This winter’s hottest hobby, adult coloring books are an antidote to our ultra-plugged-in age

by Laura D.C. Kolnoski

Knowing bookstores prominently display their best-selling items front and center, this customer was surprised to see entrance displays showcasing adult coloring books this past holiday season. From major retailers to mom and pop shops, a growing number of titles complemented by specialized colored pens and pencils has become a welcome new source of revenue for the ever-changing book industry.

USA Today reported that adult coloring books have “exploded in popularity” in the U.S. after first catching on in Europe. Often featuring complex, intricate designs, several now occupy spots on
Amazon’s top-20 books list. At Barnes & Noble, Michael’s, Target, and Walmart, the books are flying off the shelves, retailers report.

Increasingly seen in airports, on airplanes, and in hospitals and schools, the hobby has been described as a form of therapy akin to meditation. Scottish artist Johanna Basford, considered an initiator of the trend and who calls herself an “ink evangelist,” has sold over five million such books in 14 languages. Creator of the popular Secret Garden series, Basford has been profiled on CBS Sunday Morning and Buzz Feed, among other media outlets.

Not surprisingly, publishers began tapping other artists to produce inventory, and subjects have expanded beyond nature and geometric patterns to include cityscapes and homages to Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Marvel Comics, and Lord of the Rings. Prices range from $8 to $25, some with colored pen and pencil sets doubling the investment.

“We’ve long carried adult coloring books in our activity book section, but when we saw them bubble up, we pulled them out for special promotions,” said Alex Perruzzi, vice president of gift and product development at Barnes & Noble. “There was a steady climb in adult coloring books by the end of 2014. In January 2015, our buyers saw they were big in art museum gift shops in France. After articles about Johanna Basford appeared, things changed overnight. It has been a huge growth business for us.”

Neophytes are initially skeptical, but converts can quickly turn to advocates, then habitual practitioners. Kathleen Harrison of Berkeley Heights, executive vice-president/partner of Pharmaceutical Media Inc. (a national medical marketing and sales firm based in Manhattan), first heard about the trend from her husband who read an article about it.

“I have always loved to color,” said Harrison, a past president of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. “My husband ordered books for my birthday; one was on backorder for a month. I purchased quality color pens from an art store, as their better quality makes a big difference.” Coloring, she said, is an antidote to hectic 12-hour work days and frequent cross-country travels.

“I feel the stress go away and it makes me happy, bringing out my creative side,” she added. “I sit and color for hours, sometimes with my daughter…lay out all my pencils by shade. When I color a tree, I’ll use four different green pencils. My husband hung my first picture on the refrigerator and made me sign it, just like we did with our children’s pictures when they were small.” Harrison purchases most of her books online and named Basford (who also created the popular Enchanted Forest and Lost Ocean titles) as her favorite artist. Harrison works on several books at once, and got a shopkeeper friend to carry them…after some convincing.

Teri Bergamo De Vite, owner of the fashion boutique Apogee in tony Basking Ridge, had heard of the books from her New York City giftware representative who suggested she carry them, saying they were “all the rage.” De Vite turned to Harrison for advice.

“What Kathy says has an impact on me,” De Vite said. “During a trip to Chicago, I saw someone at the airport [coloring], then saw the books in two bookstores there. I called Kathy who showed me her own completed books.

That’s when I got it.” De Vite sold out of her first shipment of 60 books before Christmas, and will continue to offer books and pencils, which are popular with customers who buy them for themselves as well as for gift-giving.

“I put a sign in my window to let people know that I have them, and it draws people in,” De Vite said. “I also hear people are having coloring parties now.”

Last November, Barnes & Noble tapped artist Millie Marotta, known for her Animal Kingdom and Tropical World titles, to create a special piece for their customer participation All-American Art Unwind event. Participants uploaded photos of their work to Instagram or Twitter to create a national digital art mosaic.

“Post-Christmas, we are still seeing huge increases in the popularity of the books and plan to continue to have promotions at our storefronts throughout 2016,” Perruzzi said.

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