super tiny ones are so super tiny that you probably need a loupe