How many people are into this "fad"? What are your favorite things to color? Or color with? I added a "doodle" section to my happy planner, and printed out some pages I found free online. Haven't found pens I totally love to color with yet, other than my 99cent store gel pens. Funnily enough... coloring with toddlers is NOT relaxing. I just get irritated that they want to color on MY paper, or take MY pens, or interrupt my "zone", so it is definitely something I have to do on my "down time" (who has a whole bunch of that laying around?!?). But I do like it.
I really like it but can never find the time for it. I bought one of those gorgeous adult coloring books at Target and worked really hard on a page and loved how it turned out. I just use colored pencils. It's something that me and my kids do together because they love to color too. At first it drove me crazy that kids were always taking my pencils because i need them to be sharp but i just bought a pencil sharpener. Of course, it doesn't matter now because I haven't found time for it in months and I think my smallest 2 took over my coloring book, which we can all guess what it looks like now LOL.
My 2 older girls are really into it. I think if I had a little more free time I would love it. Maybe I should get myself a book and color with my little ones.
Not me. Maybe once upon a time, but right now my "free" time is taken up with scrapping. I have friends who just love it - makes them slow down and breathe.
Back before it was a thing... I always colored. I have a big stash of Hello Kitty coloring books. I've always found it relaxing. About 25 years ago (man, that makes me feel old), my ex-boyfriend asked me why I bought Jessica such a big box of crayons when she was a toddler. I told him that I always loved to color, and when we were little, we were so poor, we could never buy crayons to have at home. Our next date, he bought me the biggest box of crayons he could find. Total "awwww...." moment. I am picky about my adult coloring books. I love the ones by Johanna Basford. I use colored pencils with those, but find it way more relaxing to use crayons in my Hello Kitty books.
I just sent my daughter one along with all my water color pens that I'm no longer using. She has a really stressful job, so I thought it would be a good way for her to unwind. I don't think she knew about the new fad though, as she didn't quite know what to make of it! Hopefully, she'll give it a shot. She's super creative but just doesn't get much down time these days.
I can, indeed, imagine My two are toddlers... Kaydee is just now understanding that the lines are there as a "boundary....sort of" so adult coloring? far too precise for her, and Rory doesn't have a clue how to control his writing utensil yet. lol. Tip - try not to get something highly involved like adult coloring if doing it with littles. Maybe as Kimberlee suggested, a regular coloring book would be better! That is the idea! I have been scrapping more than coloring, too. hahahah! me either... but I still like the idea! sweet boyfriend move... Maybe that is the key.... regular coloring book that I am not as invested in. And, I will admit that I have a box of 120 crayons that I Mommy-jacked from Christmas... like 2014, I think... still not even opened! I feel her pain! lol. The struggle is real!
This is on my to do list. I love colouring in so know that I would love it. Just a case of squeezing it in somewhere ha!
I found many free ones online, as I mentioned. I went to Pinterest first. I also keep saying I could make my own with my tangles/zentangle drawings, but I haven't done those in awhile either. My poor sketch pad and art journal book have been sitting untouched for months.
I'm totally into it! I even have a scheduled day and time to enjoy coloring with other grown-ups once per week. I usually color after my kids go to bed.
I just saw an ad/email newsletter for Michael's that said they were adding an adult coloring night onto their schedule. I have noted to check out if the stores near me are doing it at a time that works. I should find coloring friends!
The only coloring I've done is with my toddler. I don't think I'd spend the time on an adult coloring book, but I secretly enjoy coloring in Daniel Tiger. I just have to accept added scribbles. Nothing worth keeping, so it is freeing to just color on the page.
Here's an interesting site I found last week that has a good review of markers to us. I have my first coloring book, but like so many of you, haven't found time yet or would rather scrap. http://diycandy.com/2015/08/coloring-for-adults-101-your-complete-guide/
I don't, but my 95 year old grandmother does. She has always been crafty... she did ceramics for years, but had to give it up about 10 years ago. She was really lost for a while until my mom bought an adult coloring book for her on a whim about a year ago. She LOVED it and colors ("paints", as she calls it) for hours at a time in her old ceramics studio. It is so calming for her and gives her purpose. She loves to show people her art and give out her "paintings".
I have copic markers and need to get back into exploring with them... I also have water color pencils from England that Kate Hadfield told me about... so I have these things and rarely use them.. I need to get on the ball!
I need to get to this mind set. I'm sure it would help me enjoy it more! I will definitely check out this article/post. THANK YOU. I've read many articles about pens, pencils, markers, etc.... and then purchased a few of each of the different brands to try. That is so sweet! I wonder if my 80yr old grandmother would give it a try... lol I do have water color pencils, not expert level or anything. But I need a pencil sharpener, because I hate when they get dull. I've only ever colored with them once or twice. This may be part of my problem with crayons too. The ends get duller than I like to color with... and I don't like sharpening. I also own one or two different colors of copic markers.... don't really care for them, because I think you probably need to have many of them to play with blending, and I haven't spent the money on them. I don't think I'd use them for adult coloring, because I'm not looking to sell my art or anything. I'm just looking for something I enjoy coloring with. So far, I enjoy the way the ink comes from the gel pens best. But then some of them bleed, or take too long to dry, or... I find a million reasons. The copic markers do bleed through my papers, too.
Re the dull crayons & pencils... Yup that is me to a T!!! I like the Copic ... I have about 100 or more... Bought them over 3 yrs ago when I was making a lot of $$ doing overtime! I really need to use them more
I never have done this. But when my daughter's husband left for basic training she picked up a couple books for herself and would go into her room and quietly color.
I hope you have a store nearby that will just re-fill your copic for you for a fraction of the cost of a new one? I used to work at the local scrapbook store (before it closed its doors boo hoo) and we sold them, a lot of them! So we invested in the re-fill system for our customers
