Adult colouring has completely taken over my spare time lately, and honestly, I can't believe I didn't start sooner.
If you've been seeing beautiful coloured pages on TikTok or Facebook and wondering where on earth to begin, you're not alone. The world of markers, colouring books and accessories can feel a bit overwhelming at first.
The good news is that getting started is actually really simple.
This guide is aimed at UK readers and includes supplies you can easily pick up from shops like Tesco, The Range, Home Bargains and B&M.
Let's get colouring!
What Do You Need To Start Adult Colouring?
To begin, you only need two things:
- A colouring book
- Something to colour with
Technically, you could pop into Tesco, The Works or Poundland, pick up some felt tips and a colouring book, and start straight away.
But if I'm being honest, I don't think it's the best experience.
Traditional felt tips can leave streaky marks, the nibs are often quite small, and you may find yourself wondering why your pages don't look like the gorgeous ones you see online.
If you want to get great results quickly, I would recommend starting with alcohol markers and a white gel pen.
Make sure the markers are alcohol based rather than water based. Most packs will clearly say this on the packaging.
With alcohol markers and a white gel pen, you can create beautifully blended pages with highlights and little finishing touches that really make your colouring pop.
Where To Buy Alcohol Markers In The UK
One of the best things about adult colouring is that you can enjoy it on almost any budget.
Budget option: Home Bargains
If you're looking to spend under £10, the Home Bargains Dual Tip Alcohol Markers are a brilliant place to start.
At around £7.99 for 80 markers, you get a huge range of colours and excellent value for money. They were one of the first sets I tried and I still use them regularly.
You can read my full review here.
Mid-range option: Decotime Alcohol Markers
If your budget stretches to around £20 to £40, then I would absolutely recommend Decotime Alcohol Twin Markers.
For me, switching to brush tip markers made a huge difference to my colouring. They feel smoother to use and make blending much easier.
You can usually find:
- 60 markers for around £20 at Tesco, B&M or BargainMax
- 160 markers plus a colourless blender for around £40 if your local B&M has them in stock
Premium Option: Ohuhu Alcohol Markers
If your budget allows, Ohuhu alcohol markers are often considered the gold standard for adult colouring. They feature flexible brush tips for smooth blending, a huge range of colours and beautifully consistent ink flow, making them a favourite among colouring enthusiasts around the world. While they are more expensive than brands like Home Bargains or Decotime, many people find they are well worth the investment if colouring becomes a regular hobby. The large sets are especially popular because they include hundreds of shades, helping you match colours more accurately in colour by number books and create seamless blends. If you're looking for markers that can grow with you as your skills improve, Ohuhu is an excellent choice.
Ordering online
If you prefer to shop online, I really like the Chen Rui alcohol markers available on Temu.
They're often compared to the much more expensive Ohuhu markers and feature a lovely brush tip.
Prices generally start around £14 for 48 markers and go up to around £33 for 120 markers.
Don't Forget A White Gel Pen
A white gel pen is one of those little extras that makes a huge difference.
You can use it to add:
- Highlights
- Sparkles
- Reflections
- Small details
- Texture on clothing and hair
If you want one today, I'd recommend the Uni-Ball White Gel Pen from The Range. They're usually around £2 to £3.
If you're happy to order online, my favourites are the Gelly Roll White Pens. The three-pack is affordable, the ink flows beautifully and they work wonderfully with alcohol markers.
What Colouring Book Should Beginners Buy?
Right now, the most popular style of adult colouring book is called Bold and Easy.
These books usually have:
- Thick black lines
- Large spaces to colour
- One image per page
- Square 8.5" x 8.5" layouts
- Cute and cosy illustrations
This style works perfectly with alcohol markers because you don't have to worry about bleed-through ruining another design on the back.
Coco Wyo
Coco Wyo books are incredibly popular at the moment.
Some great choices include:
- Cozy Corner
- Cozy Cuties
- Girl Moments
Girl Moments is probably the most viral colouring book right now, and for good reason. The illustrations are adorable and so much fun to colour.
I've shared some of my completed Girl Moments pages if you'd like some inspiration.
Getting Started With Colour By Numbers Books
If choosing colours yourself feels a little intimidating, then colour by numbers books are a fantastic place to start.
Instead of deciding which shades to use, each area is labelled with a number that corresponds to a specific colour. This means you can relax and focus on the fun part, which is simply colouring and watching the picture come to life.
One thing to remember is that you don't always need the exact markers listed in the book. Many colourists, myself included, regularly substitute colours based on what we already own. If your book calls for a particular shade of green, choosing one that's close enough will still give you a beautiful finished result.
This is exactly why I created my free Colour By Number Swatch Cards. They have a small viewing window that you can slide over the colour guide in your books to compare your own markers and find the closest match. They're incredibly handy and have become one of my most-used colouring tools.
You can download my free swatch cards here and print them at home.
I also have a free Colour By Numbers Tracker that lets you record which markers you used in each book, keep track of completed pages, and save your favourite colour substitutions for future projects.
The best advice I can give when starting colour by numbers is not to chase perfection. The "wrong" pink or a slightly different blue won't ruin your page. Some of my favourite finished pieces use colours that are completely different from the original guide. Adult colouring is meant to be relaxing, so have fun experimenting and make each page your own.
Buying Colouring Books In Store
If you're shopping in person, my biggest tip is this:
Choose books that have one image per sheet.
Alcohol markers bleed through paper, so single-sided pages are ideal.
For physical shops, I'd recommend:
- The Range for a large selection of adult colouring books
- Waterstones for selected Coco Wyo titles
- Asda, where Coco Wyo books occasionally appear at fantastic prices
A Quick Tip Before You Start
Alcohol markers are amazing, but they do bleed through paper.
Always place a couple of sheets of scrap paper behind the page you're colouring.
Printer paper, junk mail or old envelopes all work perfectly.
This protects the next page and lets you colour confidently without worrying about accidents.
