What used to be one of children’s favorite ways to pass the time has become a way of life for adults as well. I am talking about adult coloring books, of course! Grown-ups of varied nationalities, ages and professions are proudly declaring their love for coloring on social media and in real life. Let’s take a look at what this trend is all about.
What is an adult coloring book? Is it a coloring book with mature themes?
Despite its misleading name, an adult coloring book is simply a coloring book specifically made for adults instead of children. Some popular themes are intricate mandalas, abstract designs, nature, and my favorite – cartoons. The basic aim of these books is to entertain and de-stress. And no, they aren’t just a recent fad. These books first became popular in 1962 and the trend recently reemerged in 2013. Back then, the books were of a political nature. Today, they are available in all kinds of themes. Here’s why you should start coloring again.
It lets you reconnect with your inner child
As we grow older, we tend to lose the unbridled creativity we had as kids. ACB help you get some of it back. Dentist Humerah Inamdar talks about how coloring helped her embrace her inner child:
My son started coloring at the age of three. Seeing his enthusiasm made me want to color too. This was back when adult coloring books had just started to become popular. I ordered an ACB online and was hooked the second I started to color in. I could not connect better with my son as we bonded over our shared love of colorful wax crayons and pretty pictures. But that’s not the best. When I color, I don’t think of anything else. My mind is completely at peace, focusing just on the picture in front of me.
It is therapeutic
In hard times like ours, we need to find something that soothes us. Therapy, although effective, isn’t for everyone. That’s where ACB comes in. Writer Vandana Arora shares her experience:
Calm coloring is quite therapeutic. It soothes the raging mind, irons out the stress of the heart and carries our soul to heavenly dimensions. The beautiful tapestry of vibrant colors that we weave brightens and enlivens our otherwise dreary life. It is a serene mode of digital detoxification too. I feel rejuvenated whenever I immerse myself into the world of colors. I feel the gray areas of my life being cleansed with vigor. The calm coloring allows me to Introspect, retrospect, and evolve.
It builds patience
You are not going to feel any better or different the second you begin coloring. Just like any therapy, you need to give it time. For research purposes, I spent an hour every day of the last week coloring in a Game of Thrones book gifted by my sister. To my dismay, it was no fun. It was quite tedious actually! But after 2 days of boredom, I switched up my coloring materials–color pencils to sketch pens–and stopped fixating on making everything perfect and pretty. I mixed shades, colored outside the lines, pretty much made my own rules. Almost instantly, it became something I looked forward to for the remaining five days. I could now do it without any distractions for a couple of hours and actually enjoyed it.
No matter how busy you are, you can take out a few minutes to improve your mental health in what is probably the most creative way. From the classics (Harry Potter and Alice In Wonderland) to the contemporary (snark and feminism), science fiction (zombies and dystopia) to fantasy (mermaids and unicorns), the variety is only increasing. The verdict? Adult coloring books actually live up to the hype. Try it for yourself! You can download free pages online, or purchase a copy from online stores like Amazon India. If you’d rather buy offline, head to any stationery store of your choice. Either way, just pick a theme you are passionate about and get started.
Adult colouring books literally saved my life. When I am colouring, I am in my own world and my anxiety leaves me alone. It’s pure bliss to get lost this way.