Kids have the right idea: Coloring is fun! It can also be incredibly relaxing, fulfilling, and satisfying, which is why there are more and more coloring books for grownups on the market.
From intricate cityscapes and cool tattoos, to gorgeous gardens and magical garden dreamscapes, these coloring books offer you a time and space to daydream and be creative. So, give your kids back their crayons, get some coloring supplies of your very own, and get started!
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Image via barnesandnoble.com
Created by the talented illustrator Johanna Basford, Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Colouring Book ($10, barnesandnoble.com) takes you on a ramble through a beautiful garden. "Hidden within are all kinds of creatures and curiosities to be sought," reads Basford's website. "The book opens with a list of things to be found, throwing down the eye spy gauntlet, 63 beatles, 20 songbirds, 116 butterflies, 1 shark..."
Look out for Basford's next two books; the first, LOST OCEAN: An Underwater Adventure & Coloring Book, will be published by Penguin Random House in October.
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Image via chroniclebooks.com
The designer of this coloring book is Abbi Jacobson, co-star and co-creator of Comedy Central’s Broad City! Color this Book: New York City ($9.95, chroniclebooks.com). So you know it's great! The 30 illustrations capture the fun and hipness of NYC. There's also a San Francisco version!
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Image via HelloHoneyHandmade/etsy.com
Colour Me Honey ($13.73, HelloHoneyHandmade/etsy.com) is available via instant download, which means you can start coloring and painting RIGHT NOW! There are 25 pages of hand-drawn typography and illustrations, all of which would make great pieces to frame.
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Image via amazon.com
Artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon has a whole line of gorgeous coloring and art books. Just Add Color: Botanicals: 30 Original Illustrations To Color, Customize, and Hang ($11.57, amazon.com) is made up of 30 original designs on perforated paper, to make it easy for you to hang your OWN work on the fridge!
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Image via Chronicle Books
Fantastic Cities: A Coloring Book of Amazing Places Real and Imagined by Steve McDonald ($15.99, chroniclebooks.com) comes out in August 2015, and I can't wait. Each of the 58 pages contains an incredibly detailed scene from a city like London, Paris, New York, Strasbourg, Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Istanbul ... or from a city of imagination. Just the thing for a daydreamer with wanderlust.
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Image via megamunden.com
Whether you've already got a dozen tattoos or you're just fantasizing, The Tattoo Coloring Book ($13.66, barnesandnoble.com) by Oliver Munden contains beautiful illustrations to color in ... and ponder.
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Image via amazon.com
Filled with messages and affirmations like "Follow Your Heart" and "Go For It!", Creative Coloring Inspirations: Art Activity Pages to Relax and Enjoy! ($7.10, amazon.com) by Valentina Harper is a relaxing way to create positivity and beauty in your life.
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Image via doverpublications.com
Comprised of 30 pages of beautiful designs inspired by art deco styles from the '20s, '30s, and '40s, Creative Haven Art Deco Fashions Coloring Book ($5.99, doverpublications.com) is a true treat for fashion and art lovers alike.
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Image via booksamillion.com
Filled with intricate shapes and swirling designs, Zen Doodle Coloring Book ($12.87, booksamillion.com) by Kristy Conlin is all about spacing out and relaxing into a meditative coloring zone.
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Image via amazon.com
The Midnight Colouring Book ($13.98, amazon.com) by Richard Merritt is sold as a children's coloring book, but the unique designs and graphic nature will appeal to people of all ages.
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Image via barnesandnoble.com
Filled with magical and intricate illustrations, Dream Catcher: a soul bird's journey ($7.99, barnesandnoble.com) by Christina Rose is a dreamy, inspirational coloring book.
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Image via BethIngrias/etsy.com
Available as an instant digital download, Sugar Skulls by Beth Ingrias ($9.99, BethIngrias/etsy.com) is filled with gorgeous and detailed Day of the Dead sugar skull illustrations.
