Monday 22 June 2015

Millie Marotta's Animal Kingdom Adult Colouring Book Review


Hello, my name is Louise, and I love to colour things in.

Should I have admitted to that at the age of almost-thirty? Sure, I'm not embarrassed to admit it.

Colouring isn't just for kids anymore. There are dozens if not hundreds of colouring books aimed specifically at adults, and over the last year or two, adult colouring books have turned in to a craze. More and more adults are returning to the childhood pastime for fun and therapy. You only need to check out a few lifestyle blogs to see how popular they've become with us grown-ups.


Me? I picked up my first colouring book as an adult (this one) about a year and a half ago- although I'd secretly wanted to get one for years. And you know what? I'm really glad I (eventually) gave in. It only took a few minutes of colouring for me to remember how fun it used to be, and on that first day I coloured for three hours straight without even realising the time had passed.

I realised that colouring isn't just fun and oddly satisfying, but that it's extremely therapeutic, too. Within just a few minutes of putting pencil to paper, I find that it helps me to destress and forget my worries, even when my head has been spinning with a thousand difficult thoughts all day. (Which is often!) The stress, and the anxieties dissipate, the weight on my shoulders lifts, and I just feel completely relaxed and calm. I don't know why, but the pastime really does aid my mental health, and I've heard others say the same! Now whenever I'm stressed or struggling mentally, I try to reach for the colouring book and pencils for a session of therapy. I only wish I'd returned to the childhood hobby sooner.


At the moment, I'm loving Millie Marotta's Animal Kingdom colouring book, which is filled with gorgeous, intricate pictures of animals and plants. The drawings are made up of leaves, flowers, and a variety of different patterns, and they really are lovely to work on. It's the perfect book if you want to create pretty pictures but don't have a talent for drawing. (That's me, alright!) 


Each page can take hours to complete, so this colouring book should keep even the fastest artist busy for weeks or even a couple of months. I've barely made a dent in mine, and I've done a little colouring almost daily over the last month or so. The paper is fairly thick and decent quality, although I wouldn't advise using felt tip pens because the pictures are back to back. I like to use colouring pencils, although it's definitely best to invest in a good quality set for best results. I've wasted money on crap cheap sets, and have just given in and bought a big set of Crayolas. (Why are they so expensive??)

I bought my copy from Sainsburys for just £4 (RRP £9.99), and it's currently available on Amazon here. I think it's a great colouring book for adults, but I think it would appeal to some older kids, and teens, too. If you're looking for a way to relax and destress, I think this colouring book might be for you!

Have you jumped on the colouring-book bandwagon yet? Do you enjoy colouring in your spare time?
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8 comments

  1. I would like one but not bought one yet. I have been doing some colouring in though, quite a lot ad I've been experimenting with shrink plastic which I've been colouring with colouring pencils!x

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    1. I definitely recommend this one if you're thinking of getting one. Ooh, that sounds interesting and a lot of fun! xx

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  2. I'm ever so jealous I love the look of this colouring book! What an absolute bargain you got it for too! xxx

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    1. I think you need this one in your life, Hannah! The illustrations are so pretty. I definitely got a bargain. It's the same price on Amazon at the mo, so worth snapping up. xx

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  3. I've bought this but even though I got myself some new pencils to go with it I haven't got round to starting it yet. I too saw it in Sainsbury's, I saw it on Amazon first and was tempted but waiting for mum after work one day I was having a flick through and it was the owl pictures that swung it and it was mine next pay day! :D

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    1. I'm sure you'll get stuck in when you've got a spare sec. I saw it on Amazon first, too. It was the elephants that drew me in because they reminded me of a piece I did for GCSE art. xx

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  4. I have 4 colouring books (most recently bought Fat Ladies In Spaaaace simply for the awesome title haha)... but I really want the Enchanted Forest and Secret Garden books. They look so beautiful!
    I do find them so therapeutic and they help me destress and focus when I hit a low.
    I also bought one recently as part of a gift swap and it went down really well. Spreading the colouring love!!

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  5. I have this too but I find some or the pictures too complicated as I prefer to colour big spaces at a time xx

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