# Adult Coloring Books! I'm enjoying mine!



## ireneofnc (Aug 15, 2011)

I had heard so much about them and my first impression was, why "adult" coloring books, and what makes them different. Well, I purchased a few, and they are VERY challenging. Actually I started with what I believe is the easiest one. It's called "Expressions of Faith", and I absolutely love it. I haven't colored in years, and messed up a few pages before I did a couple of pages well enough to not be too ashamed to post. I'm showing them here. If any of you are into this new hobby now, I'd love to see some of your coloring!


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## xxjanexx (May 1, 2012)

My daughter bought me one its vintage styles,but like you say very challenging ....I've managed to do one but so much other stuff going on just not had time to sit and do any more


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## ireneofnc (Aug 15, 2011)

xxjanexx said:


> My daughter bought me one its vintage styles,but like you say very challenging ....I've managed to do one but so much other stuff going on just not had time to sit and do any more


The vintage ones are quite challenging, as well as some of the paisley design coloring books I've seen. That's why I said that the one I started with was simpler than some of the others purchased. For one picture, it took me an hour to color! I remember as a child being able to go almost through an entire coloring book in a couple of hours, lol.


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## Elin (Sep 17, 2011)

I watched some of the You Tube videos and found some helpful hints on how to use the different shading of the colors.


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## ireneofnc (Aug 15, 2011)

Elin said:


> I watched some of the You Tube videos and found some helpful hints on how to use the different shading of the colors.


Thanks for sharing that. I probably need to look at some videos too. The coloring book with these pictures has about 10 pages or more on tips for coloring, shading, drawing additional designs, etc. I didn't know coloring could be so difficult, but I'm really enjoying the challenge!


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## lovepugs (May 5, 2016)

I looked at them the other day while at a craft store. Cheapest one was $10 and up to $30. Too expensive for me to try and see if I liked it.


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## jojo111 (Aug 2, 2014)

lovepugs said:


> I looked at them the other day while at a craft store. Cheapest one was $10 and up to $30. Too expensive for me to try and see if I liked it.


You can go to google and type in "free coloring pages" and you can get oodles of pages. If you have a printer, you are all set.


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## ireneofnc (Aug 15, 2011)

lovepugs said:


> I looked at them the other day while at a craft store. Cheapest one was $10 and up to $30. Too expensive for me to try and see if I liked it.


If you are shopping at AC Moore, Hobby Lobby or Michaels, print out one of the weekly coupons for 50% off of one item at regular price and use it. I think I have paid $6.00 for the ones I have!


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## Bunbun (Feb 13, 2013)

have a male friend in Vt. that has discovered these and absolutely loves doing them. He's never had any interest in any crafts before but loves this.
I HATE coloring. I paint but I do not like coloring. I can still hear teachers in my grade school classes chewing those of us who didn't "stay in the lines" out for not being neater. Really soured me on coloring. Daughter gave me "Outlander" color book for Christmas but even Claire and Jamie can't intice me


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## Sine (Jun 12, 2011)

Elin said:


> I watched some of the You Tube videos and found some helpful hints on how to use the different shading of the colors.


I do this, too. I'm very color challenged.

I've also bought some color grids and tools to help with color selection. My favorite is the "Ultimate 3-in-1 Color Tool" by Joen Wolfrom. In addition to deciding which colors correspond with which, I use the red and green value finders all the time--the colors disappear but the values are easy to see. It helps me decide if I need to increase the value contrast. This tool is used by all kinds of people who use color in their work--quilters, artists, graphic designers, etc.


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

They look great. I never could color well. The teachers quickly gave up on me.


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

I been coloring since this past November. It took me a couple of pictures to get it... Now I'm loving it! I can easily have a hour or two disappear at time when I'm deep into a picture. I use gel pens and these pictures are from The Secret Garden coloring book.
Oops the first two pictures are sidedown


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## mea (Jan 21, 2011)

lovepugs said:


> I looked at them the other day while at a craft store. Cheapest one was $10 and up to $30. Too expensive for me to try and see if I liked it.


I bought one today to send to my daughter at college. I was surprised at the prices.

My Michaels had a sign saying you could not use coupons or any other discount on Adult Coloring Books. I got mine at Joanns and used a Michaels coupon so that helped.


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## bane (Nov 27, 2012)

I've got some and a nice selection of crayons, pencils etc. I find its a great way to ' switch off ' and relax. &#128512;&#128077;


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## lil rayma (Mar 29, 2012)

run4fittness said:


> They look great. I never could color well. The teachers quickly gave up on me.


I don't believe, for one minute, that you cannot color. You color with thread, and your work is phenomenal.


