Coloring is a great way to relax and unwind. It’s also been shown to help reduce stress, increase focus, and promote creativity. If you love coloring books and find that it’s a good tool to destress after a long day, then you’ll have to check out gel pen coloring books!
Gel pens are very satisfying to use, especially with coloring books. The special gel ink flows smoothly to the page, and it’s also highly pigmented, so the colors will show up even on dark pages.
What are the best gel pen coloring books? Not only will you have to find the best designs and patterns that suit your style, but you will also have to find a coloring book with high-quality paper that won’t bleed through, especially if you want to use gel pens to color.
In this article, we’ll help you find the best coloring books that work well with gel pens. First, let’s get into the aspects that you need to consider when buying a gel pen coloring book.
Buyer’s Guide
There are thousands of coloring books out there, and they’re designed for all ages, so how do you know what works for you?
Let’s take a look at some of the things you can consider when buying a gel pen coloring book.
Goals
What are your goals for working with an adult coloring book? Do you want to learn new techniques, practice color theory, or simply relax and unwind?
If you are hoping to practice your art skills, then using a workbook with designs that can help you practice different techniques like cross-hatching and blending will be excellent.
If you would like some anxiety release and destress after a long day, then working with coloring books with repeated patterns (like flowers or mandalas) can really help you take your mind off of things.
There are some coloring books that even allow you to tear off the coloring page after you finish and display it like artwork in your home. If this is your goal, then you should find a design that fits the design aesthetic of your home.
Skill Level
There are many types of coloring books for all ages and skills. If you would like a simple coloring book that can help you destress, then look for a basic book with big, bold shapes so that it doesn’t take a lot of skill and attention to detail.
On the other hand, if you would like a challenge, you can always look for a complicated pattern that will take a few days to finish.
Paper
Paper quality is arguably the most important factor when buying a coloring book that works with gel pens. This is because gel pens can be very pigmented, and there’s a risk that the ink will bleed through to the next page if you lay it on too thick.
That’s why gel pens coloring books need to have thick, high-quality pages to minimize bleed-through. If possible, you should also find coloring books where the design is printed on only one side so that the ink won’t ruin the design on the back of the page.
If you love building up layers with your gel pen, we recommend that you squeeze a blank page underneath your coloring page to catch all the ink that bleeds through. This way, the next page won’t be damaged by the gel ink as you color.
Since gel pens are very pigmented, you also have the option of coloring on black paper because the pigments will still show up on dark paper. This is a fun twist on traditional coloring books, and black coloring books are also quite friendly to those with eyesight issues as well.
Best Gel Pen Coloring Books
If you’re curious about the options out there for gel pens and coloring books, let’s take a look at some great options below.
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pusheen Coloring Book | 96 pages, double-sided |
| 2. | ColorIt Blissful Scenes Adult Coloring Book | 50 pages, single-sided |
| 3. | 50 Mandalas: An Adult Coloring Book | 102 pages, single-sided |
| 4. | Adult Coloring Book | 82 pages, single-sided |
| 5. | Arteza Coloring Book for Adults | 72 pages, single-sided |
1. Pusheen Coloring Book
This book features 96 pages of colorable designs on both sides, and all the designs feature Pusheen cats – which we all know and love.
The designs are also super versatile. There are some simple pages that you can color in just a few minutes, and they’re simple enough that even children can enjoy them, while other pages are more intricate, with repeated motifs that can allow your creativity to shine.
Although the designs are printed on both pages, the paper is thick enough that gel pens and even some markers won’t bleed through to the next page. It’s a very relaxing activity to do, something you can do while listening to music and unwinding.
2. ColorIt Blissful Scenes Adult Coloring Book
The ColorIt Blissful Scenes is a unique adult coloring book that features 50 coloring pages of beautiful landscapes, relaxing scenes, and serene animals.
The artist-quality paper is thick enough to be colored with gel pens or even markers without bleeding, although you don’t have to worry about that because the pages are one-sided.
The book also comes with a blotter, which you can use as a ‘buffer’ between the pages to prevent bleeding as you color. The top spiral edge also makes it quite pain-free to color, as your palm won’t rub against the edge as you work, whether you are left- or right-handed.
Each drawing also has perforated pages for easy removal and display. This deluxe coloring book makes an excellent gift for anyone who enjoys adult coloring books or art therapy!
3. 50 Mandalas: An Adult Coloring Book
This Mandala Coloring Book is a collection of 50 unique mandala images designed for coloring.
This is a fantastic way to get your creative juices flowing, as you have to use your imagination to fill in the shapes with colors. Each image is printed on its own single-sided page to help reduce bleed-through.
The intricate designs in this coloring book will keep you busy for hours. Whether you’re looking for something relaxing or just want something new and different to color, this book has it all!
4. Adult Coloring Book
This adult coloring book is designed specifically for gel pens and markers, including ink saturation pages designed just for gel pens.
The book features 40 beautiful designs that you can bring to life with color. All graphics are on sturdy, single-sided pages so that you don’t have to worry about color bleeding.
The forty images feature a mix of complexity, from simple, repeated motifs to complete patterns to match your mood. The prints are super high-quality, and they will keep you busy for hours on end!
5. Arteza Coloring Book for Adults
The Arteza Coloring Book is the perfect way to unwind and relax. It features 72 unique and complex doodle designs, which will keep you entertained for hours. This coloring book can really help you connect with your creativity.
The book is printed on artist-quality paper, so you don’t have to worry about any bleed-through issues. The designs are also single-sided, so gel pens really won’t affect the next page.
Once you’ve finished coloring one page, simply peel it off and display it for everyone to see because all of these designs are printed on detachable glue-bound pages.
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