The mania for adult coloring books remains, by far, the biggest trend in the hobbies and crafts realm. Many publishers hope their popularity will have a ripple effect, luring adults into other activities that are, like coloring, traditionally associated with children.
Dot to Dot
If connect the dots seems an unlikely adult pastime, remember: no one could have predicted the coloring book trend either. Offerings from publishers in this category run the gamut from artsy to branded.
Calming Dot to Dot
Emily Wallis. Ulysses, Sept.
As the title indicates, this book is intended as a stress reliever—in fact, the British edition, which pubbed in November, is called Anti-Stress Dot to Dot. London illustrator Wallis offers illustrations of animals, people, nature, and buildings.
Dot-to-Dot NYC
Narae Kim. PowerHouse, Aug.
This oversize book from Korean model and graphic designer Kim features intricate drawings made up of many hundreds of dots, color coded to help puzzlers avoid confusion in tracking their lines.
Marvel: The Amazing 1000 Dot-to-Dot Book
Thomas Pavitte. Thunder Bay, Oct.
Pavitte based his images on the work of classic comics illustrators, depicting superheroes and villains including Iron Man, Storm, and Deadpool, in puzzles that each take 30 minute to complete.
Papercraft
Several publishers see a viable future for papercraft. To wit: Workman’s new collaboration with Dutch papercrafty magazine Flow, and Atria’s forthcoming craft imprint, which consists entirely of paper-themed titles (see “First Impressions”), as well as the titles below.
Cat Castles
Carin Oliver. Quirk, Nov.
Subtitled 20 Cardboard Habitats You Can Build Yourself, this book straddles the line between eccentric and practical, instructing readers on how to build feline furnishings.
Fold It & Cut It
Naomi Shiek. Running Press, Nov.
Israeli papercraft artist Shiek, whose Woodland Papercuts studio produces intricate ketubot (marriage certificates), offers templates for 50 symmetrical paper-cutting projects. Would-be artisans need a steady hand—many projects require the use of a craft knife.
Paper Panda’s Guide to Papercutting
Louise Firchau. Search, Feb. 2017
A British paper artist with a large social media following (more than 271,000 Facebook likes), Firchau first tackles the topic of inspiration—as in, how to find some—before launching into 20 paper-cutting projects.
Press Out and Color: Butterflies
Zoe Ingram. Nosy Crow, Mar. 2017
This title, aimed at crafters age 10 and up, features the work of Australian illustrator Ingram, whose nature-oriented illustrations have, until now, mostly figured in adult coloring and sketching books.
Stamping & Hand Lettering
Another big theme for the coming seasons: personalization, whether through rubber stamping, hand lettering, or other ways for crafters to make a unique mark.
Brush Pen Lettering
Sharisse DeLeon. Ulysses, Dec.
DeLeon is known for teaching beginning calligraphers through her Pieces Calligraphy YouTube channel; her most popular video has been watched more than 87,000 times.
Hand Lettering
Thy Doan. St. Martin’s Griffin,
Feb. 2017
This first book from designer and illustrator Doan features instructions for penning 50 different alphabets. B.J. Berthi, senior editor at St. Martin’s Griffin, acquired the title based on the success of Molly Suber Thorpe’s Modern Calligraphy (2013), which has sold almost 28,000 print copies, according to Nielsen Bookscan.
I Heart Stamping
Ishtar Olivera. Quadrille, Aug.
This bright, Japanese-kawaii-inspired book gives instructions for making rubber stamps, along with suggestions for using them to embellish wrapping paper, the tops of cupcakes, and more.
Make It Yours
Christine Schmidt. Clarkson Potter, Mar. 2017
Schmidt’s 2010 book for Clarkson Potter, Print Workshop, has sold more than 11,000 print copies; the new book teaches various customizing techniques, including stamping, stenciling, resist dyeing, and more. Her Yellow Owl Workshop, which has more than 26,000 Instagram followers, also sells an array of stamp sets and other products.
Neon Chalk Lettering
Klutz, Sept.
Packaged with bright markers, this title leads children age 8 and up through 25 big, bold letter-drawing activities that they can pin up around their rooms.
Rubber Stamping
Stephen Fowler. Laurence King, Oct.
Fowler, a graphic designer and typographer, introduces rubber stamping along with other means of print production, such as roller printing.
Sketching & Drawing
Several publishers are banking on the individualized artistry that awaits those who venture outside the lines of coloring books.
Ladies Drawing Night
Julia Rothman, Leah Goren, and Rachael Cole. Chronicle, Sept.
Each of this title’s 10 chapters proposes a different themed craft night led by what the authors call “guest artists,” who give instruction and inspiration for a variety of projects, including some that are meant to be undertaken with children.
Draw and Color Your Way to a Younger Brain
Anastasia Catris. Grand Central Life & Style, Jan. 2017
This book walks the line between illustration instruction and neuroscience, using art therapy techniques to help users enhance their memories as they copy, complete, and color 90 drawings of cats, dogs, and wild animals, and eventually create their own designs.
Drawing and Painting Animals with Expression
Marjolein Kruijt. Search, Feb. 2017
A Dutch artist walks readers through several drawing media, including charcoal and pastel, as well as watercolor and oil painting.
Draw Like This!
Christopher Locke. TarcherPerigee, Oct.
This all-ages guide provides prompts to walk beginner and experienced illustrators through the rudiments of perspective, negative space, color, and texture.
5-Minute Sketching
Firefly, Oct.
Two titles launch this series: People by Pete Skully, and Architecture by Liz Steel. They teach how to, respectively, quickly and accurately portray human faces and bodies, and understand and use perspective when drawing buildings.
You Can Draw It in Just 30 Minutes
Mark Kistler. Da Capo Lifelong,
June 2017
Kistler, author of 19 previous books and an Emmy winner for his public television station children’s series, Mark Kistler’s Imagination Station, follows up 2011’s You Can Draw in 30 Days with a book of quick-sketch techniques.
