ColorMaps Adult Coloring Books
Coloring books have been around since 1879 and they’ve come a long way since. You can find them featuring your favorite cartoon character to your favorite artist and everything in between. Originally they were created for kids to enjoy, but in 2012 adult coloring books surfaced. And to everyone’s surprise, they were warmly welcomed and embraced. Once considered a fleeting trend, these adult coloring books are here to stay and new books are released all the time. I found a newer line of adult coloring books called ColorMaps from Schiffer Publishing and they offer a cool concept.


Each ColorMaps coloring book features full flaps on the front and back with easy tear-out pages. They come with 60 prints that use the same 12 harmonious colors. The premise behind this concept is to facilitate a relaxing coloring experience so you don’t have to worry about getting the exact color to match the accompanying print. Each print features a diagram with color-coded and numbered lines that will blend in seamlessly when you color in the area with the recommended colored pencil.
When you open the book, you’ll see a finished image to the left and an outline of the same image on the right for you to color in. At the bottom of the page, you’ll see a color swatch that shows which of the 12 colors from the main palette will be used in that specific print. Some will have all 12 colors, others will have a few less. So you can start with one color, fill in all the spaces and then proceed with the next color. The finished product is a work of art that looks like a hand-drawn original with no black harsh outlines.

The ColorMap Be Happy coloring book features fun images and happy saying that emanate a positive vibe. The ColorMap Garden coloring book features lots of cheerful florals, garden gnomes, birds, fruits, veggies and happy quotes that will make you feel light and all sunny inside.
After you color in all 30 prints, the Bonus patterns offer you a second chance to recolor the same print, but maybe this time you’ll work in layers, shade a little darker or add your own embellishments.
The back of the book shares coloring tips and the exact color names along with three different brands to buy them from. I love this idea. You can take your book, and your 12 colored pencils and get into your zen space and enjoy coloring. Take them to the beach, on a picnic, while traveling, in your backyard, or in your cozy me-space nook.
Disclaimer: I received complimentary products to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own, yours may differ.