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## albie (Jun 2, 2011)

i have about a dozen books to color. got mine at Wal-Mart...when i want someting else to do to relax i grab a book..bought a 48 pk of colored pencils...just might find a bigger box...i color what i think they should look like...NOT what they should be...i had one of pine trees...guess what???NOT one is green...i just found some dot-to-dot books...THOSE are challenging...DD found me a book of 120 pictures(for mothers day) with no less than 300 dots...it is Dot-to-Dot for grown-ups by David Woodroffe...London...the numbers are very small..sometimes have to take the glasses off..so anyone with VERY bad eyesight it is not good..IF i did a page a day it should last about 4 mos..NOT happening...have half the book done since May 8...I NEED TO FIND MORE FOR MY ADDICTION...wish i could knit as fast as i can do this . to . TY for listening.. :XD: :XD:   :roll: :roll:


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## rujam (Aug 19, 2011)

You did a lovely job.


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## Grandma11 (Jan 21, 2012)

They have them at our dollar store


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## Knitnutty (Feb 9, 2011)

Debbie Macomber's new coloring book is out and it is a knitting theme with scenes from her Cedar Cove series too.


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## randiejg (Oct 29, 2011)

I usually copy a page onto a sheet of light cardstock, and then color the copied page. I just find it easier not to work in the book, and I can turn the paper to any angle that makes it easy to work a section.

I also found that I like working with gel pens, especially for designs with small and tight spaces. When I was using colored pencils, my fingers would cramp, and I also have a slight tremor, which tends to get worse when I get tired. The gel pens flow so easily, and there's no need to go over the same area to get more vivid color.


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## xxjanexx (May 1, 2012)

Knitnutty said:


> Debbie Macomber's new coloring book is out and it is a knitting theme with scenes from her Cedar Cove series too.


Oooo sounds like fun....wonder if I can get it in the uk? Off to Amazon to look!!


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## Clancy P (Feb 26, 2014)

I just saw a color-by-number book...I think I would rather color however I want rather than follow somene else's ideas.


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## tweeter (Dec 22, 2012)

very nice. I haven't gotten any yet


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## Ladyfingers (Jan 26, 2011)

I am coloring in a book right now that has a black background with fantasy gardens on a variety of pages. Fun!
I use gel pens and soft colored pencils in neon colors, metallics and sparkles - Lots of fun! This is pure escapism and a chance to let your imagination run wild.....(but I do that already when designing doll clothes and selecting yarn colors). Can't watch TV, so my iPod gets a workout - no earbuds, just my Bose external speaker nearby.


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## tnbobie (Jan 19, 2014)

albie said:


> i have about a dozen books to color. got mine at Wal-Mart...when i want someting else to do to relax i grab a book..bought a 48 pk of colored pencils...just might find a bigger box...i color what i think they should look like...NOT what they should be...i had one of pine trees...guess what???NOT one is green...i just found some dot-to-dot books...THOSE are challenging...DD found me a book of 120 pictures(for mothers day) with no less than 300 dots...it is Dot-to-Dot for grown-ups by David Woodroffe...London...the numbers are very small..sometimes have to take the glasses off..so anyone with VERY bad eyesight it is not good..IF i did a page a day it should last about 4 mos..NOT happening...have half the book done since May 8...I NEED TO FIND MORE FOR MY ADDICTION...wish i could knit as fast as i can do this . to . TY for listening.. :XD: :XD:   :roll: :roll:


Do you if any of the adult coloring books are done with fashions like they used to have 60 years ago? I have had no luck finding any. I love to color clothes. Thanks for help.


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## lovepugs (May 5, 2016)

Thank you!


jojo111 said:


> You can go to google and type in "free coloring pages" and you can get oodles of pages. If you have a printer, you are all set.


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## Lalane (Aug 23, 2011)

Beautiful, I found some on the Internet, I like doing them, however, it's not the same as the books.


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## aljellie (Mar 4, 2011)

It's my birthday tomorrow so I've been buying myself some gifts. Got a coloring book and pencils at Sam's Club. Haven't started yet because I'm trying to finish up a sweater before the new workshop starts on 5/19. Your pictures look good Irene.


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## Puppies101 (Nov 3, 2012)

You will probably have to copy and paste this link into your browser, but there are 15 free pages to colour.

http://www.everythingetsy.com/2015/08/printable-coloring-pages-for-adults-15-free-designs/

I guess I was wrong and you don't have to copy and paste it after all.


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## Lepeka (Sep 27, 2012)

I have been coloring for the past 6 months. I got my books at Walmart. The most I paid was $4.29. They become addicting to someone who just became retired. I have found some pointed markers at the dollar tree tht work well. But if you use them you need to put something under the page you are coloring because they do bleed. I also use gel pens and colored pencils.


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## Lepeka (Sep 27, 2012)

They have the book with clothes from years ago in Herrschner's catalog on line. I have that on my Christmas Wish List.


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## Ladyfingers (Jan 26, 2011)

Go to Dover Publications.com to find many, many coloring books, plus paper dolls, etc. They even have 4 free coloring pages to download, with new pages every week.


