Among the sharp increase in the interest and participation in decorative planners, calligraphy and stationery, I’ve noticed also a distinct increase in the number of people playing with colour. Colouring books, and colour pencils to be specific.
So popular, there is now a niche area of hobbies/businesses catering to this segment of the community. I’ve also noticed that there is now something called “Adult Colouring Books” which have nothing to do with the usual meaning of “adult” (thank goodness) and is, in all sense of the word, a colouring book tailored for adults.
From what I see, these adult colouring books have more complex and intricate illustrations, which require more precise attention to detail. I’m assured it’s therapeutic too!
As usual, I started thinking (which sometimes, isn’t a bad thing LOL!) and I got to wondering just how many of you have taken up this new hobby of colouring? Why do you enjoy it and is it something you’ve just started doing recently or have you always been interested in it?
Personally speaking, I’m not into it. But I have nothing against it at all. In fact, having seen how creative some people get, I’m almost jealous at their creativity!
The only time I have tried my hand at this adult colouring thing, was at a recent event, where we were given an intricate illustration, as you see above, for us to illustrate/colour as our fancy hits. While everyone happily took to the task, I glanced at the paper and packed everything up for my nephews to play with LOL! 😀
I think it comes down to personality, because I’ve never been very patient when dabbling with creative outputs. I tend to take a pretty methodical, practical approach to things, which mean simple lines and simple details.
However, friends assure me that playing with colour is calming and helps them destress, which I can understand. It takes a certain level of concentration to colour within the lines, and to plan your colour scheme to create an attractive picture. This allows you to focus on something other than your problems or work, and exercises a different area of your brain, I’m sure. Colour is also known to be therapeutic and I’m guessing a colouring book, and some good quality colour pencils is cheaper than seeing a therapist 😛
For myself, even as a child, I’ve always taken a fairly laissez-faire attitude towards colouring books. I’d play with them if they were there, but I wouldn’t actively seek them out. I suppose, I just wasn’t very creative in the arts, which probably means my left-brain (or is it right brain?) is underdeveloped, and some psychiatrist might tell you that makes me a serial killer of some sort.
Or maybe not. Who knows eh? 😛
Are you into adult colouring books or just generally colouring?
While I’m not into the current adult colouring trend, I’m curious to know if you are and how it helps you 🙂
Paris B
Lily says
October 16, 2015 at 10:08 amA lot of my friends are doing this! I’m a little curious, and if I wasn’t already tied up with the baby all the time, I would have tried it. I’ve never been patient, so it’s interesting to see if I’ll actually finish the ‘project’. I might just give up after 5 minutes. So instead of wondering if it’ll turn out pretty, I want to know if I can actually complete the task. Hahaha!
Paris B says
October 16, 2015 at 5:19 pmMaybe you could do a mummy-baby activity, with baby doing his own colouring and you yours LOL! But it’s certainly getting a lot of traction, I’ve noticed!
Fireangel says
October 16, 2015 at 10:26 amI was thinking about getting one and then when I saw how intricate it was, changed my mind. How can all that confusion be therapeutic? I won’t even know how or where to begin, haha. Not to mention the hefty price of the book and having to invest in a decent set of colour pencils. Bleh. I prefer to buy more make up. 😛
Paris B says
October 16, 2015 at 5:19 pmHAhahhahaha I like your reasoning. Don’t attempt after a few glasses ok? 😀 😀
Swati Murti says
October 16, 2015 at 11:38 amaaah…the joy of coloring has been long past. you have again ignited the need for it 😀 I am horrible at drawing and so coloring is the only thing left to me! I used to do them when I was a kid and creating pictures by joining the dots.
Paris B says
October 16, 2015 at 5:20 pmLOL! I’m bad at drawing too Swati! I remember doing the join the dots books as well! Those were sort of fun, seeing the picture fall into place when all the dots are joined up right?
