Hello all!
Here in Brazil the big thing of the moment are the coloring books for adults. Joanna Brasford´s first title, the secred garden, released last Christmas and it is a HUGE fever, so we are seeing several coloring books, lots with aweful quality, popping up everywhere, and lots of cities don´t have colored pencils anywhere to sell - several online stores have sold them out too.
In your place, is it a big thing too?
What about journaling-kind books like wreck this journal, one page at a time, etc?
Can I have good recomendations for both coloring books and journaling books?
Do you have sites/fanpages/instagram accounts about it that you love?
I´m interested in hearing everything about it!
Lorien .... I'm not sure about Ottawa here but in my house it's a tradition ... I have pencils galore along with books and sheets for the girls big and small ... when we get together we colour before and after dinner ... I then put the latest pages on my fridge just like you would with young kids ... too much fun and we just sit around and colour and talk and basically have a good time
That is an interesting topic. I have heard about coloring books for adults but never seen one. I wonder how did it became popular and where else they are poping up?
Are they like the Zentangle books? They are very popular here in America and are considered adult coloring books.
Humm... Seems it´s not a big thing how it´s here. Maybe because you have more access to coloring stuff (like stamps and whatsoever) than us (coloring for adults NEVER became popular in Brazil... till now...)
This is the book that started the coloring frenzy here (in Amazon US page): Secret Garden.
Now take a look on how many followers these instagrams that are compilations of colored pages from this book have:
@inspiracaojardimsecreto, @JardimSecretoTop, @Jardimsecretoinspire.
Everybody have heard of it. People who aren´t usually crafty people are buying and coloring. There are at least 10 coloring magazines for adults at news stands... It´s weird and I never saw something like that before...
There are lots of people criticizing it, saying that people want to go back to kindergarten... I´m loving it! I´m even thinking on preparing some coloring illustrations to sell...
Lorien ... I love Johanna's books .... she has free ones on her blog ... here's a Christmas one
Johanna Basford
If you want adult colouring page sign up for Dover's free samples here:
Dover publications
so cool Susan, thanks for sharing!
This is pretty cool. I love this idea. Lorien thanks for the instagram links I really enjoyed looking at all those beautiful creations.
I have the Joanna's book Secret Garden, and am on the hunt for her Enchanted Forest. I was actually on the hunt for it yesterday when we were downtown, but didn't find it. Mandala's seem like they are a big thing, but I like the full story page.
There is a journaling bible that is very popular with the ladies here. There is a lined journal area on the side of each page and most of the ladies are using it to artfully illustrate their favorite scriptures. Here is a link if you're interested.
http://www.rebekahrjones.com/bible-art-journaling-challenge/
Lorien, I wouldn't say they necessarily want to go back to kindergarten, but there is something peaceful and carefree about just letting everything you're worrying about drift out of your mind while you color. And in that way, I suppose it is like being a kid--recapturing that state of mind is actually good for your health, as it's good for combating stress much like renting a beach house or a remote cabin for a couple of weeks.
Creating art can do the same thing, but not everyone can draw something recognizable. Almost anyone can color in an outline, though, so it becomes a form of art for the non-creative types. That's why some craft kits are so popular--embroidery/needlework kits that have the pattern printed on the cloth, for instance, and the "stained glass" plastic suncatchers, paint-by-numbers kits, and pre-packaged jewelrymaking kits where the beads and layout are given to you. You don't have to have any real color theory or composition knowledge, or much artistic skill, but you can still feel like you made something beautiful.
I don't know why people are making such a fuss over it now, though--then again, I never stopped coloring in the first place. I've always had at least a 64-color set of crayons and a set of colored pencils and watercolor paints, and use whichever takes my fancy on a given day.
I have seen adult coloring books pop up in stores, but they are not a huge hype like you describe Lorién. It's mostly the crafty types that buy them. There has been an increase in pretty notebooks and planners, but nothing that has sold out due to a crazed crowd
Adult colouring has become a big sensation here in the UK. We even have a magazine called Art Therapy which is released each week and has different colouring pages in it.
