Review: The 7 coolest colouring books for grown-ups!

[vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Reviewer: Miss Cai”][vc_column_text]Colouring books are no longer just for kids! Unless you live under a rock, walking into any good bookstore these days finds you greeted by rows and rows of colouring books for grown ups 🙂 Their global popularity is a no-brainer since adults are really children deep down inside, who also need an outlet to de-stress!

Last December, during some vacation downtime thanks a massive rainstorm, I got the spouse to try colouring with me. It’s a fun no-brainer activity to do, which gets plenty of laughter along the way! Some people are perfectionists who relish a good challenge, while others just like to do something fun. There is no right or wrong in creativity, so colouring books have an universal appeal to all kinds of people.

If you’re late on getting on the bandwagon, or are looking for something new for yourself or a good gift to a well-deserving friend, here are 7 of the coolest colouring books for grown-ups you can get right now:

Sherlock: The Mind Palace: A Coloring Book Adventure

Sherlock: The Mind Palace

Fans of the popular BBC series starring the amazing Benedict Cumberbatch as England’s greatest detective Sherlock Holmes, would love this one! Well illustrated by Mike Collins, who worked on Doctor Who and Marvel, DC graphic novels, the 80 page colouring book is based on episodes from the television show itself!

There is a little game going, where besides bringing colour and life to the black and white pages, you are tasked with having to find certain “clues”; these objects are cleverly hidden in the pages and it takes a sharp eye to find all of them within the 50 richly illustrated scenes.

The book is very detailed and will take you quite some time to complete. Square in shape, an interesting decision from the usual by the publishers (Penguin Random House), it’s a good size to slip into your tote bag – along with your colour pencils. It’d easily make a perfect birthday present for the discerning Sherlock fan!

Harry Potter Coloring Book

Harry Potter colouring book

Who isn’t a Harry Potter fan, right? 😛 I first fell in love with the books when I was a student, and enjoyed the movies too. The Harry Potter Coloring Book is based off the successful series of films, and has also very cleverly included official movie stills!

You have well-loved (and well-hated) characters and places within, with illustrated designs ranging from easy to challenging. It’s definitely not for kids (I can imagine them easily giving up half way) but would be something a tween or teenager would enjoy.

So while waiting for the highly anticipated film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to come out in the next couple of months, fans can always channel their creative enthusiasm and energy here 😉

A Million Cats: Fabulous Felines to Color

Walk into any good bookstore today and you'd be greeted with rows after rows of colouring books for adults. It was a novelty that has since spawned a genre of its own and seems here to stay. They make excellent gifts and are also a great way to destress or spend time together as a family or couple. Better yet, now that there's a plethora of books to choose from, there's something for everybody. Here's 7 of my current favourite adult colouring books, that you can currently find at all good bookshops: Sherlock: The Mind Palace A Colouring Book Adventure - Sherlock: The Mind Palace By professional illustrator Mike Collins (famed for his work on Doctor Who graphic novels, Marvel, DC and 2000AD comics) this excellent 80-page colouring book is a delight for fans of the wildly popular BBC television series. The detail and likeness of the TV show's main characters (Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson) is easily appreciated. The 50-plus illustrations also offer clever throw backs to past episodes, with certain objects serving as vital clues, smartly hidden within the pictures. If you're a big fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "updated" televised work or know of some who completely adores Benedict Cumberbatch, this book would be a clear winner. Harry Potter colouring book Harry Potter Colouring Book Warner Brothers is really milking this lucrative money spinning franchise of a magical boy wizard for all that it is worth. I grew up with JK Rowling's books, but Harry Potter fans of all ages would no doubt, love this colouring book too. Based off the phenomenally successful series of films, the powers that be have very cleverly included full-colour movie stills at the back of the Harry Potter colouring book for "reference" when you colour the illustrated art in the front. Pictures of Quidditch in action, explorations in Hogwarts Castle, discoveries in the Forbidden Forest, well-loved (and hated) characters in the fantasy world of Harry Potter and more can be found. This makes an easy gift to any Harry Potter fan (like, who isn't?) and homage to JK Rowling's books and movies aside, the intricate designs and elaborate details make you appreciate the illustrations even more. Personally, I'm a sucker for the glossy cover and UV spot printing that certainly gives the book a classy finish. Extreme Colouring: Mandalas Extreme Colouring: Mandalas Mandalas were- and still are- used by Buddhists as a traditional form of meditation. When working on one, you need to be in an intensely focused state of mind. This amazing colouring book is all about that and is definitely not for wimps! What I really liked about this brilliant 96-page colouring book by Beverley Lawson is that some thought has been put into for layout; with alternating blank pages just in case your markers bleed out at the back as they often do. The patterns are amazing and going through the colouring process, will foster patience in you. They weren't kidding when they put the word "extreme" in their title- finishing a page well would take you more than a day! This one makes an excellent Christmas gift to someone who has already finished several colouring books and is looking for the next challenge ;)

I’m a dog lover so trust me when I tell you that I’m not biased… This really is my current favourite colouring book right now! Granted, there isn’t actually a million felines illustrated in this gorgeous colouring book, but you get the idea 😉 It’s all about cats and kittens and it’s so crazy cute, it isn’t funny!

Newly released this year, this colouring book by Lulu Mayo comes in a very nice size – not too big and not too small – with the most adorable drawings of cats and their silly antics. There’s a touch of Japanese anime/ manga influence in her art, which I personally like very much.

Hands down, the perfect book to start a colouring book newbie on. Quirky cute and whimsical, almost in a Studio Ghibli way; there will be lots of fluffy fun (who doesn’t like fat cats in cosplay?) and no tears of frustration! This one is truly enjoyable and has my full recommendations 🙂

Extreme Coloring Mandalas: Relax and Unwind, One Splash of Color at a Time (Extreme Art!)

