Colouring books for adults have become increasingly popular over the past few years. They’re often mentioned in the same sentence as mindfulness, wellness and stress management. But what if you’re too busy to run out and buy the necessary supplies? And what if you’re in need of some stress-busting colouring-in during the evening commute? You might not want to rummage for crayons on a packed train.
Fear not, there are many apps out there that do the job. Lake for iOS is far and away one of the best but, after a seven-day free trial, you’re looking at €7.99 per month or €59.99 yearly. If you don’t fancy paying this much, it is possible to access one free painting from each of the featured artists.
The reason Lake works so well is because it has tablet-friendly features: activate automatic colouring inside the lines and swipe and swish your chosen colours without making a mess. The best part is the opportunity to colour some gorgeous original illustrations from emerging artists around the world. Between the paintbrush, pen, spray paint and fill tools, it’s easy to do justice to landscapes, cute doodles and intricate floral sketches alike.
I thought Lake would be vaguely amusing but genuinely found it relaxing. Although it is for both, it works best on the iPad with Apple Pencil rather than the iPhone.
