Have You Tried Coloring Books for Adults?

This can become a favorite pastime for you, too. Taking time to relax has been something toverlooked throughout my lifetime...I readily admit. However for self-preservation I have learned to let go of the ''must-do's" and take time for activities that take me away from it all...so to speak.

Taking time to write on HubPages is cathartic for me as most of what I write about is the journey my family is taking with illness.Writing gives me a way to sort through feelings and come to terms with issues in a way that I might not be able to do otherwise. And while it does take me away from all for a bit it is sometimes daunting and overwhelming. So I found other ways to truly get away.

One way is through knitting...yes I have learned to knit in the past year. One day maybe one of my hubs will show some of the items I have knitted. Nothing fancy at this point.

The one activity that I engage in when I am not otherwise occupied (and aren't there a million things always waiting to be done?) is coloring in adult coloring books. Now I want to call them my 'I am almost an adult coloring book.' I have always enjoyed coloring books...not blessed with natural talent to draw or paint I can express myself this way.

For me there are no rules....I do not think that I am bound by any particular color...if I want a green moon or a purple sun...well that is how I color. It is fun and relaxing and satisfying when I am done.

One person who commented on this article said she has a book but does not get around to it to often as some of the pictures are so detailed...thank you Laura Smith for saying that so I can add this suggestion.

As Laura stated some of the books are so detailed that trying to color them becomes anything but relaxing...it becomes laborious and tedious. It is a good idea to carefully go through the coloring book and decide if you wish to select one that is filled with a plethora of tiny tiny designs. If not select one that has larger spaces but still will offer opportunities to express your need to create colorful works.

A rolling storage unit I have that is left over from my teaching days has come in really handy. It is the home for many of my colored pencils.. The pencils are sorted by color and similar color which makes it easy for me to locate just the one I would like to use at a particular time.

Funny thing is I had almost sold it at a yard sale...how glad I am that I did not.

There are so many coloring books available in a variety of price ranges. I have some at all ends of the price scale...it is my one luxury. There are also adult pages on line that you can print.

https://www.art-is-fun.com/free-adult-coloring-pages/

The link above is one of many that you can check out.

When I first began this new endeavor, I only had a few colored pencils most of them Crayola. As time progressed I decided to give watercolor colored pencils a try. I like them because I like the way they actually allow the color to flow nicely onto the page. Now most of my pencils are watercolor type.

Having mentioned these before I just want to say that these are my favorite. There is something so lovely about the way the color flows onto the paper when I use them. It is almost effortless as if the pencil is doing all the work. I do not really have to work at it to get the desired effect.

The cool thing about these is that many come with a brush. If you wish to actually turn them color into a fluid you just dip the brush in water and apply it to the colored area.

You might want to give these a try.

From time to time I do use markers...I have used the ones with a brush and they are okay but not really my preference. As a matter of fact I gave mine to a friend's granddaughter.

When I do use a marker I prefer a fine tip. However I found the marker shown at the top of the container in a set of five...it has a fine tip on one end and a larger tip on the other. I really like using these from time to time especially the fine tip when I wish to highlight an area.

There are many adult coloring books available on the market. You can purchase them on Amazon.com and many other outlets on line.

You can also find them at Target, Walmart, CVS, and even Dollar General.

Prices vary from very inexpensive to expensive. I found that a moderate price gives you a nice quality paper that does not bleed through to the back if you use a marker. Unfortunately a cheap paper just does not give a nice result when you finish.

I have framed some and plan to frame more in the future. I also modge podged some onto a tray and gave as a gift for transporting food to and from the dinner table.

Lucky me I found calendars with adult coloring pages ( I have added a few pages to this hub for you to see).

There are even journal type books that can be purchased for you or to give as gifts. The sky's the limit.

• Everything.
• No rules
• Your imagination calls the shots
• Not costly
• Requires little prep or clean up time
• Takes you away from everything for a bit