The Ink House: A Unique and Imaginative Picture Book

Bought as a gift for a well-educated retired gent who couldnt stop raving about it.

I love everything about this coloring book. It has a fun story, really nice paper and hard cover.

This is a very nice book. The pictures are well drawn and very fun. The paper is a good weight and smooth. Very fun to color in!

This is a great book. Top quality, worth the price.

I bought this book without a preview and I AM SO GLAD I DID. It’s marketed as a coloring book, but it isn’t technically a coloring book - it’s a children’s book you could color if you choose. And we choose! We definitely choose! But if you’re going to buy this book as a coloring book, there are things you should know FIRST.

The paper is smooth, medium to heavy-weight, card stock with a slight sheen. I’m sure you could use pencils, but if you like to layer a lot, you might have to adjust your technique because there is very little tooth to fill. Not every page has an image to color, although there are roughly 47 pages (including double-page spreads) that I would call suitable for coloring. Many of the rest of the pages have small designs you could color if you wanted. The artwork does run into the gutter and the book takes some effort to make it lie flat, because it is hard cover and the paper is thicker than most. The art is also very intricate, so getting into the small corners might be problematic, especially for colorists with visual impairments. Also, the book has some graphics and shading that are light blue-grey, so you don't get to choose all the colors. (see the elephant and the cheetah page photos.)Now that we have the coloring thing out of the way, we can talk about the children’s book side. In full disclosure, I admit that I regularly buy children’s books exclusively for the art, because I am a bibliophile and because there is no such thing as too many books. But this one is unique. It speaks to me particularly as a writer and an artist. The idea of a bohemian house party (starring animals) where the characters come together to create art thrills me! The thought of a never-ending supply of ink in the basement is a creator’s dream! The only thing that would be better is if this book actually came with a bottle of “Ink House” brand ink! Someone make this happen! The illustrations are unique and painstaking - believe me, I KNOW how long it takes to draw images like this - and perfectly coincide with the story. They don’t NEED to be colorized. They are absolutely gorgeous just as they are, which means that I need two more copies: one to keep pristine in my collection, and another for my 10 month old grand-daughter, Raven. You can also purchase decorative items with these illustrations on them, like clocks and teapots. See Rory Dobner's web page for details. (I have my eye on a clock...)As a general rule, I save a full five-star rating for the most extraordinary books. This book is one of those. You won't regret buying it!Dear Rory, (the creator)If you publish a true coloring book, I will be first in line to purchase it… probably more than once!

I ordered for my grandson and it’s so awesome I am getting one. I love the storytelling and the pictures are amazing

I realized this wasn't a typical "coloring'" book but after reviewing some of the pages shown in the reviews, I thought it was worth taking a look at. I am so glad that I did as I absolutely love the illustrations. There is one of a fox sitting in a chair, that I just can't wait to try. The story that goes along with is also very special. It is the type of book that my children would have cherished when they were young. Again not your typical, but there is plenty of typical available and very little of the unique, different and completely delightful.As I can't stand the idea of messing up a page, I will copy a page and practice it before doing the one in the book. While that wont guarantee potential disaster, I have found that having a copy to experiment with different color schemes, etc results in a far better end result (Just remember copying this for any other purpose but personal use etc. is just like stealing, so don't pass any copies on to others!) Once I know I have it down to the best of my ability I will then go to the book.Would love to see others finished pages so hope if you buy you will later add some pictures of your completed work.While there are some pages that would be above the skill level of young children, there are also pages that you could do with your child and this would make a wonderful project to share.

Arrived earlier than expected and was exactly as described.

had seen many colourists showcasing their work from this book to the point I just had to buy it! was not disappointed!

Très beau livre de coloriage pour adultes.

La carta non è da disegno,ma lucida,quindi difficoltosa da colorare,mmi ero fidata delle recensioni di alcuni,ci sono rimasta un po male,i disegno sono belli,ma se è un album da colorare,xchè non mettere la carta giusta?

Ein zauberhaftes Buch, welches auch zum Nachcolorieren verführt, obwohl die Zeichnungen es an sich nicht nötig haben.Traumhaft!

Ich kann dieses Malbuch nur empfehlen!Mir gefällt der Zeichenstil sehr gut. Das Papier hat eine gute Qualität. Da ich nicht mit wasserlöslichen Farben arbeite, kann ich keine Aussage über die Eignung des Papiers hierfür treffen.Es wäre toll, wenn es mehr von diesem Zeichner gäbe!