Hani Lutfi says
October 16, 2015 at 3:04 pmI knew about this a few months ago when they came out in the US but I was really surprised to see them on the window display of MPH the other day! A lot of ppl are colouring too. They do it as a hobby instead of a therapy, I believe. I’m not into it because colouring stresses me out hahah!
Paris B says
October 16, 2015 at 5:21 pmLOL I actually haven’t seen any books locally but then I haven’t been out a lot. I hear they’re pretty pricey too! I suppose colouring as a hobby is also partly therapeutic. After all, we do what we enjoy for hobbies right? I don’t get stressed out but I’m so ambivalent about it, I just couldn’t do it 😛
JackieA says
October 16, 2015 at 3:22 pmPB, incidentally I was at Kaison and Kino some time back and saw people grabbing (the sample book looked like it had seen better days) these books (cheaper version at Kaison and super ex at Kino)! Anyways, just like you, not into it….I thought to myself, if coloring at kindy level was epic fail for me…..what more now!! So I will leave it to the more creative one’s. Interestingly, I have seen the reappearance of color pencils that I used to have when I was a kid, Colleen brand colors that come in a flat tin case and it brought back so many memories!! I don’t know if my parents knew that I was crap at all things art or not, but they bought this for me and the sound the color pencils made tinkling about in there……oh! divine!
Paris B says
October 16, 2015 at 5:23 pmOoh Colleen colour pencils! I remember as a kid, being gifted a set of 36. Wah, guarded it with my life and barely used it. What the… LOL! So no, I wasn’t much of a colourer nor doodler. In fact, art just flew over my head most of the time. It’s nice to see this make a come back though, but not at the asking prices that’s for sure! Once people get into a hobby, boy do prices start to sky rocket eh?
synical says
October 16, 2015 at 7:14 pmIn the words of kids these days: I can’t even 😛 I don’t mind SOME colouring, but these intricate designs will just drive me up the wall.
1. The books by themselves already pretty pricey for what essentially are pages and pages of line drawings. Maybe it’s the paper quality that drives the price up, I don’t know. But no, just no.
2. Can’t be arsed to get colour pens or pencils for the job.
3. I’ll be more stressed out by the unfinished pages 😛
Paris B says
October 20, 2015 at 10:19 amHahha I swear it’s a personality test in itself whether or not you take to the whole adult colouring book thing 😀 I don’t know how much the books cost to be honest, but since they’re targeted at adults, who are expected to have more disposable income than kids, I’m guessing they aren’t cheap. It’s just not my thing, but I can totally understand those who do enjoy it! 🙂
Tracy says
October 17, 2015 at 3:10 amI thought about this, but honestly? The whole colouring in the lines thing even bothered me as a kid HAHA. I’d rather actually just DRAW and doodle on my own thank you. But hey, whatever calms your boat-I’m all for it. Lately for me, I’ve really been enjoying taking pics, so I think that’s gonna be my new hobby. 😉
Paris B says
October 20, 2015 at 10:26 amAh Tracy, you rebel, you! 😀 I don’t really draw or doodle so most of these artistic pursuits just go whoosh over my head. I do enjoy taking pictures though and your scenery photos are breathtaking! Keep it up, it’s a fun hobby!
Rainy Days & Lattes says
October 17, 2015 at 5:35 amIt’s awesome that you posted this! I saw a few articles about this on the news as well. I don’t color but I am considering getting an adult coloring book. I honestly think it’s so neat! And the illustrations themselves are so intricate and beautiful.
Paris B says
October 20, 2015 at 10:28 amYes, this is HUGE worldwide! I think anything really gains traction on a global basis these days thanks to the world becoming smaller haha! Hope you’ll enjoy your colouring pursuits and I do agree about the pretty illustrations. I’ve seen people come up with some really pretty coloured in pictures!