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## ireneofnc (Aug 15, 2011)

Wordancer, and Lepeka:

Your coloring is beautiful! I think your pages are much more advanced than the one I'm coloring in right now. I don't think I can do well with some that I've seen of the flowers, and paisley designs. I haven't tried the gel pens yet, but love using the oil pastel crayons and colored markers, as well as the water color pencils. It's fun that now when shopping for yarn, etc., I can swing by and take a look at the adult coloring books.! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful pictures with us!


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## ireneofnc (Aug 15, 2011)

albie said:


> i have about a dozen books to color. got mine at Wal-Mart...when i want someting else to do to relax i grab a book..bought a 48 pk of colored pencils...just might find a bigger box...i color what i think they should look like...NOT what they should be...i had one of pine trees...guess what???NOT one is green...i just found some dot-to-dot books...THOSE are challenging...DD found me a book of 120 pictures(for mothers day) with no less than 300 dots...it is Dot-to-Dot for grown-ups by David Woodroffe...London...the numbers are very small..sometimes have to take the glasses off..so anyone with VERY bad eyesight it is not good..IF i did a page a day it should last about 4 mos..NOT happening...have half the book done since May 8...I NEED TO FIND MORE FOR MY ADDICTION...wish i could knit as fast as i can do this . to . TY for listening.. :XD: :XD:   :roll: :roll:


It takes me almost an hour to finish coloring one page!


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## ireneofnc (Aug 15, 2011)

Grandma11 said:


> They have them at our dollar store


Really? That's amazing because the cheapest one that I've seen has been about $6. I've seen some that were more than, or right at $20.


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

tnbobie said:


> Do you if any of the adult coloring books are done with fashions like they used to have 60 years ago? I have had no luck finding any. I love to color clothes. Thanks for help.


Check out Dover, adult coloring books,I looked quickly and found American Beauties and the fabulous 50s, art nouveau fashions, tartan designs and more


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## Revan (Jun 29, 2011)

KnitPicks has a few adult coloring books and coloring pencils as well.


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## Sunflowergirl (Jan 4, 2016)

I looked for awhile before I found any I liked. I now have 3 books, but am coloring in one to start out. They are addicting! I always liked coloring when young and colored with my kids and grand kids. Hobby Lobby had the best ones for me. Barnes and Noble Book Store probably has the most to choose from. So many a person can get confused, just looking through them. So far I have just used colored pencils and seem to do pretty good, but quickly found I needed a pencil sharpener to keep by my side!


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## judeanne (Mar 6, 2011)

I have The Secret Garden and I haven't found time to finish a picture, but I will. It's really challenging, but fun.


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## albie (Jun 2, 2011)

tnbobie said:


> Do you if any of the adult coloring books are done with fashions like they used to have 60 years ago? I have had no luck finding any. I love to color clothes. Thanks for help.


i don't know if Walmart has any of those...will check...Mary Maxim catalog has lots of books$5.99--$14.99....also have 4 books on fashion:
1)Fabulous Fashions of the 1950s
2)Flower Fashion Fantasies
3)Fanciful FACES
4)Designer Desserts...all for $5.99 ea
even Big Y and Stop & Shop has them...probably most of the drugstores..it is such a fad right now that most stores will probably have them...found some that were 5x9"..just right for the knitting bag...although i really don't take them out..prefer to color at home in a relaxing mode. :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## albie (Jun 2, 2011)

ireneofnc said:


> It takes me almost an hour to finish coloring one page!


coloring takes me longer....it is the dot-to-dot that doesn't take long...although i usually do them when NO ONE is around...if i can't find more...i will send for them from Mary Maxim..2 for $4.99 ea....1 for 5.99..it relaxes the hands and mind...


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## Ladyfingers (Jan 26, 2011)

I am planning to make up a Christmas package for specific friends and relatives this year. There are so many coloring books with such a variety of subject matter that I know I can find books that will appeal to everyone in the family: Fairy Tales, Dragons, Horses, Ballerinas, Classic Cars, Tatoos, Glamour Fashions, Doodles, Seascapes/Ocean, and every animal on the planet. Each gift will contain 1-2 coloring books, a set of colored pencils, or gel pens, and an eraser. 

Amazon.com has a wide selection of everything I need, including boxes and gift wrap. This should be a fun project!


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## ireneofnc (Aug 15, 2011)

Ladyfingers said:


> I am planning to make up a Christmas package for specific friends and relatives this year. There are so many coloring books with such a variety of subject matter that I know I can find books that will appeal to everyone in the family: Fairy Tales, Dragons, Horses, Ballerinas, Classic Cars, Tatoos, Glamour Fashions, Doodles, Seascapes/Ocean, and every animal on the planet. Each gift will contain 1-2 coloring books, a set of colored pencils, or gel pens, and an eraser.
> 
> Amazon.com has a wide selection of everything I need, including boxes and gift wrap. This should be a fun project!


That's a wonderful idea! Already, I have sent a few to friends/family members for birthday gifts. These people are seniors like myself and they love them. For Christmas, everyone, including the guys, may just get coloring books and gel pens, crayons or water colors from me!


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