You can tap into your creative side, take your mind off things, and maybe even get into a flow state. If you’re interested in trying your hand at adult coloring books, we rounded up 11 of our favorites, plus some artist-backed tips on how to use them. As artist and author of The Art of Aliveness Flora Bowley tells mbg, “Creative practices give us the opportunity to tune into our intuition and aliveness, loosen our grip on perfection and overthinking, and move from a place of experimentation, presence, and play.” She adds that making art in this way can also teach us about the power of letting go. There’s a delight that comes with creating just for the pure joy of it, she explains, adding, “Ultimately, creative practices remind us that we are capable creators in the world and that our lives are our greatest works of art.” Bloom: A Floral Adult Coloring Book by Karen Sue Chen ($12.99) Color by Number: Stress-Free Coloring by Brain Games ($8.59) Yoga for Your Brain: A Zentangle Workout by Sandy Bartholomew ($8.50) Circle of Life Coloring Book by Melpomeni Chatzipanagiotou ($11.93) Creative Haven Entangled Coloring Book by Angela Porter ($4.49) 125 Mandalas: Adult Coloring Book by Coloring Book Cafe ($9.99) Adult Coloring Book: 60 Stress Relieving Animal Designs by Olympia Soares ($5.11) Patterns of the Universe: A Coloring Adventure in Math and Beauty by Alex Bellos ($14.95) The Golden Ratio Coloring Book by Steve Richards ($16.89) Luna Coloring Book by Maria Trolle, $13.79 You Are A Divine Goddess: Astrology Coloring & Witchy Adult Activity Book by Stella Stellium ($9.99) If you want to color but aren’t necessarily feeling inspired, try giving yourself just five minutes with your book—and you may find you end up coloring much longer than that. As Bowley adds, “Whether you’re feeling inspired or not, the act of moving colors around or letting lines spill out across a page will serve as fuel for your creative practice.” “You just need to take the first steps, let go of trying so hard, and see what wants to flow through you,” she adds.
