Coloring books have emerged from the classroom as a way for anyone, at any age, to speak to their inner child and dive into a whimsical creative outlet. What better way to give life to a black and white picture than by adding vibrant hues to well-known “Steel City” scenes. We’ve taken the guesswork out of where to find the best books, giving you a list of go-to Pittsburgh coloring pages.
Pittsburgh: A Coloring Book
Illustrator Rick Antolic has a duo of popular Pittsburgh-themed coloring books. The local artist has collected some of our most iconic skylines and scenes and arranged these beautiful images for any Pittsburgher to appreciate.
Volume I and Volume II can both be purchased online, making for a great gift for someone who lives in or loves our city.
Yinzerrific Coloring Book
Pittsburgh City Paper has partnered with 35 local artists to put together a coloring book that is a complete ode to the ‘Burgh. Their self-proclaimed “over the top” book is chock-full of scenes only a Pittsburgh local could love. The best part is that proceeds from your purchase go back to the local artists that helped create this coloring book so you’re supporting community arts.
Coloring Pittsburgh: A Pittsburgh Themed Coloring Book
Artist Ron Magnes put his artistry to work with this book dedicated to famous landmarks and cityscapes. Be sure to check out his other hometown-themed books, including a coloring book of Pittsburgh firsts; people and things that happened right here in Pittsburgh or accomplishments by a famous local resident.
Pittsburgh: An Adult Coloring Book
This self-proclaimed stress reliever is the perfect way to focus your attention on geometric design and intricate details. This book is more about small details, which is a great activity to move focus onto the small fine lines that make up an overall image, with the spirit of Pittsburgh on each page.
The Sports Pages
The professional and university teams didn’t want to miss out on any coloring content, offering fans single-color pages as PDFs. This is a great option if you don’t have time to dedicate to a whole book and you just want to focus your attention on one image. These one-pagers are ideal for the littlest sports enthusiast or lifelong cheerleader. Steelers have some of their all-time great players, as well as the Pirates offering up a selection of single-page colorings. Pitt alum have the chance to add some color to their campus, with these one-page scenes in and around campus.
While at first thought a coloring book may feel like a youthful purchase, we have come to find the many health benefits that we can associate with art and the act of coloring, regardless of age. Coloring books have been found to decrease anxiety, increase brain function and improve things like sleep or motor skills.
Pick up those colored pencils and enjoy!
