Thursday, February 18, 2016

On Adult Coloring Books

So, last summer I bought my first adult coloring book.  It was just a little book of flower pictures.  Kind of had this Art Nouveau theme to it.  But, it was pretty great.  I like to color with crayons.  It doesn't give you the control that colored pencils do, or look as wall worthy as some of the finished projects I've seen online, but there's just something about the waxy smell of crayons on paper that I love.

Then, I got the opportunity to review a coloring book for Blogging for Books.  They were going to send me The Time Garden by Daria Song, but due to a shipping delay, they sent me Outside the Lines, Too also.  They are both adult coloring books, but there are definitely some differences.


The Time Garden  is almost a story book, with text and a story throughout.  The pages to color look similar to something from The Secret Garden by Johanna Basford's style.  Lots of small areas, lots to color.  If that's your cup of tea, then you'll probably love this coloring book.  A lot of the pictures spread across both pages.  Some of the pages I really like, like the ones with just a ton of different stars, or flowering tree branches, or balloons.  But others not so much, like the watch cogs, or a bunch of buildings.  It's a sturdy book complete with dust jacket,

Example of a page from The Time Garden

But, this really isn't my style.  I prefer a more traditional coloring book style.  I like a big picture to color with lots of areas for inserting color and my own style.  So, Outside the Lines, Too, was great for this.  In this book, the pages are totally random.  There's everything from geometric prints, animals drawn in cartoon style, a page of just different types of apples with the names of each type written next to it, to ocean waves.  It's got a little bit of everything.  It's a couple hundred pages long, but the pictures are only on the right side of the book.  Flip the page over and you'll find the authors name, work's name, and author's website address, so if you want to frame any of your masterpieces, you can do so without ruining another picture.  The pages are perforated too.

Example of a page out of Outside the Lines, Too

In the end it really comes down to a personal preference.  What kind of coloring do you prefer.  And if you think adult coloring books are immature and a waste of time, well, I think you're missing out.  How much time do we waste watching t.v. or scrolling through Facebook feeds?  Adult coloring books give a little creative outlet, and really are relaxing, without requiring much time commitment or a lot of supplies  There's just something about picking up crayons and just focusing on what to color first that ease away stress.  I think if you're looking for a fun little hobby, buy yourself a book, and a box of crayons (or colored pencils, or oil pastels, or whatever you're into) and just get lost in some coloring- especially if you're the type that doesn't like to devote lots of time to learning new skills or having to purchase a bunch of supplies to get started.

Both these books were provided by Blogging for Books in exchange for a fair and impartial review.


3 comments:

  1. I got 4, that's right FOUR, adult coloring books for Christmas! And I couldn't be happier!!!

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    1. Very nice! I like Outside the Lines, Too, but I've been eyeing up a couple I saw on Bargain Books and at Hobby Lobby.

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  2. I got the same deal from Blogging for Books. I love Time Garden. I used water colors on a couple of the pages.

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