Happy May Giveaway!

You know what they say…April showers bring May flowers, and in our case, free gel pens and coloring books too! Enter our Happy May Giveaway: https://www.scribocreative.com/giveaways/happy-may-giveaway/.

Join our Happy May Giveaway until May 9, 2018.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and we have the perfect gift for mom which includes Maria Trolle’s Nightfall hardcover coloring book (originally published in Sweden as “Skymningstimman“), SMOOV 36 gel pen set of unique rich vibrant colors PLUS printables from Maria Castro’s own Color My Moods Blessings in Bloom Coloring Journal, Garden Mandalas Day and Night, Mandala Wood Carvings, Mother’s Day Wood Carving Frames Sayings, and Mommyisms.

But wait, there’s more…we’d also like to introduce you to the newest addition to Scribo Creative’s family — COco Blank Books and Journals! From blank comic books to recipe books, bullet journals, health trackers. We’ll have tools for everyone who loves to COco — “C”reate and “O”rganize. The lucky winner will get to sample COco with printable comic book templates and recipe book templates.

*Watch out for our emails. Please note that joining Happy May Giveaway means you’re giving us permission to add you to our Color My Moods Adult Coloring Books and Journals mailing list. We hope you’ll like keeping in touch and stay but you can unsubscribe at any time.

See how you can increase your chances of winning once you’ve entered your information. Good luck!

This Giveaway is open worldwide but if winner resides outside of US, a $15 PayPal or Amazon gift card and $35 voucher to Scribo Creative’s Etsy or Gumroad store will be substituted. Winner will still receive the Color My Moods printable/PDFs from the original prize pack.

*Congratulations to Lee Briggs for winning our Happy May Giveaway!*

Unique Mandala Wood Carvings

“It’s stunning! Maria has managed to create something totally new and different in the mandala genre. I love her artwork.”– Jan Adams

It’s here! We hope you’ll love Color My Moods Mandala Wood Carvings Adult Coloring Book as much as Jan and many colorists do.

If you’re craving for a unique mandala coloring book, Mandala Wood Carvings is a great addition to your adult coloring book collection. Enjoy this coloring book full of exquisite mandala designs inspired by wood carvings. The easy-to-see lines resemble the organic feel of carved wood.

Enjoy the therapeutic effects and health benefits of coloring with Color My Moods Adult Coloring Books and Journals Mandala Wood Carvings:

– All original mandala drawings, ranging from simple to moderately intricate to suit your coloring mood any day. No stock art is used here so you won’t have to worry about finding duplicates in books that you may already have.

Forty stress-relieving mandala art plus ten bonus coloring pages from other Color My Moods Adult Coloring Books and Journals for a total of fifty coloring pages to help you relax and unwind.

Single-sided (drawing is printed on one side of the page only and the back side is blank), 55# White coloring pages make it suitable for different media including colored pencils, markers, gel pens, pastels, crayons, and more. We recommend using the extra blank sheets provided as blotter pages to minimize bleed through.

– Each mandala drawing is sized to fit the page as large as possible without the binding interfering with the design. Ample blank space at the top and bottom of each page can also be used to test media and color combinations.

Mandala Wood Carvings are fun and relaxing to color. You can free your mind and release your creativity — there are no right or wrong colors.

If you love Mandala Wood Carvings, check out our other coloring books and coloring journals: https://www.scribocreative.com/products/. This will also have links to video previews so you can see all of the drawings included in each of our books before you buy them. While you’re here, we hope that you’ll take a minute to leave a review. Thank you!

For more coloring inspiration, freebies and exclusive discounts, subscribe to our enews: https://www.scribocreative.com/enews/. Post your colored pages on social media with #scribocreative #colormymoods #mandalawoodcarvings and you might just get a surprise from us.

Special thanks to the colorists who shared their time and talent with us!
Front cover coloring: Susan Curry
Back cover coloring (left to right, top to bottom):
Ana Duncan, Jane Adam, Jacqui McCollum, Lee Briggs, Heather Berger, Beverly Barske
Karma Lewis and Mara Lula for sharing their valuable feedback

SMOOV Gel Pens Product Review

Whether you prefer to color with colored pencils or  markers, chances are, you have a set of gel pens in your stash for coloring accent.

