Best Adult Coloring Books For 2024: The Ultimate List
Coloring books are a fun way to relax and let your creativity flow. They’re often easier for beginners when first learning how to draw and how to work with art supplies.
Most people think of coloring books as made for kids only. But there are tons of adult coloring books across a variety of subjects appealing to basically everyone.
So if you’re hoping to get into coloring or basic artwork then this list is for you.
No matter what you want to draw or how comfortable you feel with a pencil I can guarantee there’s a book here that you’ll love.
Art of Coloring Star Wars
Let’s get this list started with a book that’s truly out of this galaxy.
In this Star Wars coloring book you’ll find 128 pages of brilliant line work just waiting to be colored. It was first released in late 2015 so the designs offer a variety from this movie series, although not including some of the newest titles under Disney.
The book is mixed with character illustrations and mandalas of geometric figures. These are both super easy to color for adults and even younger kids.
Really if you’re a fan of Star Wars then grab a copy of this coloring book.
It’ll keep you entertained for weeks or even months if you chip away at it one small section at a time.
Game of Thrones Coloring Book(Official)
Speaking of entertainment there’s a really cool Game of Thrones coloring book that might catch your eye.
This is published as the official GoT coloring book so it’s backed by George R. R. Martin.
If you have a peek inside the book you’ll notice these drawings are very technical. Lots of smaller details and tiny areas to color that’ll take a long time to finish.
With this much detail it will certainly be off-putting to younger kids. But it’s the perfect choice for adults who want something to relax their mind with art.
Plus if you like Game of Thrones this is a no brainer.
Disney Dreams Collection
I could include endless books on Disney cartoons so I tried to whittle this down to just this one. And I’d argue it’s the best choice for any adult coloring book.
The Disney Dreams Collection book is 128 pages long and mixed with coloring pages for both kids and adults. All of these illustrations come from master painter Thomas Kinkade so there’s a ton of unique artwork in here.
Each coloring page also includes a print of the original work by Kinkade so you can see where the line work comes from. This is a cool feature and certainly inspiring for people just learning how to draw.
But you may not like staring at completed works and comparing them to your own coloring job.
In that case have a look at the many other Disney coloring books made for adults. There’s a bunch out there so if you really wanna draw Disney characters then you’ll find something that’s right up your alley.
Pop Manga Coloring Book
Beyond the Disney art style is the very popular anime & manga style from Japan.
This borrowed heavily from Disney’s early work but has since taken on a life of its own.
If you love anime-style artwork then you’ll really enjoy the Pop Manga coloring book.
All the works from this book come from Canadian artist Camilla d’Errico and focus solely on her manga art. In fact she’s published quite a few of these books all with unique illustrations following a similar style.
Anyone who wants to learn the manga style should start with this book. It’s just a coloring book so you won’t be drawing anything from scratch.
But sometimes that’s the best place to start so you don’t get discouraged. Not to mention Camilla’s work is quite a sight to behold.
Rick and Morty Official Coloring Book
The comedic duo of a hair-brained scientist and his overly-anxious grandson have taken the animation world by storm.
Almost everyone knows about Rick and Morty because of its wacky art style and absurd plotlines. And thanks to this adult coloring book you can delve into this world with merely a colored pencil.
The designs are incredibly creative with some following absurdist or surrealist styles. Others feature a character portrait or are designed like a typical model sheet.
Putting aside the subject matter, these pages are truly some of the most creative styles for any adult coloring book I’ve seen.
But Rick and Morty fans will enjoy this even more with 80+ pages and hours of entertainment.
Fantastic World of the Brothers Grimm
Many of our cherished fairy tales come from the Brothers Grimm, two german writers who published some now-famous stories in the 1800s.
These stories include Hansel & Gretel, Cinderella, Little Mermaid along with dozens of others.
And you can find brilliant illustrations to their most infamous stories in this adult coloring book.
Spanning a total of 88 pages with 40 unique designs this has plenty of content to work through.
The drawings themselves are pretty complex so there’s a lot of room for coloring. Not to mention the illustrations are surprisingly creative!
Highly recommend this for anyone with a love of fables and fantasy.
Where’s Waldo? The Coloring Book
Having trouble finding Waldo? Then try coloring him in with this Waldo adult coloring book.
Where’s Waldo? The Coloring Book was first published in mid-2016 and still offers bundles of fun today. Each illustration is incredibly detailed just like you’d expect in a typical “Where’s Waldo?” book.
You can pick up a copy for any younger child or any adult who loves these crazy puzzle games.
Think of this more like a 2-in-1 book.
You get to search for Waldo and bring him to life with colored pencils.
The Splat: Coloring the ’90s
If you grew up during the 80s or 90s then you probably remember Nickelodeon’s incredible lineup.
And with so many reboots growing in popularity it’s fair to say Nick’s cartoons should be in the mix.
That’s why I have to mention The Splat: Coloring the ’90s for a rockstar coloring book.
This celebrates all of Nick’s cartoons that ran during the 1990s and early millennium in this 100-page coloring book.
Cartoons include Ren and Stimpy, Rocket Power, Rugrats, Hey Arnold! and so much more.
Really, if you love the 90s then you’ll immediately fall in love with this book. It may be just the right kick to get you(or a friend) interested in art.
SpongeBob’s Very Grown-Up Coloring Book
Looking at another famous Nick show we have SpongeBob’s Very Grown-Up Coloring Book.
