Remember when coloring was just for kids? Think again. Millions of adults have rediscovered this simple joy, and the trend of color by number for adults is more than just a passing fad. It’s a scientifically backed way to boost creativity, reduce stress, and find a moment of calm in a busy world.
The numbers don’t lie. In 2015, adult coloring book sales in the U.S. skyrocketed to 12 million, a massive jump from just 1 million the previous year. It’s clear that this is a hobby with real staying power and tangible benefits.
Why Coloring Is a Calming Hobby for Adults
If you feel a little silly picking up colored pencils again, you can officially let that feeling go. Adult coloring is a mainstream, celebrated activity, and for good reason. It’s a powerful tool for mindfulness and relaxation.
Every Color Offers a Moment of Calm
Engaging in color by number for adults is a form of active meditation. It helps you focus on the present moment, pushing aside nagging worries and daily stressors. The simple, repetitive motion of filling in shapes can be incredibly soothing. Research backs this up, showing that coloring can actually calm the fear center of your brain, lower your heart rate, and relax your muscles. One study with college students found that those who colored for a week saw significant drops in anxiety and depression.
Yes, Adults Can and Should Join in the Fun
This hobby is enjoyed by people from all walks of life. The largest group of users are young and middle aged adults, with women making up about 71% of buyers. But the benefits are universal. Older adults who spent just 20 minutes coloring intricate mandalas reported feeling noticeably calmer and more at ease. Therapists often recommend coloring as a healthy way to manage stress, offering a creative escape from screen time.
Your Simple Guide to Getting Started
Diving into the world of color by number for adults is easy and affordable. You can browse custom coloring pages to find a design that matches your mood. You don’t need expensive supplies or artistic talent, just a little time and a willingness to play.
Assembling Your Starter Pack
Getting your tools together is the first step. You don’t need to buy a giant, professional set of supplies. A basic kit is all it takes.
- Coloring Tools: Colored pencils are a favorite for their precision and blendability. In fact, consumers once spent $128 million on them in a single year during the coloring boom. Markers and gel pens are also great options for vibrant, bold colors.
- Coloring Pages: You can start with a coloring book or find countless free pages online to print.
- A Comfortable Space: Find a spot with good lighting where you can sit comfortably and relax.
What to Look for in a Quality Coloring Book
If you choose a physical book over printables, quality can make a huge difference in your experience. Here are a few things to consider:
- Paper Thickness: Look for books with thick, heavy weight paper. This prevents markers and gel pens from bleeding through and ruining the image on the other side. Thicker paper also stands up better to the pressure from colored pencils.
- Single Sided Pages: Many quality coloring books print designs on only one side of the page. This is another great feature that protects your artwork from bleed through.
- Page Perforation: If you like to display your finished work, look for books with perforated pages. This allows you to tear out your art cleanly for framing or gifting.
Simple Steps to Color by Number
Once you have your supplies, you’re ready to begin. Follow these simple steps for a rewarding experience.
- Check the Color Key: Look at the legend on your page to see which color corresponds to each number.
- Start with Lighter Colors: A great pro tip is to work from light to dark. It’s much easier to layer darker shades over lighter ones than the other way around.
- Take Your Time: Color at a relaxed pace. Work on all the sections for one number before moving to the next, or complete one area of the picture at a time. Do whatever feels most enjoyable.
- Take Breaks: Pause every 20 minutes or so to stretch your hands and rest your eyes.
- Embrace Imperfection: The goal is to relax, not to create a perfect masterpiece. Don’t stress about staying perfectly in the lines. This is for your enjoyment.
How to Find Pages You’ll Absolutely Love
The adult coloring market has exploded, meaning there is an endless variety of designs to explore. With over 2,000 new coloring books published in 2015 alone, you’ll never run out of options.
Explore Popular Pages and Categories
If enchanted settings are your thing, explore a magical forest coloring page to ease into the fantasy vibe. Nature, animals (try a dogs coloring page), and fantasy scenes are also incredibly popular. At the peak of the trend, pop culture books featuring series like Harry Potter and Doctor Who were top sellers. Most websites and books organize pages by category, making it easy to browse for topics that spark your interest.
Find Global and International Designs
Coloring is a global hobby, and you can find books and pages that celebrate cultures from around the world. Whether you’re interested in Japanese art, Native American patterns, or scenes from a European city, there are designs that let you explore different cultural aesthetics. These pages offer a wonderful way to learn about global traditions and art forms while you relax.
