Have you heard about the adult coloring book craze? If you’ve been shopping lately at your favorite book store or craft store or even Wal-Mart, you have likely seen entire display areas just for coloring books for adults. And, have you noticed that Amazon.com has it’s own section for Coloring Books for Grown-Ups, which contains over 12,000 items, with many of them being best-sellers?
What makes these coloring books so popular? Is this just a passing trend that will soon die out?
UPDATE: I hope not, because I will be releasing my own Scripture Coloring Book soon! Get a sneak peek here.
Crayola says that coloring for adults is a “soothing, creative experience that’s easy to do and easy on your mind.”
My guess is that this trend is here to stay and here are some of the reasons why:
#1 – Coloring is FUN!
There is just something cool about adding color to a design or illustration and seeing how it turns out. If it was not fun, kids would not do it. Didn’t you love to color when you were a kid? I sure did.
The number one reason that adults color is because they like it. It simply brings them pleasure.
Plus, coloring as an adult can invoke nostalgia and take you back to wonderful memories from your own childhood.
Psst! If you also think coloring is fun, be sure to read through to the end, because I have a FREE printable coloring page for you!
#2 – Coloring is calming and relaxing.
It has been proven that tasks with predictable results, such as coloring, knitting, or mowing the lawn, can have a calming and relaxing effect.
Women entrepreneurs and busy moms have so many things going on in their lives that are difficult and unpredictable. Coloring is easy, repetitive, and structured, which gives our brains a rest.
“Coloring has always been something i enjoyed,” says Tamara Wren, founder and Executive Director at Just Us Women Productions “As an adult I still find it fun, so when I learned about adult coloring books I put it on my Christmas list. It’s relaxing, allows me to decompress, and use my creative side. I can feel the stress melt away.”
I asked the members of a facebook coloring group I am a member of why they liked to color and some of them gave multiple reasons, but almost all of them said that it was a way to relax and destress.
#3 – Coloring may help improve focus.
Having trouble concentrating or focusing? Coloring is an excellent way to build those skills.
Kathleen Smith, a women entrepreneur friend of mine, who runs http://www.parentsonthemove.com/ says, “I love the focus that coloring brings. I feel peace that comes from a moment of creativity.”
#4 – Coloring can reduce stress, anxiety, and even inflammation.
According to an article on Colorit.com, “coloring can be beneficial for adults because it has a de-stressing effect. The act of coloring requires repetition and attention to detail, so you are able to focus on the activity, rather than your worries.”
The article goes on to say that, “as you “relax, your brain lowers activity in the amygdala, which is responsible for our fight-or-flight stress response that can lead to inflammation.”
#5 – It is something that can be done with family and friends. And it is a great way to bond with others.
*pictured above: Dream it Do it coloring page by Dawn Nicole Designs; Phil. 4:7 coloring page by www.His-Kingdom-Come.com
When my 8 year old granddaughter comes over, this first thing she asks is, “Can we color?” This just thrills my heart that she wants to spend time with me and, of course, my answer is always, “Sure!” It is interesting to see how different our pages turn out, even when we color the same design. And my granddaughter talks non-stop the entire time, so I get to learn a lot about her and what makes her tick.
“Not only does it calm me, but it calms my kids. There have been countless times precious conversations have occurred with one or both of them while our hands were busy coloring. Something about it seems to lower our defenses and provides a shared experience that fosters intimacy with them.” says Ann Tallent-Stevens, co-owner of blueskiesfinancialcoaching.com
#6 – You can’t mess up!
There is no wrong or right way to color. You get to do it however you want. And even if your page doesn’t turn out as pretty as you would have liked… no harm done. Just throw it away. Because really, it’s more about the process than the outcome.
As a women entrepreneurs, we have to make so many decisions every day, and a couple of bad decisions could totally ruin our day, or even our business. And as moms, we worry about messing up our children’s lives. It’s nice to do something just for fun, knowing that we cannot screw it up.
As a woman, wife, mother, entrepreneur, and all around busy lady – I love to color in a coloring book!! As a child, I loved to color and am so glad it’s “hip” again. The time in the evening is relaxing, creative, and for the love of all things… it may be the only project I can complete all day! Now if I could just bring back naptime! – Carrie Peterson of www.carriepeterson.mymonat.com
#7 – You don’t have to be an artist, or even be the “artsy” type.
Coloring is so easy, even a kid could do it! Oh, right, they do. 🙂
Many adults who do not consider themselves to be “creative” or “artsy” enjoy coloring in adult coloring books, (so long as they don’t fall into the comparison trap, or worry about what others might think, but simply add color to the page in a way that is pleasing to themselves.)
Heidi, a business owner, who loves to color, says, “I’ve never been able to be creative (I can’t draw, sew, knit, etc.) but I can make a reasonably good job of colouring and I find myself improving. I’m proud of what I accomplish!”
If you do happen to be artsy, there are unlimited ways that you can add your own unique creativity to a page, whether it be using different coloring techniques or trying out new supplies to color with, or experimenting with different color schemes.