I'm not sure how popular it is in my area but I've used adult coloring books in my therapy sessions. I love them!
Ladies, I´m enjoying really much to see your answers to this topic. I love to analise trends - whichever they are - and try to figure out why they´re trendy. When it´s a trend I love, it´s even much fun! Keep them coming!
I just heard about an 'Adult' coloring book for the first time, a month ago. They have amazing illustrations, and I think it's a great idea! Crafty people love it because it's just another outlet, and first time crafters get to make a beautiful design... plus, I think it's wonderful that it lets you be a kid again- I think we adults could learn a few things from kids! Great topic Lorien!
Hi! I've just started getting into the adult coloring book craze! I know the books you are talking about by Joanna Brasford but they are all sold out here in America! I went to a Coloring Party just last week. I've already purchased a book of mandalas and if I really start getting into this I will one day purchase the very expensive Prismacolor colored pencils
Wreck This Journal, and really anything else Keri Smith, and adult colouring books are huge in the UK and North America! A couple months ago I bought Johanna Basford's newest book, Enchanted Forest (couldn't find Secret Garden, though) and a mini book called Pretty Flower Postcards. I also subscribe to a magazine called Art Therapy that comes with patterns/pages in a monthly theme
Good to hear, Vanessa and Mary!
Krissy, I totally agree with you!
A coloring party sounds fun! I actually just bought this one to add to the collection.
http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Coloring-Inspirations-Activity-Pages/dp/1574219723/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1433167897&sr=1-11&keywords=adult+coloring+books
I have yet to figure out which pencils, pens, or markers I like the best. They each provide a different feel to the page.
Hey all,
). Now, though, I'm quite attracted to the idea. Maybe because the examples you pointed out are very far from Mandalas, which I am not a fan of.
I must admit that here in Germany I had no notion of this happening. But now that you mention it, I think I saw something in one of the "FLOW BOOK FOR PAPER LOVERS" that come from the Netherlands in both Dutch and English, and I remember that at the time I turned over a page to a colour-in picture and I thought no, that's taking it one step to far back to childhood (mind you, I do use the cutouts...
I have been thinking about how to create hybrids when you are having photobooks printed. Maybe that's one possibility. Thanks for starting this very interesting thread / train for thought!
I just decided that this will be my new hobby! I'm going to find a book to order... yay!
Oh I LOVE that!! Might need to get that into my life.
My Art Therapy magazines have a neat extra in the back every month, which is sometimes a monogram to colour or an inspirational page like in that book you linked. Speaking of which, my next issues are due any day now...
Thank you Marel for this link. It looks like a lot of fun...one more thing to try
I just purchased my first coloring books for adults a few months ago and my favorite is Johanna Basford's Secret Garden. It is so beautiful I can't bring myself to color in it
yet.
I love all the adult coloring books that have been popping up in NH! I have a couple of them that I bought at a book store but to be honest I love a lot of the kids coloring books still, especially all the super hero ones that you can get a dollar stores. I didn't know it was a big thing until recently, I never left the coloring stage of childhood lol!
@Sharilynn I color with my kids all the time in their coloring books, between the super heros, the Hot Wheels, and the Thomas ones, we've got a lot of variety in our house!
@Emily- I just ordered that same one you mentioned above, thank you for sharing it!
I've always loved coloring. I need some adult books.
If you google "Adult Square Coloring Pages" you will get some that are SQUARE...hmm that gives me an idea!! You could color them fully, or partially, or not at all (since they're beautiful by themselves) and use them as a LAYOUT BACKGROUND. You could let your young kids color them, and have that awesome look, or even get your older children and teens to color them, and commemorate them in a layout that way. Just an idea. Coloring with your kids, and especially with your teens, is a great way to relax and talk easily together for hours. I LOVE COLORING
I've coloured in the books from Dover Books since the 90s. They have designs, plants, animals and historical stuff (fashions are my fave!) I love getting a book and new sharp coloured pencils!
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