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Colouring for Adults


Kylie

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What do you all think of colouring books for adults? They have become hugely popular in the past six months! The shops in my town seem to have sold out of the most popular books (those by Johanna Basford), and so have some online bookshops. I've also noticed that they've featured prominently in bestseller lists, and I've read several articles about Basford's books in particular and the 'colouring for adults' phenomenon in general.

 

I have to say, I'm not surprised. Some years ago, when I was planning to make a mosaic table for Mum, I photocopied some patterns out of books and bought a set of coloured pencils. On my long daily commute home from work, I would sit and colour in. Within minutes of first starting it, I realised (or should I say 'remembered') how much fun it is. I also felt somewhat less stressed after spending some time colouring in, and I've noticed many people are now saying the same thing. :) I bet those people who looked at me strangely all those years ago now don't think I was so crazy. ;)

 

I recently ordered Johanna Basford's two books, Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest. Hopefully I'll receive the first one later this week, but EF is being reprinted and won't be available until May. Now I'm shopping around for some good-quality coloured pencils, but goodness me they're expensive! I want to invest in a good set though. And I plan to photocopy the pages of the book rather than colour the actual pages; that way I can colour the same images multiple times. :)

 

If you'd like to give it a go but don't necessarily want to invest in books, I found this article, which contains some free (legal) pictures that you can print off and colour in. Click on the images for larger versions. As a bonus, one of the pictures is of the Strand bookstore in New York! :D Personally, I prefer the beautiful nature images in Johanna Bamford's books (do a Google Image search for 'Secret Garden Basford' to see some examples).

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I was given a copy of Shaun Tan's Metropolis a couple of years ago, but it's so beautiful I didn't want to ruin it by colouring in!  I'd feel the same about all of them.
 
When I was little, I used to get the big bumper puzzle books when I went on holiday, and I'd do all the puzzles, but my mum would always do the colouring pictures, even though they were kids ones, so when this new trend of colouring books for adults came out, I know it's something my mum would have loved.
 
I do like the look of them, but I haven't tried one yet … maybe I'll take a note out of my mum's book and get one when I go on holiday next time. :)

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As anyone who has me on facebook knows, this is my latest thing! :D I'd seen it mentioned a few times, then I saw Enchanted Forest in Waterstones.. even without colouring them in, I think her drawings are gorgeous! I started off buying the Secret Garden postcards, which were a nice smaller size to start with, then I ordered Enchanted Forest from an amazon seller. 

 

I've recently been sent some books by a different publisher to review - they're not as gorgeous as the Johanna Basford ones, but there is quite a bit of variety within them.

 

Kylie, Staedtler pens and pencils are always great value, and I find the watercolour ones tend to blend well, and are easy to make light or darker. I have these - I was able to review a smaller box a while ago, and the quality is great, and they last. Beth has used them for GCSE Art, and they're still going strong. I bought the bogger box for us all as it seemed good value for the extra colours. :)

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My sister is really into it and has the books you've ordered Kylie .. she's finding it really relaxing. I bought the Secret Garden for my niece last Christmas (or it might have been the one before) and she loved it as well .. she's fifteen so it was nice as she likes colouring but some of the books are too babyish. I must say I wanted to have a go before I wrapped it up but you can't really give anyone a colouring book with some pages already coloured in  :blush2:  :D 

There's another one that's similar called Animal Kingdom

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There's a new Art Therapy weekly "magazine" that also builds an art set for the subscriber that recently started too - I think it's about 3 issues in at the moment. I bought the first one because it was only 99p and I'm cheeky like that - LOL!

 

I actually own a couple of colouring books too - Awesome Arty Colouring and Pretty Pattern Colouring - both of which I got for about a quid in Wilkinsons.

 

For me, though, I love doing Zentangle - and sometimes I use colour on the pieces I create, although mostly I prefer to work in black and white, sometimes with a little shading.