Use Tags to Pinpoint Your Interests
If you have something specific in mind, use tags and keywords to narrow your search. Looking for a flower design? Just search “flower” on a coloring site. Social media is another goldmine. The #adultcoloring hashtag on Instagram has over 1.5 million posts, offering endless inspiration. Online communities, like Reddit’s r/Coloring with more than 135,000 members, are great places to find recommendations and free pages shared by fellow hobbyists.
Always Find a New Page to Keep Things Exciting
The key to sticking with any hobby is variety. Luckily, the world of color by number for adults offers a constant stream of new content. Digital platforms and apps provide a virtually unlimited library of images. Better yet, you can find innovative tools that generate pages on demand. Sites like CustomColoringPages.com let you discover new, unique designs anytime you want.
Get Creative and Keep Your Hobby Interesting
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different styles and themes to keep your coloring sessions fresh and fun.
Celebrate with Seasonal and Holiday Themes
Tying your coloring into the time of year is a wonderful way to get into the festive spirit. An autumn color by number page filled with falling leaves and pumpkins is perfect for a cozy afternoon. Around the winter holidays, you can find countless designs featuring snowflakes, ornaments, and festive scenes. For a cozy start, you can try this winter night rainbow page.
Dream Up Unique Themes
Your imagination is the only limit. You can find coloring books for nearly any niche interest, from zombie apocalypses to magical jungles. But you aren’t limited to what’s already been published. What if you want to color something truly specific, like an elephant in the jungle or a dragon drinking coffee? With an AI generator like CustomColoringPages.com, you can bring your wildest ideas to life simply by typing a prompt.
Discover the Fun of Mystery Coloring
For a puzzle like twist, try mystery color by number pages. In these designs, you fill in numbered spaces without knowing what the final image will be. As you color, a hidden picture slowly emerges, providing a wonderful sense of accomplishment and surprise. This format combines the relaxation of coloring with the engaging challenge of solving a puzzle.
Recreate Famous Artwork
You can connect with art history by coloring pages based on famous paintings. Kits and printables allow you to recreate masterpieces from artists like Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Leonardo da Vinci. This is a fantastic way to appreciate the techniques of the masters and create your own version of iconic works like “Starry Night” or the “Mona Lisa”.
Try Pixel Art for a Retro Twist
For a different kind of coloring experience, give pixel art a try. It’s a fun mix of color by number and old school 8 bit graphics. You fill in tiny squares according to a number key, slowly revealing a charming, pixelated image. It’s incredibly satisfying and meditative. With one popular pixel art app hitting over 100 million downloads, it’s clear this retro twist on a modern hobby is a hit.
Tap into a World of Free Resources and Community
One of the best things about color by number for adults is how accessible it is. You don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy it.
Find Free Color by Number Printables Online
The internet is overflowing with free, high quality coloring pages. A quick search will give you thousands of options, from simple patterns to complex illustrations. And tools like CustomColoringPages.com go a step further, letting you not only browse a library of free pages but also create and download your own custom designs at no cost.
Save Pages as PDFs for Easy Printing
When you find a page you love, saving it as a PDF is a great idea. PDFs preserve the image quality, so your lines stay sharp and clear when you print. It also makes it easy to share pages with friends or compile your own custom coloring book.
Learn from Colorist Blogs and Communities
Don’t hesitate to tap into the wisdom of the coloring community. Blogs and forums are filled with experienced colorists sharing tips on everything from blending techniques to the best brands of pencils. They offer encouragement, inspiration, and a reminder that there’s no right or wrong way to color.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is color by number for adults actually good for you?
Absolutely. Studies have shown that coloring can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. It’s a form of mindfulness that helps calm the brain and relieve stress.
What supplies do I need for a starter pack?
A basic set of colored pencils or markers and a few free printable pages are all you need to get started. You don’t need to invest in expensive materials to enjoy the benefits.
Where can I find free color by number printable pages?
Many websites offer extensive libraries of free pages. You can also use AI generators like CustomColoringPages.com to create and download your own unique pages for free.
Can I turn my own photo into a coloring page?
Yes. Many modern online tools allow you to upload a photo of a pet, a person, or a favorite landscape and convert it into a printable line art coloring page. For example, you can start here to turn a photo into a coloring page.
What are some popular themes for color by number for adults?
Mandalas, nature scenes, animals, fantasy art, and pop culture characters are all consistently popular themes.
How is pixel art color by number different?
Instead of filling in organic shapes, pixel art involves coloring a grid of tiny squares. The final result looks like a piece of retro, 8 bit digital art.
