Back when I used to work at Michaels craft stores, adult coloring books were all the rage. Though most of us probably haven’t picked up crayons for a while, there is real research that shows that coloring is a great stress reliever. Doing something creative – even if it is just adding color to an existing image – makes our brains very happy. Steampunk + coloring = A Steampunk Journey, created by Lynn Cecil.
There are two versions of the book, both your standard black-lines-white-paper type and a super cool “chalkboard” edition. The latter has black pages and white lines, and works great with chalkboard markers, but also a variety of other media. The front of the book advises putting something like card stock behind a page while you’re coloring, but if you use colored pencils or another dry medium, you don’t even need to do that step.
The images are really fun and complex, which means you can spend a lot of time on the same page. This complexity means that it is great for adults, who unlike the target audience for classic coloring books, they can stay inside the lines and get something really lovely at the end. Visit the Amazon page and check out the “Look Inside” feature to get a taste of what you’ll get.
If you have been thinking about getting in to coloring as a stress reliever or just for fun, this is a great choice for Steampunk fans. It would also be a great and novel gift for the “Steampunk who has everything” in your life. I love the whimsy held within these pages, and I think you will, too.
You can find both the original and chalkboard versions of A Steampunk Journey: A Clockwork Coloring Book on Amazon for $14.95.
(I received these books from the creator in exchange for an honest review)