The Ancient Alchemy Coloring Book: Celtic Knots, Mandalas, and Sacred Symbols

The media could not be loaded.  This is my second coloring book by Cher Kaufmann and I will certainly be back for future books. The smaller format book has many, many designs. While a lot of coloring books are created from computer generated artwork (and I enjoy those, too), this book has 100 hand-drawn designs from the beginning to the end. The designs include many Celtic knots, mandalas, and other sacred symbols based on ancient cultures and traditions.In addition to the designs, the artist has included information about the history of some symbols. She has also provided an Ancient Alchemy Symbols guide to explain a number of the symbols that she uses in the coloring book. Reading this information has certainly enhanced my appreciation of the artwork and what the artist is trying to convey with each drawing.The pages are white and are a good weight. The pages micro-perforated for easy removal. This is especially nice as the book is so large, I am sure to want to remove each page for coloring. The designs are printed on one side with the back of each page left bland.All of my markers bleed easily through these pages. I have been able to use various gel pens (including Fiskars) with no leak-through. My suggestion is to test your type of marker/pen and if it leaks through, put a piece of thicker paper or chipboard under the page you are working on to keep the following page from getting ink on it. Or you can simply and easily remove the page from the book (as I will) and not have to worry about it at all.

After seeing Cher Kaufmann's wonderful youtube tutorials, I decided to show my appreciation and support her by buying a coloring book. There are about 100 illustrations on one-sided perforated pages, which makes using gel pens and markers an option. There was some bleed-through with my Staedtler Triplus Fineliners so it is advisable to cushion your work with a couple of blank pages to prevent bleed-through and indentations. Included at the beginning of the book is a summary of the symbols and their meanings, which I actually haven't read yet. At the end of the book, the illustrations are numbered and titled. I've enjoyed looking up and reading about some of the symbols on the pages I've colored to date. There are a great variety of images, which include designs inspired by MANY religious cultures from around the world. So interesting! For the Zuni Sunface, I was able to google many images to use as inspiration. I'm looking forward to coloring and learning more as I work my way through this very well thought out book.Personally, while I love looking at the completed pages of Johanna Basford's fans on her website's coloring gallery and was even inspired to buy her Secret Garden book, as a coloring novice I also find her pages to be a bit overwhelming. I'll get to the Secret Garden, someday but for nowI've myself turning to this book. Some of the illustrations have very fine details, but mostly, I have found it easy and enjoyable to color in so far. The book itself , while much thicker than the average coloring book, is actually a very nice size which makes it an attractive option for coloring on the go.Happy coloring!!!

I have been blown away with Cher Kaufmann's coloring books. Her first book, "The Artful Mandala Coloring Book" has a ton of detailed and fun images to color. I wondered how she was going to top her first book when I saw a second book was released - I was not disappointed! As a matter of fact the images in "The Ancient Alchemy Coloring Book" have a multitude of variety to choose from! The hand-drawn artwork is beautiful and enticing in every way. You will not be at a lost in finding the right image for your coloring mood. Some are very detailed and intricate for a longer coloring session and others are open and broad so you can let your own creativity take over. I was impressed to find that there is a selection of both masculine and feminine drawings - and that works for me! I really like how there is an index that puts a name to the symbols in the book - it was neat to see what Hakuna Matata looks like. The layout of the book is another HUGE plus! The 8"x8" size of the book is perfect to take anywhere to color. Each page is perforated and one sided so I can easily just remove it and manipulate the page the way I like. Then if I feel I've created a masterpiece it's ready to be framed - ha! Not a bad idea. I like working with colored pencils and gel pens and both mediums work great with the paper stock. It's going to be a while before I finish both her books - money well spent!

I hadn’t colored since I was a child, even though at 7 years old my only request to Santa was a coloring book and crayons. I came upon this author’s work with her first book “The Artful Mandala” and felt drawn to it immediately. When I picked up her book and started coloring with pencils and then experimenting with some other pens, it’s a lot like I slipped back to that slower, simpler energy of when I was that young. The only thing that held my attention was the art work in front of me. I felt so deeply present just by sitting and coloring.This new book of symbols and patterns elevates the soothing, calming benefits of coloring. The intensity of detail in these pages is phenomenal. I start out choosing one color and begin. I have no idea where it will end or what it will look like, which is so much a part of the attraction of her work for me. There’s a reason why more and more adults (not just kids) are returning to coloring - it’s a soothing balm for our beings in today’s busy world.Btw, Santa did not bring me that coloring book, but he sure came through now :-)!

Disappointed in this book. Since Cher Kaufman has a YouTube channel and gives instruction about adult colouring, blending shading etc I had expected a better quality paper for a start. The paper is very thin, like photocopier grade. There is no much colouring could be done without destroying it. There is no 'tooth' to the paper. The designs are poor, with little detail, and those that are detailed would need marker pens which on this cheap paper would make a hole. Rubbish to be precise and only good for a child who wants a scribbling book - very poor value ! Don't be tempted !

this is such a good colouring book for adults . the designs are realy clear . you get to colour celtic knots , mandalas and symbols .. the designs are so different . you get some moderate to very detailed designs so good to use fine liners and gel pens . the designs that are celtic knots realy come to life with glitter and metellic gel pens . so many designs . where do you start :-) the paper is top quility and you get no bleed though .you also get at the start of the book, a few pages about the meaning of the designs . hope you injoy this book and glad to give 5/5

I’m very fun of Celtic symbols, and symbols in general, I like this book very much !!!

Doesn't live up to description. Maybe i was expecting too much. Paper is thin. Designs variable quality.

Not what I was expecting the patterns are unfinished and I was disappointed was good paper pens didn't leak through