Plus, if you want to…
there are art techniques that can be learned, whether you consider yourself an artist or not. Until just a couple of years ago, I never considered myself an artist because I have never been good at freehand drawing real-life objects. When I tried to draw a dog, it looked like a cactus, and drawing something like a cowboy hat was so difficult I gave up even trying. But I loved playing with colors and doing crafty projects, so when I went to college I decided to take some art classes. And guess what! I learned that I can learn how to draw, and paint, and create 3-D projects, etc. I also learned that there are a lot of different art styles, and realism (drawing or painting objects that look like they do in real life) is only one style out of hundreds. So, now I focus on using a style that makes my heart smile, and that I’m better at. I still cannot draw a very real-looking dog, but I’m pretty good at creating whimsical patterns full of flowers and butterflies and hearts.
(The pic above is a page from my soon-to-be released Scripture coloring book. Get a sneak peed HERE!)
#8 – Coloring is cheaper than a vacation.
I do believe we all need vacations and extended time away from our daily routines. However, coloring can be a great way to have a little mini-vacation every week, or even every day, while getting many of the same benefits you get from a vacation, but at only a fraction of the cost.
Coloring can work for women on any budget, from small to large. Or even if you have no budget for hobbies or vacations. All you have to do to get started is do a search online for “free coloring pages for adults,” find some you like, download them and print them out. Then use whatever supplies you already have in your house (crayons, colored pencils, markers, gel pens, watercolors, etc.) to color them.
If you have a small budget, here are a few items I would recommend to start out with: a basic set of colored pencils and a good pencil sharpener, or a set of Crayola Twistables colored pencils, (NOT twistables crayons). (I use my Crayola Twistables all the time. I love that they never need sharpened and therefore they are great for traveling.)
If you prefer to use markers, a lot of people like to use Sharpie Markers, because they are easily accessible and come in a wide range of colors. When I am coloring with my granddaughter, we use CraZart washable markers (because she gets colors all over her hands.)
If you’d like to try watercolors in your coloring books, I recommend the ADORNit Art Play Coloring Books (like the one pictured in the image at the top of this post.) They are made with very thick, high quality watercolor paper, which also works great with markers and watercolor pencils.
#9 – Coloring is a portable hobby.
Coloring is something you can do at home AND on vacation because a coloring book and a few colored pencils or markers don’t take up much space.
In fact, coloring can be a great way to pass the time on long flights, whether it be for business or vacation or relocation. Kathleen Smith of parentsonthemove.com, who serves families transitioning from one culture to another, recommends coloring to her families on long haul flights.
It is also easy to take a coloring book and supplies with you whenever you know you are going to have some waiting time, like going to the doctor, waiting for your child to get out of soccer practice, or waiting for a client who is notoriously late.
#10 – Coloring is a great way to unplug.
I’ll be the first to admit, I luv, luv, luv my iPhone and my MacBook, and could not operate my business without them. They also makes me more efficient in my personal life. (For instance, now I never forget my grocery list when I go to the grocery store because it is on my phone.) However, the downside is that it is easy to become addicted to our phones, computers, tablets, etc. And not only do our relationships suffer, but our minds suffer as well.
According to Nielsen’s Total Audience Report, Americans aged 18 and older spend more than 11 hours a day watching TV, listening to the radio or using smartphones and other electronic devices. ELEVEN HOURS A DAY!
Kelly Thorne Gore of iBloom*, posted a great article on The Unexpected Place I Was Wasting Hours Every Day. In it she reveals that, after doing a time audit, she found out she was spending 26% of her awake time on her smartphone. She challenged us to do our own time audits, and let me just say, it was quite eye-opening for many of us. Kelly discusses some of the changes she is making to help her unplug, become more focused and less distracted.
Kelly says, “Of course there are so many benefits to social media and email. I LOVE being able to connect and pray for people all over the world, but I don’t want those tools to consume my life. I don’t want to be so distracted that I’m missing out on the things and people that are most important.”
*iBloom is a company that is revolutionizing the way women do business and live life. Their goal is to infuse your life and business with hope, encouragement, community, and the tools you need to be successful in business and live a life you love!
BONUS: It’s a fun and inexpensive way to decorate your home.
Put your completed coloring page from your adult coloring book in a cute frame from the dollar store and wa-la! Instant home decor!
There’s a whole extra set of benefits for Christians who color pages that include a Bible verse or inspirational quote. I started to include them here, but this post is getting kinda long, so you’ll have to wait till my next post to read about them.
Want to try your hand at coloring?
Here’s a free coloring page for adults for you.
Just click on the image below to download it.
I’d love to see your completed page. If you’d like to share it with me, post it on Instagram or Facebook and tag me (@jodittw) and use #jodittdesigns.
What are your thoughts? Have you tried coloring in coloring books for adults? Do you like it, love it, or hate it? What benefits do you get from coloring? What kind of coloring books do you like? Do you like to use colored pencils or markers? Any tips for someone just starting out? Click below to leave your comment. I’d love to hear your take on coloring for adults.
*This post may contain affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but it helps support the site and keep my freebies FREE! See my full disclosures here. Thanks for your support!
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I got my mom one of those for Mother’s Day and she loves it! She says it’s a great way for her to relax and de-stress =) Found you through waiting on wednesday.
Blessings,
Edye | http://gracefulcoffee.wordpress.com
Hello, I love your website of coloring information. I am not an artist, so I color in my illustrated bibles. I also love your freebie of printables-but unable to print due to printer not working. Thankyou!