A few years ago, I bought myself a coloring book and some colored pencils as a means of dealing with anxiety. I had heard it could help calm my racing thoughts. It sounded a little kooky at the time, but I was desperate.
Little did I know how much I would enjoy the quiet, contemplative, repetitive action of filling in blank spaces. Busy brain meets simple pleasure. There’s no room for gnawing angst in a little world so full of beautiful rainbow hues!
Over the years, I’ve been pleased to discover I’m not alone in rediscovering this simple, childhood pleasure – to my delight, adult coloring books are enjoying a surge of popularity! These days, you can find coloring books on almost any subject, to fit any interest…
In fact, I’ll bet you can find a coloring book for just about everyone on your Christmas list!
(Or perhaps just your very own personal favorite.)
From humor to home decor to intricate details, I’ve pulled together all of my favorite coloring book offerings as well as ideas for coloring supplies (pencils, markers, etc.) to pair with them for the perfect Christmas gift!
*Today’s post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I may receive a small commission. You can read my full disclosure here. I hope you all know by now that I do only share things I really truly love!
Coloring Books
1. Floribunda: A Flower Coloring Book – For those who love: botanical illustrations. Each page in this coloring book is a work of art, perfect for tearing out and framing after you’re finished!
2. Paris Street Style | Vogue Colors A to Z – These coloring books are the stylish older sisters of those mix and match fashion art kits we had when we were younger. Who remembers those?
Whether it’s jaunty outfits for a Parisian stroll, or famous ensembles from the covers of Vogue magazine (1912-1932), you can indulge your inner costume designer once more with these fashion-conscious choices!
3. The Dr. Seuss Coloring Book | Pride and Prejudice: A Coloring Classic – There are so many literary-themed coloring books out there, but these two captured my fancies the most! Are there any illustrations more suited for colorful re-imaginings than the fantastical world of Dr. Seuss? And Jane Austen is always a favorite!
4. The Night Voyage: A Magical Adventure and Coloring Book – I love the concept of this coloring book by Daria Song! Its pages chronicle the magical journey of a little girl and her cat; the story unfolds as you bring it to life.
5. Color At Home: A Young House Love Coloring Book | The Wallpaper Coloring Book – I was so excited when I heard that John and Sherry from Young House Love were releasing a coloring book! Long-time fans of their blog might recognize many of the spaces from these pages – what a fun chance to put your own spin on their famous room designs! And if you enjoy patterns, then you’ll adore this coloring book full of wallpaper designs!
6. Animorphia: An Extreme Coloring and Search Challenge – Featuring the surreal and hyper-detailed doodles of artist Kerby Rosanes, this book veers away from the overly dainty side of the coloring book spectrum. It’s definitely worth visiting the Amazon reviews to see examples of these incredible illustrations colored in!
7. Supernatural: The Official Coloring Book | The Official Bob’s Burgers Coloring Book – Pick a popular fandom, and I can almost guarantee you can find a coloring book companion! From Supernatural, to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to Bob’s Burgers, to Doctor Who… You know your fanatical friend will get a huge kick out of getting one of these as a gift!
8. You Are Here: An Owner’s Manual for Dangerous Minds – Finally, this coloring book technically isn’t available as a Christmas gift (it releases March 7, 2017), but I couldn’t leave it out. Jenny Lawson is one of my favorite bloggers and authors – I just can’t get enough of her blend of humor, neuroticism, and truth-telling. This coloring book features doodles she originally used to combat anxiety, making it a fitting conclusion to this roundup. I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Coloring Book: Secret Garden by Johanna Bamford | Pencils: Prismacolor
If you’ve found the perfect coloring book to give as a gift, don’t forget to make sure your recipient has the perfect coloring supplies to go along with it! These are some of the most popular coloring tools I found.
Coloring Supplies
1. Dual Tip Artist Markers – I love coloring with these types of markers! They have a brush tip on one end and a finer point on the other.
2. Ultimate Crayola Crayon Collection – Crayons are a classic, throw-back coloring book choice. I remember the excitement of a new box full of all the extra colors! This deluxe set also includes a plastic desktop caddy.
3. 100 Unique Colors Gel Pen Set – Mmm! Is there anything better than the smooth glide of gel pens? This set has 100 unique colors – glitters, metallics, neons, pastels, and classics.
4. Sharpie Ultra-Fine Point Markers – If you like markers, these ultra-fine tip Sharpies are an extremely popular choice with coloring book enthusiasts!
5. Prismacolor Premier Watercolor Pencils -Pair these water-soluble pencils with a wet paintbrush to create gorgeous watercolor fills!
6. Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils – These are the colored pencils I have and love. You’ll also want a good pencil sharpener to help maintain those perfect fine points!
7. Premium Colored Pencils & Canvas Case – This colored pencil set makes the prettiest gift, with its rugged canvas roll case! Perfect for road trips and traveling.
8. Twig Colored Pencils – Lastly, these twig colored pencils might not be the most practical choice, but aren’t they just too adorable? If you have a friend who’s known to always choose form over function (or if, say, that “friend” actually happens to be you), these would be absolute perfection displayed in a mug!
So what do you think of the adult coloring book trend? Did you spy anything that piqued your interest today?
Who wants to come over for some hot cocoa, good conversation, and a coloring session?
Oh love them all! The animal one! And there is something about color sorted pens and pencils that makes me so happy. I also have this obsession with swear words coloring books lol
That animal one looks like so much fun… I might need to nab it! And I came across some of those swear word books and thought they looked hilarious!