Adult coloring books are the latest fad, taking the world by storm with the pretense that they will help you relax. As they continue to grow in popularity, more and more are released, leaving everyone with a variety to choose from.
They vary by topic and design. The books range in price, number of sheets, and the amount and size of detail within the pages.
For some, the task truly is a stress-reliever, providing an outlet over a lunch break or at the end of an exhausting work day, and yet for others, the pages of beautiful ink designs and the box of fully sharpen colored pencils simply bring back their inner childhood dream of being the world's greatest artist.
As the school year approaches, college students are always looking for a away to ease the stress of tests and papers, procrastinate, or entertain themselves in the campus student center or coffee shop.
Whatever the motive may be, there are hundreds of books to choose from, and while picking out a coloring book might seem like an easy feat, it's actually a huge decision. The purchase of an adult coloring book is a purchase of time, dedication, and commitment, so you best choose one that fits your liking.
The Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt & Coloring Book by Johanna Basford
Without a doubt the most popular one on the market, Basford's first coloring book is still in high demand. Though published in 2013, stores struggle to keep it in stock, and it is consistently back-ordered on Amazon. I promise, however, that the wait is completely worth it.
The page designs are gorgeous, ranging from garden scenes, floral designs, and images of underwater ponds.
However, the fine detail requires great patience and extra sharp pencils, so if that is not what you are looking for, this would not be the book for you.
The Secret Garden is available on Amazon, BN.com and in some Barnes and Noble retail stores.
Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest & Coloring Book by Jonanna Basford
Basford’s second coloring book might be even more successful than her first in terms of beautiful pages to color. The book is filled with scenery images of exquisite tree houses, royal castles, and adorable woodland creatures.
Just like The Secret Garden, the details are fine and a pencil sharpener will quickly become your best friend.
Enchanted Forest is available on Amazon, BN.com, and in some Barnes and Noble retail stores.
Animal Kingdom: Color Me, Draw Me by Millie Marotta
Marotta’s coloring book is the animal version of Basford’s books. Once again drawing on intricate detail, the pages are filled with elephants, rhinoceroses, parrots, giraffes, and many other animals eagerly waiting to be brought to life.
Animal Kingdom is available on Amazon, BN.com, and in some Barnes and Noble retail stores.
Travel Inspired Coloring by Parragon Books
Filled with over 100 cityscapes, this coloring book is for every artist whose heart is filled with a love for travel. The majority of the layouts are two-page spreads, featuring beautiful places such as Big Ben, a Paris landscape, and Time Square.
The downfall of the coloring book is the gold spots the company filled in and the lack of definitive lines. Some pictures, such as those with trees, look like printer ink exploded on the page.
Nonetheless, the book has countless pictures that I would love to color, frame, and hang in my room.
Travel Inspired Coloring is available on Amazon, BN.com, and in some Barnes and Noble retail stores.
Optical Illusions by Carlton Publishing Group
This mind-numbing coloring book might make you nauseous, but the layouts have potential to be really cool. While some designs are a little too sickening for me, there are a handful of others that are incredible, like the ones that look like they are moving.
Optical Illusions is available on Amazon, BN.com, and in some Barnes and Noble retail stores.
Mandala Magic by ArsEdition
This is my favorite non-scenery coloring book. It's full of beautiful mandalas begging to be colored with every bright and lively colored pencil you can find.
The coloring book has the perfect balance of fine detail and larger areas to color.
And while a usual turn-off for me is the number of mainly black pages, the black background mandalas would look sick with bright, neon, or metallic colors.
Mandala Magic is available on Amazon, BN.com, and in some Barnes and Noble retail stores.
Beautiful Patterns: Creative Coloring for Grown-ups by Various Illustrators
This coloring book is a mix of everything, featuring birds, flowers, and just random patterns for you to fill in. The amount of detail varies by page, as each layout was designed by a different artist.
Beautiful Patterns is available on Amazon, BN.com, and in some Barnes and Noble retail stores.
Glorious Gardens by Michael O'Mara Books
It is a cheaper, less detailed Secret Garden. While there is still a good amount of detail, it is not as fine, and it won't give you as big of a headache from staring at the pages for hours on end.
Glorious Gardens is available on Amazon, BN.com, and in some Barnes and Noble retail stores.
