If you plan to stick with this coloring hobby, you are probably ready for the next step. You’ll want some additional products to make coloring easier, more organized, and more ergonomic. Check out my list of solutions to get you to that next level!

If you’ve been following me, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of coloring for adults. It can be so relaxing! With all of the press about it lately, it has become a huge industry! I don’t have time to color as much as I’d like. And I probably enjoy creating drawings for others to color more than the coloring itself. But I still love all aspects of it, especially all of the different options you have! Crayons, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, markers, gel pens, pastels… the list goes on! Some people have one favorite medium and stick with it, while others like me like to experiment with all types of media.

If you haven’t seen it already, check out my article “How Do I Start Coloring? Part 1: A list of supplies to begin your coloring journey!“ if you want to learn more about different media and suggested products for different budgets, along with a few extras a beginning colorist might need.

This article is probably more for the experienced colorer — someone who has begun amassing a variety of supplies, is getting a callous on his or her finger from long hours of coloring, and who has already gone through the usual supply of coloring books at Walmart.

Before I get into my list, I have to ask you folks who color: What do you want to be called? An adult colorist? An adult colorer? An adult coloring specialist? An adult coloring artist? Colorist makes me think of hair dying.  And colorer just trips up my tongue. I think I vote for adult coloring artist (pronounced ar-TEEEST’)! Leave a comment with your vote!

Alright you coloring _____s, here are some other products you might be interested in!

Note: this post contains affiliate links to products I use and/or would recommend. This post is not sponsored, nor have I received any other form of compensation from these companies. All opinions are my own. I have included links so that you can easily find the products I am referring to, and, if you decide to purchase something through one of these links, I receive a small compensation for sending you to them. I use these meager earnings to help support my blog. You can read my full disclosure here.

Storage Solutions

If you’ve been coloring for a while, you’ve probably started to accumulate quite a collection of pencils and/or pens. How do you store them? There are all kinds of solutions. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

For travel

Do you like to bring your coloring with you on vacation? To work? On the bus or train? To the doctor’s office? To your coloring group meetings? Here are some travel cases that you might be interested in.

Tran Deluxe Pencil Case

If you like to be able to pack up your things to put away when you are done, or even travel with all of your pencils, this case is for you. It holds up to 120 pencils (that might be pushing it according to some people). There are 2 “pages” inside, plus the front and back (so 8 sides total to fill up). It can hold markers and gel pens too, but you probably can’t get as many in. The slots are elastics design to hold 2 pencils per loop, but they won’t stretch enough to hold 2 fat markers.

US Art Supply Canvas Zippered Pencil Wrap & Holder

If you don’t have that many pencils, or you are looking for something just for travel (or the trip to the doctor’s office), this case might be just the thing. It actually comes in two different styles — the zippered case that is shown here, and also as a roll-up style.

 

Cre-go Canvas Pencil Wrap

Why are most storage cases so boring? Want a little more color? This wrap-up case holds 48 pencils and comes in about 8 different fabrics. It’s hand-made and of sturdy construction. As your collection grows, just buy another one of the beauties! Also great for gel pens!

For home

Do you have a permanent coloring nook set up in your home? Or maybe you move from kitchen table to couch to bed with your supplies? There are just too many options to really talk about each in-depth, so I’m just going to show you some pictures of a variety of options, from portable totes to drawers, caddies, and carts. Click the picture to go to the product detailed listing on Amazon to get more info.

 

Okay, I have to pause to talk about this ultimate storage solution. The WorkBox by The Original ScrapBox. O M G. The storage space. Oooooooooh. The organization. Aaaaaaaaah. The beauty. Sigh. The price tag! Ouch! But if you color and do other crafting, you gotta see this one. Oh, and it comes in a bunch of styles and finishes to fit any decor.

 

Okay, back down to earth. If you’d like to set up a special area just for coloring but don’t have a lot of space, or want to be able to hide your hobby, a cabinet/armoire style is a good idea. The one above may be overkill, especially just for coloring. But here is one by Sauder with the same concept, on a smaller scale that is perfect for a coloring nook. Just enough room for a printer, paper, coloring books, pencils, pens and a small work surface. When you are done, just close it all up into a nice small cabinet.

Ergonomics

Those of you really committed know what I’m talking about. Stiff neck. Cramped hands. Calloused fingers. Numb thumb. When you get in the coloring zone, you can just keep going for hours without even realizing it. Just as on the computer, it is necessary for you to change positions, stretch, blink, etc. There are also some products that can help with the comfort.

