Still and Slow One Coloring Book Review: Relaxing Concept or Overpriced Gimmick?

Introduction

If you have been on social media lately, you have probably seen the ads: a monochrome coloring book promising calm, presence, and ten minutes of peace with a single pen. Still and Slow has marketed this book relentlessly as less of an art activity and more of a relaxation tool. It is not cheap for a coloring book, so we ordered it, plus the optional pen set, and spent real time with it to see whether the concept holds up.

Who This Product Is For

Still and Slow positions this squarely at people who want to unwind rather than people who consider themselves artists. The pitch is simple: one pen, one page, no pressure. You are not choosing colors, shading, or composition, so the usual creative anxiety is removed. If you want a low-friction wind-down ritual after work, or something compact for travel since you only need a single pen, the format genuinely fits.

What the Book Actually Is

The book is a monochrome, fill-in-the-shapes coloring book. Each page shows a scene with marked regions, and you fill only the shapes marked with an O using one color, black or otherwise. The company says sessions take 10 to 15 minutes, and the book is illustrated under the Still and Slow name rather than by a credited artist. The edition reviewed is the summer edition focused on calm, confidence, and self-reflection.

The paper is a genuine highlight. It is thick 160 gsm stock, and the company’s claim that water-based pens will not bleed through held up completely during testing. What you see on their website is what arrives, page for page.

What It Is Like to Use

First impressions are positive. The concept is genuinely unique, and we have not seen anything quite like it. Filling in only marked areas removes the decision fatigue of a normal coloring book. There is no pressure to add details or shading, and no agonizing over color choices. It does look striking once a page is complete.

There are quirks, though. Some pages divide areas into multiple sections that do not seem necessary when everything ends up the same color anyway, and a few regions, like an arm with detailed fingers that you color in solid anyway, feel arbitrary. It can also be mildly stressful wondering whether you filled the wrong spot, and coloring a full page properly took around half an hour, not the promised 10 to 15 minutes.

The Pens: A Weak Point

The optional pen set of three water-based brush pens costs extra, roughly $10 beyond the book, bringing the total to about $40 with shipping. They did not bleed through the paper as promised, but durability is a real problem. The first pen began wearing out around page six, and other users report similar or worse. With 60 colorable pages in the book, three pens will not cover it.

This matches independent buyer feedback, which describes the pens as barely lasting three to four pages each. The company itself apparently admitted that even a full set might not last the whole book. There is little reason to buy the upgrade.

Is It AI-Generated?

A fair question. The company’s own ads appear to use AI-generated imagery and voiceovers in places, and their website’s main product photo has an uneasy, AI-like quality, including a listing that reportedly misspells the brand name. That said, the book itself does not claim to be AI-made, and some elements, like consistently sized numerals, suggest human involvement. Some illustrations do blend oddly in places, and there is no artist credit, which is unusual. The verdict is genuinely unclear, and that ambiguity itself is worth knowing before you buy.

Things to Consider Before Buying

At $24.90 for the book alone, this is expensive for any coloring book, let alone one that is not particularly thick. The return policy only applies to unused books, which makes it hard to judge the product before committing. The company also appears to be print-on-demand style and minimal in its web presence, though orders do arrive as described. Independent sentiment is best summarized as: legit product, questionable company.

Buying Advice

If the monochrome one-pen concept appeals to you, the book itself is well made, with excellent paper that handles water-based pens without bleed-through, and the finished pages look genuinely impressive. Skip the pen bundle entirely and use any water-based brush pen you already own. If you are price-sensitive or wary of companies that lean on AI advertising, there are cheaper monochrome-style alternatives appearing elsewhere, though we cannot vouch for their quality.

Conclusion

The Still and Slow One Coloring Book is a fun, unusual concept that delivers on relaxation and looks striking when finished, and the paper quality is excellent. But it is hard to call it good value at $24.90, the optional pens are poor, and the company’s AI-heavy marketing leaves an uneasy impression. Buy it for the concept if that concept genuinely appeals to you, not for the brand behind it.