The beauty of SpongeBob is that it’s been around for two decades. It first aired in 1999 and has since touched the lives of so many generations.
You’ll find a ton of variety in this book with some abstract pages, some fullsize illustrations, and some basic character portraits. Many of these drawings are quite detailed so this coloring book is geared more towards adults than kids.
But that doesn’t mean your kids couldn’t love it!
If you grew up watching SpongeBob this coloring book will keep you entertained for hours. And if your kids are still watching SpongeBob I have a feeling they’ll love it too.
Magical Forest
For something less pop-culture oriented check out the Magical Forest coloring book.
It totals around 105 pages with dozens of unique illustrations of fairies, forests, and fantasy creatures.
And if you purchase the physical copy you get a code in the back with access to a PDF version. This lets you print out copies of the pages yourself to color again & again. How cool is that!
Pretty simple drawings with plenty of room to get creative.
This is what an adult coloring book should be.
Island Dreams
If you’re into marine life then Island Dreams may be more your speed.
Again this is super affordable and comes with plenty of unique page designs to keep you busy.
Most of the artwork features scenery like islands, oceanscapes, and deep sea terrains.
Anyone who loves fish or the beach will find this book incredibly relaxing.
Not to mention the printed designs are super complex so you can spend plenty of time working through this book without feeling rushed.
Make Life Your Bitch
Want something a little bombastic to add into your coloring book collection?
Motivational books are all the rage and here’s one that I really like called Make Life Your Bitch.
It’s a fairly short book with only 60 pages but the designs are incredibly funny, motivating, and just downright silly. This makes a fun gift for anyone of any age(well, probably not kids).
Most of the designs are just typographic effects with sayings and slogans to catch your attention.
This one is fun to work through and quite different than other books in this list.
Calm the F*ck Down
Here’s a similar coloring book focused on typography with a goal of helping you feel inspired and relax.
Calm the F*ck Down by Sasha O’Hara is affordable, easy to work through, and just a delightful treat for anyone that loves coloring(or wants to start loving it!)
Sometimes learning to draw can be a real paint and cause more stress than relaxation.
That’s the beauty of these coloring books: they challenge you more than a kid’s book yet they’re also completely do-able.
There’s over 20+ different designs in here across 50 pages and there’s even a few blank pages if you want to let your creativity run wild.
DC Comics Coloring Book
I couldn’t build a list of adult coloring books without mentioning superheroes.
This DC Comics coloring book first came out in late 2016 and it’s one of the few prints I highly recommend. It totals almost 100 pages with artwork that definitely feels aimed towards adults rather than kids.
Each illustration features a character along with a full scene illustration with them in it. There’s also a mix of villains and superheroes to give you some variety.
Any DC Comics fan will certainly enjoy their time working through this book.
It may take a while to color in everything but it’s well worth the effort!
Dragons: An Adult Coloring Book
Dragons: An Adult Coloring Book offers just what the name suggests.
These illustrations are more fantasy oriented so you’ll find a lot of mystical dragon designs placed in a variety of scenes like castles and medieval towns.
It’s a fairly long book with over 100 pages and very detailed illustrations.
But I really think anyone who loves fantasy can work through this book and enjoy themselves.
The drawings aren’t overly-complex so you could even try coloring with younger kids too.
Vive Le Color! Japan
Many people find travel super relaxing. Couple that with the beautiful traditions of east Asia and we have Vive Le Color! Japan, a beautiful coloring book tailor-made for reducing stress.
This is perhaps the best “traditional” adult coloring book out there. It features a lot of variety with 144 pages and 80+ ready-to-color illustrations.
Many of the page designs feature mandalas, flowers, or trees customarily found in Japan.
But there’s also some cool abstract designs with animals like Koi fish and legendary creatures from Japanese folklore.
All-in-all a very fun book for those with wanderlust and a desire to calm the mind through art.
100 Magnificent Mandalas
Some people don’t want complex illustrations or characters to color. Some people just want basic geometric shapes to zone out and relax.
That’s exactly what you’ll find in 100 Magnificent Mandalas, the cleanest coloring book of its type.
It’s the best way to start diving into abstract art without worrying so much about what to create or how to draw. Instead you’ll work through mazes and mandalas that’ll capture your mind and help you check out for a while.
Very cool book with a lot of complex designs.
Christmas Coloring Book
From Saint Nick to the first snowfall of the season, there’s nothing quite like Christmas.
And if you’re looking to keep that spirit with you have a look at this Christmas-themed coloring book is sure to please.
It totals over 100 pages with some pretty crazy designs. You’ll find Santa Claus(of course) along with his reindeer, his workshop, and even some friendly penguins.
This is perhaps the most entertaining holiday-themed coloring book out there.
And it makes an especially good Christmas gift wrapped with some colored pencils under the tree.
Fairy Tales Doodle Adventure
I mentioned the Brothers Grimm earlier in this post and I do think that’s a fantastic coloring book for classic fairy tales.
But if you want something a little more cartoony then check out Fairy Tales Doodle Adventure.
This coloring book is made specifically for adults and it features almost 90 pages of highly-detailed illustrations.
The artwork feels very much like it’s been lifted directly from a fairy tale which adds some extra fun.
Not everyone will enjoy the cartoonish look to these designs but if you’re still a kid at heart then I think you’ll have a blast.
You could even pick this up for your kids or younger family members if you think they’d enjoy a small coloring project too.
