The Art of Relaxation: 9 Disney Coloring Books for Adults
Coloring is one of the best ways that you can relax while reducing your screen time, but still occupy your brain. I’ve been coloring for years and though lately I’ve been a little lax with it, I still find it to be one of the best ways to get non-working time to myself. I pop on a podcast or a soundtrack and get to work.
I’m notably a HUGE Disney fan, so I wanted to do a quick post on Disney coloring books for adults so other brand lovers could find the perfect way to relax. Whether you’re like me and you’re stuck in cold Canada dreaming about the day you can head back to Disney or you simply want to bring something along on your next road trip, these coloring books are perfect for you!
Why a Disney coloring book for adults?
Coloring books are a great way to spend some time to yourself that doesn’t involve sitting in front of a screen. We spend so much time in front of our screens (I write as the clock ticks by on my 12th hour of work today) and it’s important that we get away from it when we get the chance. Coloring is a great way to do that.
I’ve often carted around a coloring book and pencils on my travels, or sat in the living room and spent an hour listening to a podcast and coloring away. And, for me, there’s no better coloring subject than Disney.
Disney images are full of opportunities for lots of color, which is what makes them a fun choice when it comes to adult coloring books. While it really depends on what type of colorer you are, but more color means more fun in my books.
Plus who doesn’t want to take the opportunity to color princesses and animal scenes? Disney coloring books for adults definitely top my list when I’m looking for something new to crack out my pencils on.
Best Disney coloring books for adults
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Disney Dreams by Thomas Kinkade
Thomas Kinkade coloring books are gorgeous. Based off paintings, this Disney Dreams Collection coloring book features 63 pages that you can add your own artistic spin to. The pictures are based on classic Disney movies, including The Jungle Book, Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty. And it’s primarily filled with elaborate scenes which means you can spend hours relaxing and coloring in the pages.
With over 19,000 reviews, you know this is one of the best Disney coloring books for adults. If you’re looking for a paint-by-numbers feel, this book features the empty outline for you to color, next to the filled in painting so you can match it if you want (but you don’t have to). If you want something that’s truly meant for Disney-loving adults, this is it.
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Disney Parks by Art of Coloring
I absolutely LOVE heading to Disneyland, it’s literally my favorite place on Earth, so Art of Coloring’s Disney Parks coloring book is a top pick when it comes to looking for fun Disney coloring material.
Admittedly, it’s not the biggest Disney coloring book out there with only a handful of designs to work on. But it’s got something from all your favorites—the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean are both included. They’re also post cards, so they’re a tad bit smaller than a traditional adult coloring book and the lines are going to be a bit smaller.
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Disney Animals by Art of Coloring
If you LOVE the Disney animals and want an adult coloring book that puts its full focus on them, then this Art of Coloring pick is for you. It features mostly two-page drawings that have a few characters but mostly zero-in on the animals in the different stories, from Dumbo to The Lion King.
Over 2,000 reviewers have shared their opinion on this Disney coloring book, and overall most of them like it. One of the downsides is that some of the pages are heavily shaded (though lots of people aren’t bothered by this), and some of the details gets lost in the binding because the images span two pages. But overall, most of the reviews are positive.
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Disney Princess by Thomas Kinkade
If you want more Disney princesses, then check out this Thomas Kinkade book. This is one of those Disney coloring books for adults that features the characters set against scenic backgrounds.
There are 40 pages of images for you to color, and with 4,000 reviews it’s been thoroughly vetted. It also features double-sided pages which could be a problem if you’re using a marker or other tool that could bleed. But it’s a great pick for Disney princess lovers!
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Alice’s Nightmare in Wonderland
This is not your average Disney coloring book for adults, it’s built for those that want a fun, slightly nightmare-ish twist on their coloring experience. Have a little fun with the Nightmare in Wonderland coloring book and decide how this dark-and-moody take on the classic story looks in picture form.
There are over 1,000 reviews on this and while commenters say that some of the images feature a lot of natural shading already done, but the quality of art is a serious asset. Many say that you’ll either love it or hate it, but it’s definitely not for colorers that are looking for a pretty pastel masterpiece.
