Children already know that colouring is fun! Colouring teaches them to concentrate, helps develop fine motor skills and offers an opportunity for them to discover their creative side. 

But colouring isn’t only for children. You probably have seen them in bookshops or supermarkets: adult colouring books. If you have a child and have ever had to pick up a colouring pencil to help them draw or colour, you already know how calming this simple activity can be. But for anyone who doesn't already know, in this blog, we'll tell you everything you need to know about colouring for adults: what it is, why you will want to do it and how to get started!

What is colouring for adults?

You may think that a colouring book is just a colouring book. Yet there is a difference between colouring books for children and colouring books for adults. Colouring pages for adults are, for example, less about learning to colour within the lines (we can assume that most adults have mastered this skill already) and more about your mental well-being and health. You can learn more about that later in this blog.

In general, adult colouring pages have much more intricate designs with many small details. Often these are beautiful geometric patterns of animals, plants or flowers. Mandalas are also very popular. These are symmetrical geometric patterns with a centre (representing the symbolic cosmos) and have their origins in Tibetan Buddhism.

The benefits of colouring for adults

But why do it, you may ask. Isn't colouring for children? No, it's not! You'll be surprised how many benefits it has. The most important ones are listed below:

Unplug for a while

Technology has completely intertwined with our daily lives. We spend a great deal of the day staring at screens, be it a phone, laptop or television. However, our brains also need time to process everything. Colouring is the perfect way to unplug for a while. 30 minutes in your favourite colouring book is enough to relax yourself (and your brain).

Get creative!

Children are creative by nature. And for a good reason. By being creative, they unconsciously train their problem-solving abilities. But as we get older, our creative spark seems to die out a bit. Maybe you are even convinced that you are not creative at all? Fortunately, a colouring book can help. After all, anyone can colour, even the least crafty among us. And the great thing is that you can't go wrong! Just choose the colours you like and put your pencil to paper. Inside or outside of the lines, anything goes! If you still want some colour tips, we've got you covered! You'll find them further on in this blog.

Keep calm and colour

Colouring for adults has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. The calming effect of colouring (also known as mindfulness colouring) is probably the main reason for this. Many people even experience it as meditative. Apparently, it is a welcome outlet for our often busy lives that requires little effort and you can start right away.

For people with an anxiety disorder or depression, colouring can even have a therapeutic effect. Research has shown that, in particular, colouring complex geometric patterns (like a zentangle or mandala!) can help to enter a meditative state that helps reduce stress and anxiety. How does this work? By focusing our attention on a simple activity, our brain can relax. As a result, we automatically stop thinking about any worries or concerns. In addition, our brain likes it when something is predictable because it gives us a feeling of security. The repetition of colouring patterns and details calms us down.

**Bonus tip! Sharpening your pencils is also very relaxing.

Hang it up!

Adult colouring pages are often beautiful even before you start, but once you've finished you will find you have created a true work of art. Frame it and hang it on the wall so you can enjoy it for a long time. You can also write a lovely message on the back and give the artwork to a loved one as a card or gift.

Colour anywhere you like

You only need a few materials for this hobby. That means you can colour anywhere! At home, in the car, on the tube or train, in a waiting room, during your lunch break and even at your child's swimming lessons. Throw a colouring book and pencil case with your favourite coloured pencils or felt-tip pens into your bag and colour on the go. Prefer to use paint? That's also possible! A watercolour set with a brush pen is easy to take with you - the pen is already filled with water for painting!

How to get started?

This doesn't require much explanation, because as we wrote before, you cannot go wrong – and if you feel like you did...just turn the page. If you are still a bit nervous about starting on that beautiful new colouring page, keep reading to find out more about the different materials and techniques.

Colouring materials

Colour pencils are the first thing that springs to mind. You can do anything with colouring pencils for adults. They come in all colours and are light and easy to use. Mistakes are easy to remove with an eraser and by combining colours you can create stunning effects. Watercolour pencils are also great fun: after colouring, go over the drawing with a wet brush to create a watercolour effect.

Colouring pens are a logical second choice. Felt-tip pens or markers are ideal because of their vibrant colours and the nice opaque layer they create. Do you want to mix colours? Then use water-based brush pens, for example, the Tombow ABT dual brush pen has two tips in different thicknesses and is suitable for water colouring. 

Do you want something a little different? Gel pens are ideal for colouring in small squares, such as a mandala, due to their fine tip. The ink is thick and opaque, allowing you to create brightly coloured areas. And there are also gel pens in glitter, metallic or neon shades!

Why not try colouring your colouring pages with paint? It requires a different technique but is wonderful to do. Mix colours and play with the paint on the paper. You can use both watercolours and acrylic colours. Make sure you first test a little paint on the back of a colouring sheet. Paint is best on thicker paper, so not all colouring books will be suitable for this.

Tips and techniques

Tired of the single-colour per square technique and want to add a little more effect or depth to your colouring page? Read the tips and techniques below for inspiration.

• Multiple colours:
  ⁠It can be that simple. Don't be limited by the black outlines. They're not going to tell you what to do, are they? If you want to blend two (or more!) colours in one spot, just do it!

• Colour outside the lines:
  For the rebellious among us. Choose your path and colour wherever you want. Do you love following the rules? Step out of your comfort zone, try this as an experiment and see how it feels :)

• Choose a maximum of 5 colours:
  This technique can be extra calming (because you'll limit the colours to choose from), but it is also a challenge. Try to create a good balance with only a few colours. Nice detail: the result will look great on your wall!

• Add highlights:
  A simple and fun way to make a colouring page stand out is by adding highlights. Use a white gel pen and place highlights where you think the light should be. You can also create a white outline along with the black outlines of the colouring page or add extra dots or dashes.

• Shadows:
  Add depth to your colouring page by creating shadows in logical places. You can add shadows by pressure shading or lightly going over your work with a darker version of the same colour range. You can also use a complementary colour for this.

**Bonus tip! Tear or cut the colouring page out of the book, so that you can lay it flat in front of you and reach everything easily.

Have fun!

Finally, the most important tip: have fun! Because after all, that's what it's all about. Adult colouring is a nice and easy way to create a relaxing moment for yourself. Time to raid the kids' craft supplies and confiscate some colouring pencils or treat yourself to a brand new box of colouring pencils, experiment with shades, colouring techniques and materials and discover your inner artist!