 

I find this kind of colouring and creativity very relaxing, and it certainly puts me in a better temper if I can zone out for a while doing something like this. :)

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Love them! I prefer tiny tiny areas to color instead of giant areas that are for small kids. I hate coloring with the same color for such huge areas. I'd rather switch often.

 

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Also those connect the dots for adults with over 150-200 dots and with fun artistic drawings appearing, like Mona Lisa. 

 

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Ooh, lots of interest! Great! :D
 

I was given a copy of Shaun Tan's Metropolis a couple of years ago, but it's so beautiful I didn't want to ruin it by colouring in!  I'd feel the same about all of them.
 
When I was little, I used to get the big bumper puzzle books when I went on holiday, and I'd do all the puzzles, but my mum would always do the colouring pictures, even though they were kids ones, so when this new trend of colouring books for adults came out, I know it's something my mum would have loved.
 
I do like the look of them, but I haven't tried one yet … maybe I'll take a note out of my mum's book and get one when I go on holiday next time. :)

 
Wow, I didn't know Shaun Tan had done a colouring book. I'd love to read The Arrival, but it's always been a bit too expensive for me to justify. Fingers crossed that I'll find a nice cheap copy one day.
 
I love that your mum used to do the colouring pictures! What a cool mum. :)
 

As anyone who has me on facebook knows, this is my latest thing! :D I'd seen it mentioned a few times, then I saw Enchanted Forest in Waterstones.. even without colouring them in, I think her drawings are gorgeous! I started off buying the Secret Garden postcards, which were a nice smaller size to start with, then I ordered Enchanted Forest from an amazon seller. 
 
I've recently been sent some books by a different publisher to review - they're not as gorgeous as the Johanna Basford ones, but there is quite a bit of variety within them.
 
Kylie, Staedtler pens and pencils are always great value, and I find the watercolour ones tend to blend well, and are easy to make light or darker. I have these - I was able to review a smaller box a while ago, and the quality is great, and they last. Beth has used them for GCSE Art, and they're still going strong. I bought the bogger box for us all as it seemed good value for the extra colours. :)

 
I've seen your pics on FB, so I was hoping you'd drop in and share your experience. :)
 
Thanks for your advice about the pencils! I received notification that my Secret Garden book was shipped today, so I'd better get a move on with the pencils or the book will arrive and I won't be able to do anything with it except admire the artwork! I had been ignoring watercolour pencils in my searches because I thought they wouldn't be appropriate...shows how much I know!  :doh: Back to the drawing board then (hehe).
 

Your avatar looks like a candidate for some of your newly found colouring in skills, Michelle! ;)

 
Well spotted! :)

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My sister is really into it and has the books you've ordered Kylie .. she's finding it really relaxing. I bought the Secret Garden for my niece last Christmas (or it might have been the one before) and she loved it as well .. she's fifteen so it was nice as she likes colouring but some of the books are too babyish. I must say I wanted to have a go before I wrapped it up but you can't really give anyone a colouring book with some pages already coloured in  :blush2:  :D 

There's another one that's similar called Animal Kingdom

 

:giggle2: Yes, your niece may not have appreciated receiving a 'used' colouring book. Some of my favourite moments from my early primary school years were when it was raining at 'little lunch' (recess) and we got to stay indoors and colour in. :D

 

Animal Kingdom looks like a great one. :yes:  I've seen a book of tattoo patterns, but that's not really my type of thing. They don't look as much fun to colour in. There are some nice pattern-type books around...along the lines of 'mindful' colouring. I'll try not to get too carried away. The two books I've ordered should keep me going for a while, especially if I make copies.

 

Also those connect the dots for adults with over 150-200 dots and with fun artistic drawings appearing, like Mona Lisa.

 

Ooh, yes! I've been quite tempted by these for a while. I'll have to add one to my wishlist to make sure I don't forget again. I guess you could also colour them after you've joined the dots...Two for the price of one! :D

 

I was just talking about this with poppyshake a few weeks ago. There are coloring books on BookDepo you can order! :) (I clicked the BCF banner in order to get the link for you :cool:)

 

Here you go, relevant link to coloring books on BD

 

There's even one for Benedict Cumberbatch :D

 

Thanks for posting the links. :D I'm not sure why I didn't do so in my original post...goodness knows I've looked at that page often enough! Oh, and the tattoo book I mentioned earlier in this post is pictured second from the left at the top of the page (although oddly it doesn't appear to be in the list of books).

