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Dagdrömmar Tavelbok is illustrated by Hanna Karlzon and published and kindly sent to me to review by Pagina Forlag. This book is the Artist’s Edition of Dagdrömmar, the hugely popular debut colouring book by Hanna. I don’t have the original book so I’m afraid I can’t make direct comparisons between the two and I’m unsure if the images are printed on a larger scale than the original (I will put in measurements of a few below so you can compare if you have the original and will update this review when I have the English version in a month).
This artist’s edition measures 29.5x21cm (A4), it’s paperback with thick but flexible card covers which are a beautiful green colour with black and white line drawings of Hanna’s beautiful birds and flowers with gold foiling accents on the front and back. The book has a black tape binding meaning the pages lie completely flat when the book is open and they can be removed for framing. The pages are made of thick cream card which is lightly textured and absolutely fabulous for using pencils on as they layer really well and blend seamlessly (I’ve shown my finished page to a few people and they all think it was painted or printed because it’s so smooth). Water-based pens also work really well on this card and don’t bleed through or sideways and there isn’t even a hint of shadowing either. The illustrations are all single-page designs and are printed single-sided so you can use whatever medium you fancy without worrying about bleed-through. The illustrations chosen are lovely and very cohesive; I’ve seen lots of finished pages from Dagdrömmar and the images chosen are not a cross-section of the pages, they’re quite niche, there are no pictures of people or mammals (except for one curled up fox), they are all depicting birds, insects and flowers and are quite similar to each other without being samey. All of the images are pictured below so that you know exactly what you’re getting, the illustrations are truly beautiful and are perfect for those who love to colour natural images.
In terms of mental health, this book is just wonderful, seasoned readers of my blog will know that I strongly believe that natural images, and those depicting nature are the best for mental health and calming you down and this book is no exception, the images are very relaxing! The line thickness is consistent throughout and remains medium/thin so it’s definitely manageable to colour. The intricacy and detail vary a little throughout from medium to high and this is part of what makes Hanna’s work so special and beautiful, if you’re wanting to colour within each teeny tiny section then you’ll need to have very good vision and fine motor control but if you’re happy to colour over some of it and use it as texture underneath then moderate vision and fine motor control would be absolutely fine! I found this book and the illustrations within it great for my mood, just looking through it and noticing all of the different details, patterns and creatures makes me feel calmer and the images are just charming so they’re sure to lift your mood and keep you distracted from any difficult thoughts or persistent symptoms. The images do vary a little in size and difficulty and they mostly consist of a collection of components which is ideal for good and bad days because you can work on one flower or beetle on a bad day, or a whole page on a good day so it’s ideal for those with fluctuating conditions or concentration levels. The fact that the pages are printed single-sided and are removable is fantastic because it means you can remove your works of art and frame them or gift them which is a great way of reminding yourself of what you can achieve and brighten up the darkest of days.
I would highly recommend this book to those of you who are already fans of Hanna’s work and have the original book, those who love to gift or frame their colouring, and those who like to use alcohol markers or wet media as there’s no worry about ruining any reverse images. The illustrations chosen are beautiful and extremely cohesive and are wonderfully calming. The Swedish version is available now from here, and the English version is due to be published on August the 9th and can be pre-ordered here:
Amazon UK – http://amzn.to/29jmp55
Book Depository Worldwide – http://www.bookdepository.com/Daydreams-Artists-Edition-Hann-Karlzon/9781423645573/?a_aid=colouringitmom
The image below was coloured using Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils and the white highlights and accents were created using a White Sakura Gelly Roll Gel Pen.
Measurements – Wingspan of Dragonfly top wings: 19.1cm; Height of tallest bird of pair with key on string: 23.9cm.
In The Midst Of Madness 