Extreme Colouring: Mandalas

All right, time to get serious… this book is for those of you out there who think colouring books are for wimps. They really were not kidding when they put the word “EXTREME” in there!

Traditionally, mandalas have been used for centuries as an effective meditation tool. This colouring book will certainly get you into the zone, but just remember to take frequent breaks and not overdo it or you’ll surely go cross-eyed!

The illustrated designs in this big book are beautiful and complicated, perfect for the black belts looking for a good challenge. One thing I deeply appreciate is the alternating blank pages, ensuring your markers don’t bleed through to the next design! That’s some good thinking there 🙂

Fabulous Flowers: The Gift of Colouring for Grown-Ups

Fabulous Flowers: The Gift of Colouring for Grown-Ups

This was my very first colouring book, purchased about two years back, but still one of my favourites. Printed on good paper stock, the thickness allows you to use water colour pencils so you get nice gradients and fluidity…

There is certainly that “je ne sais quoi” French quality to the illustrations, which would appeal to people who love flowers. There’s a good balance of easy and hard designs within the pages, allowing some respite when you just want to do something a little less complicated.

An extra touch that makes this colouring book special is the pretty decorative cards/ bookmarks included on the cover flap. You’ll have to cut them out (I chose not to) but I have yet to see another printer offer this option 🙂

The Mindfulness Colouring Book: Anti-Stress Art Therapy for Busy People

The Mindfulness Colouring Book: Anti-Stress Art Therapy for Busy People

I first encountered this book at the waiting area of my favourite float club, and loved everything about it. It comes in a very handy size, which you can easily slip into the back pocket of your jeans and fab designs aside, the paper quality is more than decent. Fine tipped colouring markers are not a problem on these sheets 🙂

There is definitely a Zen quality to the art, which touches mostly on the beauty of nature and other pretty things. The artwork within makes you feel good right away, so I would agree with the book’s tagline “anti-stress art therapy for busy people”.

If you’re someone who travels often, I’d recommend this one for you. It’s easy to carry and a joy to use. It’s not a problem at all, working this on the plane! In fact, I was really looking forward to something more from its creator, Emma Farrarons, when this came about…

More Mindfulness Colouring: More Anti-Stress Art Therapy for Busy People

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Hot on the heels of its bestselling predecessor, this colouring book was released late last year and has more brilliant patterns by Emma Farrarons. It is evident that she is a student of textile prints, because the clever intricate designs and patterns show in her work.

Once again, nature is the main motif used – with lovely drawings of foxes and owls, flowers and leaves, and more beautiful things. Also released in a convenient pocket size, good quality paper stock is used to print this book… that’s a big plus for me because it widens the scope of colouring tools you can choose to use 🙂

…Righty, do you have a personal favourite? Share it in the comments or email to let me know! These colouring books are all available from any good book shop. Enjoy![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]

Walk into any good bookstore today and you'd be greeted with rows after rows of colouring books for adults. It was a novelty that has since spawned a genre of its own and seems here to stay. They make excellent gifts and are also a great way to destress or spend time together as a family or couple. Better yet, now that there's a plethora of books to choose from, there's something for everybody. Here's 7 of my current favourite adult colouring books, that you can currently find at all good bookshops: Sherlock: The Mind Palace A Colouring Book Adventure - Sherlock: The Mind Palace By professional illustrator Mike Collins (famed for his work on Doctor Who graphic novels, Marvel, DC and 2000AD comics) this excellent 80-page colouring book is a delight for fans of the wildly popular BBC television series. The detail and likeness of the TV show's main characters (Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson) is easily appreciated. The 50-plus illustrations also offer clever throw backs to past episodes, with certain objects serving as vital clues, smartly hidden within the pictures. If you're a big fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "updated" televised work or know of some who completely adores Benedict Cumberbatch, this book would be a clear winner. Harry Potter colouring book Harry Potter Colouring Book Warner Brothers is really milking this lucrative money spinning franchise of a magical boy wizard for all that it is worth. I grew up with JK Rowling's books, but Harry Potter fans of all ages would no doubt, love this colouring book too. Based off the phenomenally successful series of films, the powers that be have very cleverly included full-colour movie stills at the back of the Harry Potter colouring book for "reference" when you colour the illustrated art in the front. Pictures of Quidditch in action, explorations in Hogwarts Castle, discoveries in the Forbidden Forest, well-loved (and hated) characters in the fantasy world of Harry Potter and more can be found. This makes an easy gift to any Harry Potter fan (like, who isn't?) and homage to JK Rowling's books and movies aside, the intricate designs and elaborate details make you appreciate the illustrations even more. Personally, I'm a sucker for the glossy cover and UV spot printing that certainly gives the book a classy finish. Extreme Colouring: Mandalas Extreme Colouring: Mandalas Mandalas were- and still are- used by Buddhists as a traditional form of meditation. When working on one, you need to be in an intensely focused state of mind. This amazing colouring book is all about that and is definitely not for wimps! What I really liked about this brilliant 96-page colouring book by Beverley Lawson is that some thought has been put into for layout; with alternating blank pages just in case your markers bleed out at the back as they often do. The patterns are amazing and going through the colouring process, will foster patience in you. They weren't kidding when they put the word "extreme" in their title- finishing a page well would take you more than a day! This one makes an excellent Christmas gift to someone who has already finished several colouring books and is looking for the next challenge ;)

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Ning Cai is a Singapore Literature Prize nominated author, who was also long listed for the Epigram Books Fiction Prize in 2016. A bestselling writer, she is also recognised for her illusionist/ escapologist stage character Magic Babe Ning, and recognised by Channel News Asia as South East Asia's first professional female magician.

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