How gorgeous is this free Kokeshi colouring sampler from my friend the talented Tasha Goddard? As I get older I really do relish the chance to switch off and unwind and one of my favourite ways is to colour in. Over the last couple of weeks, I have taken my colouring sampler with me when I take the boys swimming and it has really been fun to do.

Tasha has kindly allowed me to share this sampler of her Kokeshi colouring book with you for free to download and enjoy. It is perfect for mindful colouring. But what is a Kokeshi doll? Well, they are Northern Japanese dolls, that are handmade from wood, have a simple trunk and an enlarged head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. Their bodies have a floral design painted in red, black, and sometimes yellow, and covered with a layer of wax.

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Free Kokeshi Colouring Sampler

The Free Kokeshi Colouring Sampler is a taste of Tasha most recent colouring book, which has 19 pages of beautiful Kokeshi dolls to colour. I have to admit that I found the page really therapeutic to colour and know that my tween niece would love it too.

I love that there is a black doll for you to use your imagination with and make up your own design. I find that colouring really helps me switch off. I take it with me to the swimming pool or the skate park when I am watching the boys. I have a pencil case full of colouring pencils and a clipboard in my bag at all times!

You can download your Free Kokeshi Colouring Sampler.

Kokeshi Colouring Sampler
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Note: These prints and designs are copyrighted and for personal use only, please!

Colouring Supplies:

I am often asked what products I use and I am a big advocate of using the best supplies you can afford. It is really frustrating to use pencils that keep snapping or refuse to blend well, oh and don’t get me started on pens that bleed through the paper. I always buy the best quality I can afford, not just for me but for my kids too. I want colouring to be a joyful experience. These are mine and the

These are mine and the MiniMad’s suggestions to you. Our tried and tested favourites. When I first started colouring I just pinched the boy’s products, which is why adult colouring is so accessible and over the period of a year I now have my own supplies!

Pens

We are currently loving using Staedtler Triplus colour pens (UK Link/US Link) – they do not bleed through the paper, which is great for adults and kids and they are really bright. Plus you can get different nib sizes (UK LInk/US Link), my niece has the 3mm nib ones (I bought her them for Christmas and she adores them). I also love the way they stand up in the packaging, so you can see the colours.

For a more inexpensive pen, we like the BIC kids coloring pens. These are great with minimal bleed through the paper and last for ages if you forget to put the lid back on (yes I am guilty of this)! (UK Link/US Link).

Pencils

Again we have two distinct favourites. One high quality and the other medium. Staedtler Ergosoft pencils are great value. They are soft and blendable and last really well. These are our go to pencils for pretty much everything (UK Link/US Link), they are not paying me to say this – honest! These are the pencils that the boys use for all their work and colouring too.

If money was no object then it would be Prismacolor pencils. I was introduced to these by the amazing illustrator Jennie Maizels (go check out her sketchbook club, you can thank me later). They are blendable, fantastic colours, durable and everything you could need, but are at the top of the price range. (UK Link/US Link)

Paper

As you are printing off these pages you can control the quality of the paper and unlike colouring books that you buy, you can print one sided (whoop). I print a lot of my pages on standard copier paper and if you have good quality art supplies then that is fine, however, if you are planning on framing or keeping your artwork then it would be better to print on a higher quality of paper. Or if you plan on painting them, then you can print onto inkjet watercolour paper (UK Link/US Link). For standard colouring get some bleed proof paper and use it to print off your pages (UK Link/US Link).

Accessories

You need to have a good quality pencil sharpener for your pencils. I LOVE my standard office supplies one. It can be adjusted to sharpen to a killer point or to a more blunt edge and there is something therapeutic about the crank handle and all the shavings being collected (UK Link/US Link)! We use a Staedtler pencil sharpener for our on the go one and this is the one we keep in pencil cases (UK Link/US Link).The other must have for me is a clipboard. I am often found colouring in downstairs on the sofa on an evening (I try to reduce screens on a night) and rather than rest on a book I use a clipboard (UK Link/US Link).