clickprincess Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 This is one of the fastest growing hobbies around the world right now and I'm wondering who else enjoys coloring as a grown-up? I always colored with my children and then my grandchildren, but now we closet colorers no longer have to stick to the kiddie books. There are hundreds of incredibly detailed coloring books available for adults these days. Johanna Basford's "Secret Garden" and "Enchanted Forest" books are the leaders in the field. I believe she was the first to publish a coloring book aimed at the adult market. Her images are lovely! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asmm0829 Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 I love to color! It was, hands down, probably my favorite past-time as a kid. I felt pressured to "grow out of it" though, because there weren't coloring books marketed to older kids at the time. I transitioned into paint-by-numbers in my teen years because it felt more age-appropriate than coloring images like Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny. In my adult years, I fell away from artistic past-times altogether and bought a Kindle instead. Now, I'm so excited that there's a such thing as adult coloring books! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clickprincess Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 I've been reading a lot of articles that talk about the psychological benefits of coloring. Research has shown that coloring can be almost as good as meditation for clearing the mind and helping people find balance. It's also a great way to unleash creativity and not just for art. Once you get going with any creative type of activity, it is almost like it exercises your creativity, making it stronger, and that creativity can come out in other ways, like writing or just problem-solving. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisa Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 I recently started a practice called zentangle. It is basically a way of drawing by using structured patterns and shapes. It can be extremely relaxing, but also a little frustrating if you get stuck trying to think of a new pattern to introduce to your piece. I think I like adult coloring more because it is a truly mindless activity. The adult coloring books available are quite beautiful when finished, especially if you use good, art quality color pencils or pens. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G R Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 This is quite the treat in this high tech age. Back to basics. I think I'll send my daughter this: http://www.johannabasford.com/ She always did have an artistic bent, and still does, but she has grown out of the typical coloring book tailored for young children. I think she would really love to spend time doing something like this, as I would enjoy seeing her express her creative side. Thank you for sharing that Click, I had no idea this sort of thing was making the social rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kad613 Posted May 8, 2016 Report Share Posted May 8, 2016 My daughter, who is currently attending university, uses the adult coloring books to relax after studying. She has found that it is a great catharsis for the stress of studying and research. I have to agree that it seems to work for her. I've done a few pages and I have to say they are pretty to look at. It brought me back to when I used to color with the kids. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larkheye Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 I resisted this trend for a long time because I really did not need another hobby cluttering up my house. Then I broke down and got a coloring book with line drawings of Vogue magazine covers from the 1910s and 20s. The illustrations are Art Nouveau style, and very fun to color! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmataame Posted July 21, 2016 Report Share Posted July 21, 2016 I have recently come across a coloring book for adults at my friend's place and it looked amazing. I haven't done it yet though, but I definitely am planning to buy one for myself soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmataame Posted July 21, 2016 Report Share Posted July 21, 2016 I have recently come across a coloring book for adults at my friend's place and it looked amazing. I haven't done it yet though, but I definitely am planning to buy one for myself soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kad613 Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 Larkeye, you have to try the watercolor pencils. My daughter has started using them to color in her coloring books and the effects are really cool! She says it's much easier than using regular pencils and markers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larkheye Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 Kad613, I have a couple sets of those pencils and I love them! I have been experimenting with different ways of applying the water. You have to get it just right or the colors mush together or run off the paper. Does your daughter draw and then paint water over it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kad613 Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 No, she dips the pencil lead into a glass of water, dabs off the excess water on a paper towel and then colors with it. Doing it that way gives her more control over the amount of water on the paper. She usually starts in the center of the area she is coloring so she can see how much it spreads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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