When I began teaching art decades ago, coloring books were forbidden as stifling creativity. Fast forward to find that times have reversed 180 degrees. What’s not to love about a quick, easy, non-judgmental, innocent, creative outlet of putting a color on a page? Rather than stifling creativity, coloring is a way for anyone, regardless of their perceived dose of talent to become engaged with art. Who know where that might lead?
Or lives are busy, so we seek spans of time to relax and recharge. Working in coloring books is similar to knitting in that it is productive while shutting out the static of daily life. It’s nostalgic and brings back uncomplicated days of being able to focus on a clear-cut, assigned task.
For people of all ages, coloring has become not only socially acceptable, but a way to link up with kindred souls. It offers a chance to explore easily accessible, hassle-free, convenient coloring media such as colored pencils, water soluble pencils, and markers. Coloring invites us to work with determination, without having to sign up for a class or spend time, only to create a disappointing finished product. It can be done in starts and stops, is easily transportable, lightweight, and can fulfill the desire to be surrounded by beauty and vibrant color.
Coloring books are all the rage, and you can find an array of gems highlighting some of my favorite paintings and preview them at bobbin-olive.com on the Coloring Books page. Get going today and perhaps discover an enchanting pastime bringing all the colors of the spectrum into your life. Remember, once you open yourself to art you’ll never see the world quite the same way again.
Coloring books varying degrees of sophistication are available.
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