[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
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
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
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!)
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
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
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
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]
[/vc_column_text][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”gp-standard-sidebar”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