Or if you’re like me, you find the vibrant colors and ease of use of gel pens irresistible. Not to mention all the different looks you can create with it  with the different types available — the regular kind, metallic, neon, creamy, and my favorite, glitter gel pens.

This variety is one of the things I like about SMOOV gel pens. Each set of 36 unique gel pens (no repeats) consists of:

  • 12 Vibrant Glitter
  • 10 Metallic Shine
  • 6 Neon Highlighter
  • 6 Pure Pastel
  • 2 Deep & Bold

I got to know SMOOV’s owner Scott Kelley in one of the Facebook coloring events we both participated in last year. I was excited to receive the SMOOV gel pens in this fancy box. It was a nice touch. It’s also practical because the sturdy container keeps the gel pens intact during shipment.

The 36-piece SMOOV gel pen set comes as is or with a carry pouch. I received the set that includes a handy carry pouch. The pouch has three holes on the side so you can put it in your coloring pages binder.

There are two compartments — a zipper in front and one zipper in the middle. A cool thing about this pouch is what I call its secret pocket, the one in the middle, where I like to keep the gel pens I’m currently using for a certain coloring page. Here’s a sample of my work-in-progress (WIP) from our upcoming book Color My Moods Mandala Wood Carvings.

What about the most important part? How are the SMOOV gel pens themselves?

At first glance, SMOOV gel pens look like the other gel pens sold in big sets. Once you start coloring with them, you’ll notice the difference.

I have a couple of other big set brands and almost always, when I’m getting ready to use them, I have to “prime” them by writing on a scratch paper first to get the ink flowing. Even after several tries, I find that several of the pens skip or I’m having to exert more effort to “keep the ink going” that I strain my hand.

SMOOV gel pens, as the name implies, gives a SMOOther overall experience.

I even did some coloring at an angle while waiting in the car (which is not advisable because it disrupts the flow of the ink) and to my surprise, SMOOV kept going.

SMOOV gel pens are creamy. Colors are vibrant. Coloring goes SMOOthly. And with the variety, it’s a nice manageable set to take with you when you go on vacation or even during doctor’s appointments when you want to  pass time with coloring. You’ll have just enough colors to keep you busy.

The only thing is, I wish SMOOV gel pens are available in bigger sets with more colors. I’m hoping for white gel pen, maybe some more neutrals. Owner Scott Kelley did mention they’re looking into these customer requests.

SMOOV gel pens can be more expensive than some gel pen sets. It starts at $34.99 for the pen set. However, you know what they say about quality — you get what you pay for. If you like coloring with gel pens, you may want to invest on a quality set like SMOOV.

One tip I have for you is to follow SMOOV on Facebook,  join their Elite Colorist Mastermind Facebook group or visit their website often because they have great promotions periodically. In fact, for the month of April, you can get 40% off by using the code APRILGEL on Amazon.

I’ve enjoyed coloring with SMOOV gel pens. I especially like using them against black background because they make the coloring pop.

Here’s a sample from Color My Moods Spheres of Inspiration. I used these creamy pastel colors which are some of my favorites from the set.

Have you also tried blending with gel pens? It’s a lot of fun as you can see from this Wood Carved Mandala page. Just make sure you work on smaller areas at a time so you can blend colors while the gel ink is still wet.

In this case, I started with yellow, followed by orange, then pink. I’m not quite sure what the color “pink” is because the gel pens are not labeled (like many of the other gel pen brands). It is ideal to make a color chart. You can use the top photo for reference.

SMOOV gel pens are so saturated and vibrant that you can color on black background or black paper quite easily. Of course, the lighter colors will appear more vibrant on darker paper.

Have you tried SMOOV gel pens? Let us know what you think on the comments below.

Top 10 Spring Color Palettes

Spring is in full swing! If you’re like me, the first thing I think of when the season changes is the beautiful pastel colors of spring…from beautiful flowers, eggs, sweet treats to pretty dresses, sky, and more.

Enjoy these beautiful Spring Color Palettes. They’re perfect inspirations for coloring Color My Moods Blessings in Bloom Coloring Journal, Garden Mandalas or the various Floral Patterns, Mandalas, and other floral drawings in our Etsy shop.