Drawing Surfaces

Where do you draw? On your kitchen table? On your lap on the couch or in bed? If you are looking for something maybe a little more comfortable, here are some options you may like.

Bamboo Lap Desk

Not all lap desks are made the same. Most are designed for computer laptop use, so they provide an anti-slip surface that is either pebbly or rubbery. But that isn’t great for coloring, unless you plan to still put a clipboard under your coloring page. This lap desk is made from real bamboo and has a smooth surface and is lightweight too. It also is larger than some lap desks (22.5″ x 15.5″), so there is plenty of room to have an open coloring book. The cushion is also removable, if you’d rather not use that. This one may cost a bit more than some others, but it is well worth it.

Adjustable Bed Tray

If you’d rather not have something sitting directly on your lap, this bed table might be a better option. And it has one side that can tilt, but there is still the other side that stays horizontal, so you have a place to set a container of pencils or pens, or your glass of wine. And the tilt section has a bar across the bottom to prevent items from slipping off. Okay, so it may not win any awards for beauty, but who cares?

Adjustable Computer Desk Tray Table Stand

Maybe you’d rather have a table that can move around easier, and adjust its height and tilt, whether you are sitting on the couch or lounging in bed. I have one of these and I love it. I can wheel it over the bed, and when I’m done, just push it in the corner. Or I can lower the height and use it at my bedroom chair.

Lighting

Lighting is very important when coloring. You need good lighting to see the colors properly and to color within the lines. Depending on where you color, getting good lighting can be a problem.

Floor lamps

Floor lamps give you the flexibility to move them to where you need them. We don’t have many decent ceiling fixtures in our house, so we have torchiere floor lamps that produce an up-light that bounces off the ceiling and provides an excellent overall light to an area. But when coloring, this isn’t always quite enough. There are reading floor lamps, but they don’t help to illuminate the room. Here’s the solution: a two-in-one floor lamp! This is an example of one that is reasonably priced and has good features, including an outlet you can use to plug in your phone or tablet! There are several manufacturers of this type of lamp and you can get it in a variety of styles to suit any decor.

Book lights

To the other extreme! Task light exactly where you need it and it won’t disturb others (for those late nights coloring in bed next to your partner). You can clamp it onto your coloring book, clipboard, or lap desk. This model is designed to also be able to set on a table (without clamping). It uses AAA batteries.

Here’s another one that gets rave reviews. This one features a touch-switch with 3 brightness levels, and is rechargeable (USB + AC wall adapter). You can’t tell from this photo, but it has an ultra-flexible gooseneck so you can position it any way imagineable!

Writing Aids

Having the right height work surface, comfortable and supportive chair, and the right lighting are all important. But if you are like me, after hours of coloring, my hand cramps and my fingers are sore or even numb. I notice it especially with pencils, since I tend to grip them harder and press harder than with markers or gel pens.

This is where pencil grips come in and The Pencil Grip, Inc. is the expert source. Their original universal pencil grips are the cushiest I’ve seen. Many other pencil grips are designed more for giving you a better non-slip grip than for cushioning. And these are for lefties (like me) or righties. They also slip on and off pencils easier than some others I’ve tried.

DISCLOSURE: I did receive a sampler pack of different grips from The Pencil Grip company under the condition that I am free to express my own, honest opinion, which I am doing so here!

And if you think you may need “retraining” to help you hold your pencils and pens in a more proper grip for more comfort, they have specialty “training” grips, like the crossover grip (keeps your thumb from crossing over the pencil/pen onto your index finger) or the “writing claw” which forces your fingertips into the right position.

Conclusion

If you are getting serious about this hobby, you’ll want to make sure you are organized and comfortable. Everyone has their own style, so it certainly isn’t a one-size-fits-all hobby. I’ve just scratched the surface here on some of the products available, but it’s a good introduction to the types of things you might want to be thinking about.

What could make your coloring a better experience? Organization? Lighting? A private nook?

Do you have other suggestions you’d like to share? Leave a comment and let us know!

 

If you haven’t already read it, check out my article “How Do I Start Coloring? Part 1: A list of supplies to begin your coloring journey!“ if you want to learn more about different media and suggested products for different budgets.

Looking for something to color? Check out my freebie coloring pages.

Also, check out my Coloring for Grown Ups board on Pinterest for more coloring pages I’ve collected… and follow me while you are there!

Follow Cynthia Caldwell @ Yet Another Mom Blog’s board Coloring for Grown Ups on Pinterest.