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Wow, I didn't know Shaun Tan had done a colouring book. I'd love to read The Arrival, but it's always been a bit too expensive for me to justify. Fingers crossed that I'll find a nice cheap copy one day.

 

I love that your mum used to do the colouring pictures! What a cool mum. :)

I think it was only because he spotted that it was a Shaun Tan book that OH bought it for me … he knows I love Shaun's books. :) I think I bought OH The Arrival but I don't think either he or I have read it. I'm going to have to search for that at the weekend :unsure:

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My Grom always used to give us paper doilies to colour - they were so intricate it would take forever to finish even a smaller one, but we loved it. Actually, a childhood friend of mine recently said that was one of her fondest memories - sitting at the kitchen table with us, with a stack of doilies and an entire rainbow of felt tipped pens and colouring pencils. :)

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I always run out of pink.

 

:D

 

I just bought a new set of colouring pencils and I'm nerdily excited. :D I bought them from a place where I was able to try out different types first, and I discovered that I prefer the regular type over the watercolour and pastels. I bought a Derwent Studio 36 set (for probably about half the price of that listed on the website!). 72 pencils seemed a bit extreme (I can't imagine needing around 10 shades of yellow!) but I wanted to have a good variety.

 

Of course I accidentally spilled them out of the case when I was opening them, so I got to spend several minutes putting them back in numerical order and rolling them around to make sure all the text is on the top.  :blush2: If only I put as much effort into organising the rest of my house!

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 Ooh, yes! I've been quite tempted by these for a while. I'll have to add one to my wishlist to make sure I don't forget again. I guess you could also colour them after you've joined the dots...Two for the price of one! :D

 

Try coloring the Mona Lisa. I haven't done it myself, but that just gotta be difficult! 

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I received my Secret Garden book today. I'm sure I've previously picked it up in stores and flicked through it, but I had forgotten just how lovely it is, and I thought there would be far fewer drawings to colour! Colour me impressed! (Haw haw.)

 

Here's a Buzzfeed article about Johanna Basford. It shows her at work, along with some examples of her drawings - both before and after they've been coloured. Once I've had a good go with the pencils I bought, I want to try some bolder texta-type things (I've already found the type I want, but I can't remember what they're called just now).

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I used to colour in pictures when I was a child, but I don't think colouring for adults would be a thing for me. However, I find some of the pictures very beautiful to look at (both the black and white original as well as the coloured in version). It is also popular in Dutch book shops, however the books sold there are different than for example what I can find at Book Depository (as in, they look different and have different authors), the illustrations are a bit similar though. I do find it all fun to look at, but I don't think I'd have the skills to colour it nor the patience, due to my fine motor skills problem.

 

Kylie, and others, have fun :)!

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All the discussion here is tempting be to try one of these books.  I had a look at the local bookshop, but I wasn't keen on the ones they had, and actually, I really want to get one of the Johanna Basford books, so I'll have to wait until I get to a bigger bookshop.  I will be looking for my watercolour and artists pencils this weekend though, I'm sure I've got quite a few sets dotted around the house.  We've only got a small house, so you'd think it'd be an easy job, wouldn't you? :no:

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Ok, ok I have to admit, I have given in.  I bought a book of decorated cakes, cupcakes and candies, which my 6 year old loves (we photocopy the pages), so she shares that one with me.  The pictures in children's books are too childish for her.  She loves colored pencils and does shading and everything.   I hate colored pencil so I bought some markers. The other book is geometric patterns.  The books aren't so special (except the cake one is so fun!) as I didn't want to spend so much when I didn't know if I'd like it for sure.  I have a tendency to try and rush through the section I am coloring, so when that happens, I put it down.

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