The cost of an adult coloring book will vary, just as does the cost of any sort of book. Considerations will include the tooth of the paper, the quality of the binding, and the originality and rarity of the pictures.
Depending upon where you purchase it, a coloring book intended for the use of adults might cost as little as $1.00 or more than $1000.00.
This article covers a quick survey of several stores that might carry coloring books for adults. Be forewarned: this usually means that the pictures are more intricate and difficult to color, but in a few cases “adult” means content not appropriate for youngsters. The samples were taken from store ads as of March 7, 2021.
General Dollar
Coloring books labeled “for adults” might run around $3.00 or even as much as $10.00. Limited variety. Or you can look at the coloring books for children, which are usually available for 1.00. These will not be high-quality coloring books. Frequently the paper is simple wood pulp sheets, and the binding method might be folded sheets with a center staple.
Walmart
“Adult” coloring books are priced from $4.59 to perhaps $10.00. Some are simply complex patterns, a few focus on swear words, another illustrates Bible verses, while others are pretty representational pictures, such as butterflies, stylized animals, sugar skulls, or mandalas, to name a few. These books are often glue and cardstock bindings. The paper quality will vary, usually with the higher-priced books having better papers.
Michaels
As you might expect, since Michaels is a craft store, the papers and binding are of better quality. The prices for the coloring books begin at around $9.99 and top out around 20.00. They include topics such as mindfulness, Animorphia, zen doodles, color quest extreme color challenges, Disney, Star Wars, a million cats, a million dogs, zoo animals, and more. Michaels will even deliver, or send by mail, making it convenient to pursue your favorite pastime, even during the lockdown.
Hobby Lobby
Coloring books for adults at this art store begin at $9.99 and top out around 17.00. They have several mandalas and similar non-representational books, as well as storybook coloring books, and thematic books that focus on a variety of topics such as Zen doodles, Inspired by Nature, words to inspire, and the golden ratio. Like Michaels, the paper quality is reasonable, and the binding for most of the books is glue and cardstock.
Barnes and Noble
As you might expect from this store, the selections tend to be bright, artful, and reasonably priced accessibly. There are a variety of topics ranging from the Mom coloring book to How Teachers swear. Many of the books listed for younger coloring enthusiasts are of good quality and will require little imagination to migrate the illustrations over into projects that will be appealing to just about anyone. Their prices run from around $6.99 to $25.00.
Books-a-Million
This large store carries coloring books that cost from around $6.59 to books that have a price sticker of around $300. They carry the “world’s most expensive coloring book” line, which is generally priced around $299.00. They also carry a line of bound journals, appropriate for sketching or coloring.
eBay
Like most products available on eBay, the coloring books for adults are a mixed selection. Many of them run in the $300 price range and are somewhat less exciting than the offerings from Michaels or Hobby Lobby. However, what is exciting is the opportunity to purchase only slightly used books from thrift stores, or the option to purchase directly from publishers such as Dovers.
Amazon.com
Coloring book samples are available for 0 dollars, or free to read for Kindle Unlimited users (digital only). These are not interactive books. They are intended to allow purchasers to preview the pictures before buying. You might wonder why this would be important until you check out the highest-priced coloring books for adults.
Check out our recommended adult coloring books HERE.
Today, they top out at $1164.99 for a Ross and Wilson Anatomy and Physiology coloring book, illustrated by Anne Waugh and Allison. It should be noted for the benefit of medical students, that there are newer editions offered at a much more affordable price of $140.00, including the text. Next down the list when sorted from highest to lowest, is a ViDala concept art mandala book for $1,023.70. Most people will be saving these pricey books as collectors’ items and not coloring in them.
There are several more books in a similar price range, most of them hand-drawn originals that are unique or numbered collections. This removes them from the fun coloring pages classification and moves them into the valuable art classification.
The prices then slowly recede, down to the $700 range, and then take an abrupt drop to $99 for The Broken Mind of Joe’s Ink. After those sums, $25 for a coloring book seems downright reasonable. In this latter range, you will find Mandalas, scribble journals, and more. In the mid-ranges of Amazon’s offerings are many lovely design books, movie theme books, representational line drawing art, and more. You can, of course, expect both the originality and quality of paper and binding to decrease as the prices become lower.
The digital books, many offered at no cost, are intended as previews of the print book. They allow the viewer to preview the pictures that will be found in the print version. This gives the user a chance to decide which coloring book might be preferred.
A few of the books offer a .pdf which can be used to print copies of individual pages, but this option is not offered with all digital copies. None of the Kindle books are interactive.
Interactive Coloring Apps
While not strictly coloring books, there are a variety of coloring apps available for adults. These can be amusing, especially if you are stuck somewhere with only your phone for entertainment. They are usually colored by number, however, and they are limited in the choices available to the user. With that said, they can be amusing, and they do vary in flexibility and choices offered.
Revisiting the price of coloring books for adults
The prices for a coloring book that will be enjoyed by an adult can range from as little as $1.00 to well over $1000.00. However, if you are looking for a coloring book that will have good teeth and a variety of designs, you can probably find one in the $25.00 range.
Frequently Asked Questions
How could I acquire a unique artwork coloring book without investing enough money to purchase a decent computer?
One way to do it might be to persuade a classroom full of art students to each produce a line drawing. You could then either pay them for it, or you might be able to use the resultant book as a charity fundraiser.
What is the difference between a coloring book for children and one for adults?
There can be several differences. Since young children frequently scribble across the lines of a picture, the books for the very youngest artists usually contain simple drawings with bold, dark outlines and little detail. Pictures for older children, teens, or adults might become progressively more sophisticated, with greater detail and complexity. In a few cases, the content is targeted at an older audience. This can be expressed as more complex topics or topics that are unsuited for young audiences.
Why do the quality of paper and binding matter?
The tooth or surface of the paper will determine how well it will take various types of color medium. If you will simply be filling in blocks of color with crayons or colored pencils, the lower-quality paper will be fine. However, if you wish to furnish an area, use solvents, or otherwise manipulate the pigment as you apply it, then you will want a better-quality paper. The binding matters because it will affect your goals for the pictures. If you wish to remove pages from the book, then you might want perforated pages, a book bound with staples, or one with weak glue. If you wish to keep your book of designs intact, then you are likely to want a better binding to avoid losing your work.
What is the purpose of coloring books for adults?
In our busy, high-stress world, adults need a way to unwind. A coloring book is usually a low-pressure amusement that will hold attention and allow minds that have been forced to make multiple decisions in one day to calm down and relax. The learning curve for coloring is less steep than for other sorts of crafts, such as knitting, crocheting, or leatherworking. While most of the coloring books for adults are simply more complex, some of them employ adult humor.
Laughter is good medicine, and if an off-color joke or two will lighten your mood, then why not have some fun? You can easily select your level of involvement. Coloring is not addictive (although it could become a habit), you can size the pictures and their intricacy to your eyesight and thus avoid headaches, and you can select whether you want a complex picture or a simple one. Coloring can closely resemble meditation, an activity highly recommended for good health and peace of mind.
Maximize the benefits of coloring with my free adult coloring eBook and by signing up for my email newsletter HERE!
Disclaimer: The information provided by ColoringMasterpiece.com (“The Site”) is for general informational purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however, we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information on the Site. Under no circumstance shall we have any liability to you for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of the Site or Reliance on any information provided on the Site. Your use of the Site and your reliance on any information on the Site is solely at your own risk. This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.
Terms and Conditions: https://coloringmasterpiece.com/terms-and-conditions/
