5 Tips & Tricks to Get Creative with Adult Colouring Books

5 Tips and Tricks to Get Creative with Adult Colouring Books 🎨

Kids are smart, they have always known the best relaxing activities to do and get creative with, and we adults have finally caught up. If you haven’t yet discovered, colouring books are no longer just for the little ones; older adults have been using colouring books to help wind down our minds, for relaxation, to de-stress or to kick anxiety, or just to get creative.

Adult colouring books is an easy activity to do anywhere. Take your book and pencils wherever you go, whether travelling on a cruise, campervan or jetting out on a plane, it’s a great stress inducer, therapeutic, and perfect to pass the time. It’s easy to get lost in colouring in the mandalas and other intricate designs while unleashing your creativity.

There are no limitations or expectations when enjoying adult colouring books. All that is required is for you to allow yourself to enjoy this timeless activity, where you can experiment with materials and tools to add a little bit of POP to your pictures.

The best part is, you don’t need to draw masterpieces – the real benefit is simply relaxing your mind to focus on colouring. So draw outside the lines if you want, or colour the sky yellow and tress purple, it really doesn’t matter!

Come with us as we share some of our fun and creative ideas.

1. Use Paint

Using paint is a whole different experience when colouring. Watercolours particularly allow you to add some delicate tones that will add softness to flower petals, or perhaps you want to use acrylics for a different look altogether. Whatever your choice, it’s a versatile medium that is only limited by your imagination.

2. Create Layers

Use pencils to create layers in your colouring pages. This technique works with outlines and colour building that gives your pictures a built-up look that adds depth. Easy to follow tutorials can be found on websites like Craftsy or Youtube to guide you.

3. Use a Monochromatic Theme

Have you thought of only using black and white or other neutral colours for an ‘antique’ look or to create a monochromatic theme? Whatever medium you’re working with – pencils, markers, or paint your work can look like pictures of old or a treasured heirloom from the past.

4. Get Creative with Colour

We know that tree trunks are different shades of browns and grass is green, but why not change it up a bit with your adult colouring books. Create a kaleidoscope of rainbow colours on your page by thinking outside the box and colour your tree trunks shades of purple, yellow and blue and your grass pink.

5. Use White Pencils for Shading

Using a white pencil to add shading to your colouring pages can give your picture the definition to make it pop from the page or let it ‘shine’ in the right places for a touch of reality. Whether it’s a patch on a bird’s egg or the waxen look of fruit, there is a lot of versatility when using the often underused white pencil.

Bonus Idea: Use Mixed Media

There is nothing more fun than getting creative when you already have a ‘pattern’ to work with. Using scraps of paper, confetti, paint, pencils, and other materials you can think of, add depth and definition to your pictures. When you see the finished results, you will want to put your colouring picture in a frame and add it to your decor as a fun addition to your home.

When you’ve finished your book (or masterpiece), why not repurpose your finished drawings. For some handy ideas, read our article on 14 fun ideas to repurpose your favourite colouring pages.

And if you’re new to the idea of adult colouring books, or looking for a new book to colour, why not grab our latest adult colouring book – Birds, Sea Life & Animal Portraits. Partnering with the creative team at Piccolo Digital, our book includes 50 intricate and therapeutic designs that feature detailed patterns. See below for more details.

Whatever book or craft you choose, happy colouring!

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