Today I'm kicking things off with a 4* review of the latest of Anastasia Catris' stunning colouring books: Draw Your Way To A Younger Brain! As you know from previous blog posts, I am a massive fan of this illustrator, and I now have a huge stacking collection of them in my university bedroom! Over time I have also built up a rather extensive hoard of colouring pencils and pens (whoops).I was kindly sent copies of the whole Draw Your Way To A Younger Brain collection (CATS & BIG CATS, DOGS & WOLVES and SAFARI) by Virginia at Orion Books in exchange for an honest review :)
Intrigued? Check out the blurb...
Misplacing your wallet, forgetting where you parked your car, or getting your friend's birthday wrong: these are just some of the many common memory slips we all experience from time to time. And such cognitive lapses don't just plague the elderly: the most common worry of people over 40 is memory loss. A recent study by Newcastle University, featured on BBC news, showed that art therapy has greater benefits than puzzles and exercises when it comes to improving memory function. Engaging the brain in new and creative ways may be the key to a sharper 'younger' mind.
Helping to enhance your brain's cognitive function through art therapy techniques, these books contain 30 intricate line drawings of animals, with space on the opposite page for you to copy the illustration and some helpful hints to start you off. There is also the opportunity to colour in and to create some of your own illustrations as you progress. Gradually becoming more challenging, every page will help to stimulate parts of the brain that are vital for memory retention. With these books you will draw your way to a younger brain.
As always, the illustrations were gorgeous and intricately detailed, which is why I love Anastasia Catris' books so much. I love taking hours over one drawing, and all of the drawings are manageable and I never worry too much about keeping the colours within the lines. This book in particular had a mixture of more detailed and less detailed drawings which meant that I could afford to be more carefree with my drawing and colouring than others. This worked for me in the sense that some days I could complete a more difficult and intricate colouring, and other days I could just let rip and do whatever I wanted to.
The illustrations in this book were so cute and I loved how it included so many different breeds of dogs- the book gave you the chance to draw your own doggy haircuts, coats and even some pretty stars in the sky, right by the towering figure of a braying wolf!The only thing that I wasn't a huge fan of (which is why my review is 4*s instead of 5), was the drawing aspect. I am not the greatest drawer and I like to have some kind of direction to follow- I enjoy colouring in lines and patterns but I don't like being given free reign over how the drawing turns out!
Overall I really enjoyed Draw Your Way To A Younger Brain: Dogs & Wolves and it was such a unique twist on the traditional colouring book- with the chance to put your creative flair to the test. I'd highly encourage you to pick up a copy (or all three!) of the Draw Your Way To A Younger Brain books because buying an Anastasia Catris colouring book is always an investment!
Check out my other posts about Colour Me Mindful here: http://delightfulbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/colour-me-mindful-review-and-giveaway.html
http://delightfulbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/colouring-corner-colour-me-mindful.html
Check out Anastasia Catris here: http://anastasiacatris.com
Buy the Draw Your Way To A Younger Brain books here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Draw-Your-Way-Younger-Brain/dp/1409165477
Until next time :)
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