Blessings in Bloom   Scribo Creative _ Color My Moods 2

Which one is your favorite color palette? Leave us a comment below. Happy Spring!

 

      

  

Battle of the Markers: Spectrum Noir vs. Copic Ciao

Copic markers are probably to the marker world, what Polychromos or Prisma Premier colored pencils are to the colored pencils industry. Copics are one of the best in quality among alcohol markers, a favorite among the artist and colorist communities, and yes, quite expensive. Spectrum Noir positions itself to bridge the gap between cheap alternatives and premium brands. According to its website — “Because the high-priced ‘premium’ brands aren’t for everyone, and because nobody can really improve by using a cheap, inferior product – we put all our efforts into making our growing range of markers, pencils and artist’s accessories the best it can be. And then pricing it fairly. “

So  does Spectrum Noir measure up? Time for another Battle of the Markers — this time it’s Spectrum Noir vs. Copic Ciao alcohol markers. Note that there are several kinds of Spectrum Noir and Copic markers (more at the end of this article) but this article will compare the original Spectrum Noir and Copic Ciao.

The talented Jane Adam shares her experience using these alcohol markers. The sweet coloring page is from Maria Castro’s Lovebirds Coloring Pack from Scribo Creative’s Etsy store.

Here’s what Jane thinks…

Similarities

  • Both are alcohol based markers
  • Both are refillable. We can refill about 13 times for Copic Ciao using Copic Refill Ink and 8-10 times for Spectrum noir using Spectrum Noir Reinkers.
  • We can replace nibs, available to be purchased separately.
  • Both markers blend easily; also have blender marker.
  • As with all alcohol markers, we need to put extra sheets or cardstock if we want to color single-sided coloring books, as it bleeds to the next page.
  • Both are non toxic.
  • Both are not lightfast. Colors will fade when exposed to direct light for a long period of time.

Differences

  • Copic Ciao is juicier than Spectrum Noir in my opinion. Also, with brush nib on one side, we can color in more detailed drawings.
  • Copic is the high end alcohol marker for artists. Copic Ciao has a smaller barrel but has the same quality as the Copic Sketch, hence more economical for people who want to try Copic.

Spectrum Noir is not as highly regarded as Copic, but is still a great alternative for beginners and/or artists to use.

  • Copic Ciao has a round barrel. Spectrum Noir has a hexagonal barrel.
  • Copic Ciao is more expensive than Spectrum Noir.

So are Copic Ciao markers worth buying?

In my opinion, I don’t see either as preferable to another. I like to use different markers for coloring. Sometimes I like to use a bullet nib so I use Spectrum Noir. At other times, I feel like coloring something more intricate so I use a brush* nib from Copic Ciao. To start, maybe get a small set of each and see which markers you like better.

*Spectrum Noir has an Illustrator line that includes brush nib. The Spectrum Noir and Copic websites will have more details on the different types of markers they offer.

Have you used either of these alcohol markers? Which one do you like better?

We’re 2! Join our coloring party…

Time flies! We’re two years old and we’re giving you two ways to come home with some awesome coloring “party favors”:

1 – Enter and share our Giveaway:
https://www.scribocreative.com/giveaways/2bday/
The more you share, the more chances of winning an amazing set of Schpirerr Farben oil-based colored pencils (soft core and so creamy) and Luna Jayne glitter gel pens (ultra glittery). You’re given several options so you have plenty of choices to increase your odds of winning.

2 – Cake coloring Page “Color-Along”: bit.ly/2DRzBAy

We’ll be coloring parts of the free cake coloring page through February 2nd and grand finale winner announced on February 3rd. The special winner will receive a free coloring book PDF or $10 worth of printables from our Etsy or Gumroad stores. You can download the free cake coloring page here: https://gum.co/sFXnr.

We’ll also be unveiling new printables/coloring packs from our Etsy shop daily. Everyone who posts their coloring for the day will be given a free coloring page from the sample pack and one random winner will win the entire coloring pack!

Since we’re only doing it for 6 days, colorists can only win once to give others a chance to win.

You can choose to just do the Giveaway or just do the Color-Along but why not join both?

