What is it with the rediscovery of paper and pencils? Is the population apped-out, over-tweeted, finished the final chapter of its Facebook?

One thing is sure WH Smith attribute an improvement in their financial performance to sales of adult colouring books. There’s even a colour-it -yourself magazine! Many best selling art & design books now include a colouring-in version.

Could this return to this simple ‘meditative’ pleasure of colouring be nostalgic return to childhood days? or it it the new mindfulness? There is a Mindfulness Colouring Book (a best seller last Christmas). What’s this mindfulness – the state of having your mind full? Haha. Or actually the opposite, being mindful of your limitations? Taking time out to unwind, destress and ensure you have some spare mental capacity.

And to colour in your book you need pencils and sharpeners and pencil cases to keep them in. Any parent of young children can’t have failed to notice the rise of Smiggle. An emporium of delights for primary aged kids where the humble pencil case has evolved into a multifunctional desktop device with secret gadgets that would do 007’s Q proud! The pen and pencil holding capacity is fairly low – you also need a good simple old fashioned version for that job! But it seems, impressing your classmates with this piece of machinery is a must. You can spot the Smiggle products a mile off cyan blue, magenta, purple! No gender stereotypes here.

Reminds me of my humble brown leatherette pencil case that served me through my 70s secondary school years – emblazoned only with doodled DP loves…graffiti and Dr Feelgood button badges!

To view our portfolio including infographic colouring illustrations please click here

To discuss how colouring illustrations can be a brand asset please contact our Marketing and Branding Consultant David Parker on 01784 683000