Adult Coloring Books
Hello everyone!
I have found that using adult coloring books has really helped with my anxiety becasue it keeps my hands busy. Has anyone else been able to find help using these?
@Rocketgirl16 I have been using adult colouring books for around 2 years now! i find them very helpful for relaxing and taking time out for myself, especially when i was unwell with depression and anxiety!
Which colouring books have you tried?
Grace X
@Gracey I've used a bunch of different ones. Disney princesses, dogs, mandalas, weddings, hair, swear words, tattoos, quilt patterns, marvel comics, fairies, hearts, different cultures, faces. It just really depends on what I'm interested in at the time. I started about a year ago and my boyfriend was the one who got me hooked on them becasue we went on a lot of bookstore dates and that's where I discovered them. I bought my first one and that's when my obsession started. It really helps when I have my headphones in and I have music playing. It's like an instant calming sensation.
@Rocketgirl16 they all sound like great ones! It's really good that you have found something that can help you to relx and unwind when you need to.
Do you prefer to use pencils/pens or both?
Grace X
Yes I love them! I find they are erally good and relaxing, however even though it keeps my hands busy my mind is still racing, I often love colouring in with music then i can really go in my own world :)
@Happygoats I do the same thing! It's funny because sometimes I do it when the tv is on and my boyfriend doesn't think I'm paying attention when in reality it helps with my restlessness
@Rocketgirl16 Ahh yes! Sometimes I do when I'm around other people so I feel sociable without having to talk, or focus too much on people, haha! It's also great to chill out by myself! However I have favourite colours and those pencils are a lot shorter than the others, it's really annoying haha!
@Happygoats I totally feel you there! It gets annoying fast when your favorite colors dry out or get shorter faster than normal! It gets expensive fast! I use prismacolor markers and colored pencils for my thicker paged books and crayola markers and pencils for my thinner paged.
@Rocketgirl16
@Rocketgirl16 Ooh that sounds lovely! I have a budget
@Happygoats anything works really! I need to start budgeting myself because it's getting out of hand. I actually want to take my books apart and put the ones I haven't colored in a binder so I can just pull from it depending on my mood
I have wanted to try this for awhile to see if it is something that could help me - Maybe I will now!
@TranquilSkye30 you really should! It's really relaxing and seeing the finished product is amazing! I wish I could post some of mine to show you.
They don't help me personally because I can't color so I get frustrated. But I've noticed that's it's helped lots of other people.
Has anyone else tried grayscale coloring books? I am really enjoying them, especially Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Nature, both by Nicole Stocker. I find good colored pencils work best for me in these types of books 
I have a lot of the "regular" adult coloring books, as well, and enjoy all kinds of coloring tools...but for grayscale, I think pencils work best, personally.
@FrenchMarbles @Mokie @Gracey
I too quite enjoy colouring in these colouring books! I've got quite a number of them already, and find it hard to choose sometimes which one to work in. 
When you colour, what do you use? Crayons, markers. coloured pencils? I right now have a certain one I use markers, and all the rest I only use the pencils...but curious to hear what others use.
I love the Joanna bresford fine line pens, I have the pencils to but like the vibrancy of the pens. Though I wish I could think of a way of using what I colour in my card marking as otherwise it feels little time wasting...
@amicableFan5430 That's a really cool idea!! I love card making myself, I've never thought about that...but now I'll look for stuff I can maybe use for my cards as well.
I don't find colouring to be a waste of time though...because I do find it relaxing and helpful for distraction when I need it too. So although the finished product isn't for anything...for myself, the process is often what I find most useful.
@amicableFan5430 I use my colouring pages as background papers for my cards, here are some examples:
This last one I watercoloured, hand foiled the lettering and put it in a hand painted frame as a gift for my counsellor, I don't have a final pic but this gives you the idea:
Hope that helps, i'd love to see some that you make :D
What lovely and creative work you do !!!!
@LifeIsMyCanvas
@LifeIsMyCanvas those are incredible!! And what a creative way to use your work to spread some love around! I love this idea, and may use it in the future when I'm finished colouring a picture. 
@LifeIsMyCanvas, these are all fabulous! I haven't really made cards lately, but I have been doing some art journaling. My pages would do nicely there. Thanks for the great idea. :)
@LifeIsMyCanvas I just come across this thread once again, still not made any with colouring pages but this has inspired me to give it a go. Maybe a nice me time activity for the weekend. <3 Are you still doing it?
@amicableFan5430 I'm always making cards! I've not coloured much in colouring books. I might do some today as you have given me the idea :D
@LifeIsMyCanvas Those are amazing! Great ideas, I use mine too, I cut them out and glue them to card.
Listening - One Step At A Time!
I love using adult colouring books!
Since I can't draw or paint, I have always been someone who loves to color. When these adult coloring books came out, I went ga-ga and bought a stack.
@Rocketgirl16 I adore adult coloring books! My mom and I each have 2 of our very own. She also bought me a gel pen set that has 125 different colors. Some are even shiny or sparkly. I find that it's really calming and soothing to just sit there and fill in the different patterns in any way I please.
@Behindhazeleyes I agree, I too find it relaxing to just sit and spend time colouring in them.
Yeah, adult coloring books are so much fun. I've always loved coloring.
@neatBalloon7178 me too! I haven't been using my colouring books lately though I think it's time to pull them out and get colouring again though!