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Star Wars by Art of Coloring
Yes, Star Wars does count as Disney, at least for the purposes of this blog. If you want to color some of your favorite characters from the sci-fi classic universe, Art of Coloring has you covered. You’ll find landscapes, themed patterns and some of your favorite characters like Yoda!
There are over 1,100 reviews of this adult coloring book on Amazon. Purchasers mention that there are a large number of mandalas and not quite as many stand-alone characters as they’d like, but overall it’s a great pick for fans of the universe looking for a Disney-themed coloring book.
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Disney Villains by Art of Coloring
Villains always seem to get the short-end of the straw, but not with Art of Coloring’s Disney Villains adult coloring book. This book features elaborate patterns, beautiful scenery and some of your favorite villains from Ursula and Maleficent to Cruella DeVille. Who doesn’t want to spend time coloring these queens?
This particular adult Disney coloring book has over 3,200 reviews on Amazon. Many purchasers recommend taking one of these home, though it is mentioned that the images are printed on both sides of the pages which can really mess up your coloring mojo, but others have mentioned that the paper is of good quality so depending on what you’re coloring with, it might workout for you.
Image: Amazon
Disney Princess Poster Book by Thomas Kinkade
If I have to pick a Disney theme for a coloring book and Winnie the Pooh isn’t available (seriously, by far my favorite) I always go with the princesses—honestly, if I’m feeling more colorful that day I might even pick them over Pooh Bear. This is another non-traditional style Disney coloring book on this list—it features 16 large 11 by 14-inch “poster-sized” pages that can be removed. They are specifically “designed to be framed” if you feel so inclined.
This Disney Princess coloring book is from the same Thomas Kinkade line as the first book we have featured, just with fewer but larger pages. Reviewers say that it’s a truly stunning book that has hours of relaxation potential, it’s made of quality paper and the artwork is overall excellent. But some of the details are quite fine, and the color “references” that come in the book are four-to-a-page, small and in the back.
What should I color with?
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Colored pencils
Chances are we’re all familiar with colored pencils. I don’t know about you, but I used to use these during grade school. They make for the perfect, travel-friendly solution if you’re looking for an instrument to use in your brand new Disney coloring book for adults. And with this particular pack, you get 24 different colors!
There are over 17,000 reviews on these colored pencils! These are one of the most popular choice when it comes to adult coloring, and my personal preferred method of coloring. I like to pair a fine-tipped marker to run along the edge with a colored pencil fill, but if you just want to work with these, you can create a solid line around the outside with a firm hand.
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Gel pens for adult coloring books
I’m not a huge gel pen colorer myself, but I know a few people that love to color with them— and I totally get it, they’re a ton of fun. This pack features 160 pens, so you can make sure that your Disney pictures look like what you want them to do.
This pen pack features vibrant colors, including 11 glitter, 5 metallic, 5 pastel, 9 neon and 2 classic, which can make sure that you have a comprehensive image. These pens also have 40% more ink, which makes coloring longer an option. There are over 3,100 reviews on these, and users say they’re vibrant and smooth.
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Monelen double-tipped markers
I’ll admit that I rarely use markers alone when it comes to relaxation coloring, but I LOVE to have a pack of fine-tipped markers like these by MoneleN that I use to outline a piece then I fill it in with colored pencils. Fine-tipped markers are ideal for use with Disney coloring books for adults because these books usually feature intricate designs that you don’t want to go in there with a set of Mr. Sketch’s (though I do love those too).
These particular markers are double-tipped with a tiny, fine point and a larger but still fine point, so you can mix it up depending on your preference. What I like most about this set is the variety, there are 36 markers with plenty of options when it comes to making your Disney image really dance. Reviewers say these markers are also great for blending.
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Crayola crayons
Good ol’ fashioned Crayola Crayons might actually be my favorite coloring tool. While it doesn’t give the same look as a combination of fine-tipped markers with a colored pencil fill, it does have a real air of nostalgia attached to it. I remember opening a big 64-box set to fresh crayons and that memorable waxy smell.
However, I would say that crayons aren’t as travel-friendly as some of the other choices. I’m particularly nervous about them ending up in a bag on the tarmac somewhere in Mexico and melting all over my stuff. If you are travelling with them, definitely throw them in a plastic bag.