And yes, if you’re super lucky and end up winning both the Giveaway and Color-Along, we’ll let you have your cake and eat it too.

2018 Color of the Year

Pantone’s Color of the Year is Ultra Violet. “A dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade, PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future.” according to Pantone.com.

Here are the Top 10 Purple Color Palettes inspired by the Color of the Year. May you have a creative and colorful 2018! I love this purple Chameleon pen I used on our coloring fitness journal Healthy Hue — another great tool to start the new year on the right track.

*HEALTHY HUE Coloring Health & Fitness Journal http://amzn.to/2kH5QIT

PDF version on Gumroad: https://gum.co/TeFwj

Preview: https://youtu.be/_cFUeqhUK0k

Which one is your favorite? Comment below. If you like this post, please share on Facebook, Pinterest and other social media. Thank you.

Coloring Pages Card Tutorial

Coloring patterns can be relaxing as it frees your mind and puts you on a meditative state. Pick your colors and color away. But what do you do with your colored page afterwards?

The creative Lina Weikel shows us how to use pattern coloring pages for making cards. The sample coloring pages are from Color My Moods The BIG Christmas Coloring Book but you can use this idea any time of the year. Read her tips below for a step-by-step tutorial or watch it on our YouTube channel.

Here are Lina’s tips…

Materials:

Color My Moods The BIG Christmas Coloring Book

Spectrum Noir Markers

Cardstock

Scissors or paper cutter

Glue or adhesive tape runner

Ribbon

Rhinestone stickers

1. Using Color My Moods The BIG Christmas Coloring Book, I picked out a card topper from the back of the book and also a patterned page from the book to use as a background.

  1. Next, I picked out a color palette from Scribo Creative’s Pinterest board “Color Palette”.

3. Then I found the 5 Spectrum Noir Markers that most closely matched the palette I had chosen. The markers were: DR7, DR3, TB9, VB3, and BGR1.

4. Once I had everything picked out and ready, I colored the background and then the topper in the color palette colors.

5. The next step was to cut the background page to size then mount it on a card blank leaving a slight edge of the card blank showing to act as a border.

6. I found a piece of red ribbon from my stash and used it to border the card topper. I also used some small red sticker rhinestones on the card topper to add a little pizzazz and bling to the card.

7. I positioned the card topper on the card and centered it in a landscape position. I then chose a few larger clear rhinestones to place in the corners of the card to tie everything together.

Thank you Lina for this informative tutorial!

In the spirit of Christmas, check out our Advent Calendar Color-Along event on Facebook for the final days of great giveaways.

Spheres of Inspiration is here!

Color My Moods Spheres of Inspiration on Amazon
Color My Moods Spheres of Inspiration on Amazon

#1 New Release on Amazon! Color My Moods Spheres of Inspiration is a unique grayscale adult coloring book.

What is a grayscale coloring book? Grayscale images already have built-in shading with the different levels of gray. Just color with your favorite coloring medium — colored pencils, markers, pastels, and even gel pens. You’ll be amazed at how the spheres come alive before your eyes and even look 3D!

Just like the other adult coloring books and coloring journals in the Color My Moods series, Color My Moods Spheres of Inspiration grayscale coloring pages range from simple to intricate to suit your coloring mood for the day. It’s a great grayscale adult coloring book for beginners or an addition to your grayscale coloring book collection.

Color My Moods Spheres of Inspiration, a unique grayscale adult coloring book has:

42 coloring pages of beautiful, original drawings: 30 grayscale spheres with quotes and positive words; 5 bonus grayscale spheres from the original set without the text so you can customize with your own or use as color test pages; 7 bonus line art illustrations from other Color My Moods Adult Coloring Books and Journals.

Single-sided pages make it suitable for different media. We recommend using the extra blank sheets provided as blotter pages to minimize bleed-through.

Color My Moods Spheres of Inspiration is a beautiful adult coloring book just waiting to be colored in!

Top 25 Festive Color Palettes

October kicks off the most celebrated quarter of the year. Here are Top 25 color palettes to inspire you throughout the festivities this time of year — from trick or treating to New Year’s Eve.

If you’re looking for something fun to color with, have a look at our coloring books, especially the Color My Moods BIG Christmas coloring bookHappy coloring!