Skygazer says
October 18, 2015 at 1:51 pmThis looks so interesting, but frankly I wonder if I’ll find it therapeutic. I recall being frustrated by my own lack of artistic skills when I was younger, so I doubt that the perfectionist in me will allow me to just relax and enjoy the result!
Paris B says
October 20, 2015 at 10:30 amLOL! Who knows, maybe this will tame the perfectionist beast! 😉
Jerine says
October 18, 2015 at 8:48 pmI’m so crazy over colouring these days. I used to draw my own illustration and colour my own artwork. But now, I delegate the illustrating job to famous artists that good at what they are doing by simply purchasing colouring book. I went over obsessed with this new hobby by having 8 colouring books and 5 different brands of colour pencils. You should try it. It’s like makeup, but on paper.
Paris B says
October 20, 2015 at 10:35 amHaha you aren’t alone Jerine! I know of many who enjoy it too and I think that those who do, have a latent creative/artistic talent. In my case, it’s a no-go. Since my makeup skills are merely rudimentary, so are my colouring skills! LOL! 😀 But it’s great that you’re enjoying it. There are so many books with pretty illustrations out there!
Joann says
October 20, 2015 at 1:44 pmWow, I didn’t even realize this was even a thing!
I used to love colouring. It was so satisfying when I coloured in between the lines and the shading was all done nicely without one part darker than the other… I loved it.
Of course I just thought that colouring was for kids and never bothered to colour again when I was older.
I can definitely see how it can be therapeutic. I would still choose to write in a journal though. When you look back through a journal vs a colouring book it has more sentiment. But that’s just me.
Paris B says
October 20, 2015 at 2:44 pmI too used to think colouring was just for kids. It wasn’t until I noticed a trend happening among my friends, that I realised that adults were getting in on the game too. I suppose it’s good, harmless fun 🙂 I couldn’t journal either LOL! I know of some people who use Traveller’s Notebooks and create pretty looking journals.
Marina (Makeup4all) says
October 22, 2015 at 6:45 amI always loved colouring with my Dad as a child, so I was looking into these some time ago but still did not get any. Maybe I should though?!
Paris B says
October 22, 2015 at 2:36 pmIf you enjoy it as a kid, I don’t see why you won’t enjoy it now! 😀 Go for it, Marina!
Cynthia says
October 26, 2015 at 2:04 amWhen I was a kid I love drawing and coloring! So i craved in and got the famous book. I colored for two full pages. It was quite fun and fullfilling. Then I stop because I found it to addictive and my color pencil getting shorter. Hahahah
Paris B says
November 2, 2015 at 2:58 pmROFLOL!! First world problems, Cynthia! 😉
Yee says
November 2, 2015 at 10:56 amYes, I am sorely tempted by the gorgeous colouring books by the likes of Johanna Basford etc. ! The only thing holding me back is the not so affordable price of the books. Yes, there are the bilingual and cheaper versions with Bahasa released but…I prefer the original versions! So contradictory, right? Complaining about hefty prices but yet, turning my nose up at the cheaper bilingual versions! The contents of the books are so pretty though!
Paris B says
November 2, 2015 at 3:06 pmHaha a study in contradictions, Yee! 😀 But you know, sometimes, I feel it’s better to just bit the bullet and get the original because otherwise, you’ll always be wondering, if you know what I mean? 😉
Angelina says
November 3, 2015 at 1:03 pmThe coloring books are not supposed to be this pricey, IMO. I’m not fond of intricate designs, especially where coloring is involved. I still remember my drawing – one with intricate design. It is beautiful but a pain in the ass where coloring is concerned. Oh the stress of coloring it. On the other hand, art (read as drawing, and not mere coloring) is good for the soul. It keeps your creativity in check.
Paris B says
November 5, 2015 at 4:25 pmI think it’s that abominable exchange rate and well, demand! Capitalism at its best eh? 😉 Me, I don’t have a creative bone in my body. So art stresses me out instead of relaxes. Always has especially in school!