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TableofContents

Introduction...............................................................5

TheTherapeuticBenefitsofColoring.............10

TheSuppliesYouNeedtoBeginColoring.....18

ColoringMediums:TheAdvantagesand

DisadvantagesofEach..........................................23

HowDoIColor?TipsandTechniques............37

RecommendationsforColoringBooks...........44

IdeasofWhattodowithYourColoredPages

......................................................................................55

Conclusion................................................................63

5

Introduction

There issomethingmissing inmanyadults’ lives

today. A sense of contentment, perhaps, or else

just that “me time” where they can just do

somethingthat theywant torelax,recharge,and

enjoy themselves.Andwhile fadsmaycomeand

gothatclaimtohelpadultsfindthatsweetplace

wheretheycanletitallgo,thereisasolutionthat

has been around for a long time—longer than

anyonemayrealize—andthatiscoloring.

Adult coloring books are not your kid’s coloring

books.Theyareinterestingandapproachtheart

form inanentirelydifferentway thanwhatkids

have to work with. In fact, we’d venture to say

that adults are more fortunate! The coloring

books that we have access to are ones that can

helpreconnectustoalessstressfulperiodinour

life; grounding us for just a while so we

remember who we once were. And when that

happens,magichappens.

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Our imaginations are often underutilized. Many

professions that provide our livelihoods don’t

allow us to express our creative side. Then that

part of us becomes stifled and before long, we

forget itexistsanditgoesona longtermhiatus.

Then it happens—the spark of inspiration that

allows us to open our eyes again. We begin to

look at the images before us—black lines on a

white paper and start to fill in the open spaces

with the vibrant colors of our minds, using our

favoritemedium to create the imagewe long to

see. Maybe it is colored pencils, perhaps it is

markers, or it could even be pastels or crayons.

The medium doesn’t matter as much as the

processthatyouareabouttodiveinto.

Oneofthemostcommonthingsthatadultsshare

after they experience the joys of coloring once

again is, “I cannotbelievehowrelaxed Ibecame

and how quickly time passed.”We also here, “It

was somuch fun!Mykidswereeven fascinated,

watching me go. My daughter said, ‘Mommy,

you’re a good at coloring.’” These are just two

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samplesofthingsthatwecanallagreewouldadd

valuetoourlives.

In thisbook,wearegoingto tap intoeverything

thatmakesthe funactivityofbringingthepages

of coloring books alive. They’ve been around

since the1880s.Didyouknow that?Andbefore

that,peoplewouldjustcolorindividualpages,but

it was an activity that everyone enjoyed—

althoughsomepeopledidsoinprivate,feelingit

was“kid’sstuff”.Well,sorrykids,butit’stimefor

adults to reclaim some fun and bring out their

innerchildagain.

We are going to touch bases on many different

reasons that coloring is a good thing for every

adult to consider—male or female does not

matter.Thisisforeveryone!Greatinformationon

thetherapeuticbenefitsofcoloringwillbeshared

with you, along with the types of supplies you

need, the coloringmediums thatmaywork best

foryouandtheadvantagesand/ordisadvantages

ofeachone, thebasicsofcoloringsoyoucan let

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goofthose“technicaldetails”youperhapsareso

usedtoand finallyrelax,diving into thecreative

process with a smile on your face and a more

relaxed self (which is the golden bonus). We’ll

giveyousometipsand techniques thathelpyou

to create more complex pictures with shading

and variances, should you want to create that

typeof image. Informationon themany typesof

adult coloring books that are out there will be

sharedwithyou—andwow,willyoubesurprised

attheoptionsthatareoutthere, fromthefunto

the silly, to the beautiful and themajestic—and

then everything in between. And last, but

definitely not least, there is a fantastic section

devoted to themany creativeways that you can

use your colored pages. That is right, they don’t

justhavetositinabookandbeforgotten,likethe

tragic stories of many artists’ works until after

theirdeath;theycanbecomeaclever,craftypart

of who you are. If you are going to make your

mark,makeitwithcoloring!

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Be prepared to allow your adult mind to

submerse itself in the joyful experience of

coloring. That child still exists inside of you. By

taking care of your needs you will begin to

nurtureastrongerbodyandwarmerheart.Less

stress and chaos always leads to a more open

mind and greater clarity—sometimes despite

ourselves. And youmay not realize it quite yet,

but every humandoes have this inner creativity

that can be unleashed when they allow

themselves to really explore the world of adult

coloring.

It’stimetoenjoy!

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TheTherapeuticBenefitsofColoring

“Ineedtherapy.”Howmanyadultshaveeversaid

that, perhaps in jest or perhaps with a bit of a

serious undertone, or even just thought that

statement? Those are not the three words that

mostofuslongtofeelorhear!Formostofus,we

are in our own man-made rut because we are

suddenlycaughtoffguard,realizingthatwearea

bit“outofcontrol”.Mostofitboilsdowntoissues

suchasthese:

• Stress

• Toomanyactivitiesandnotenoughtime

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• Notplacingvalueonourneed fordowntime;

and,

• Forgettingthatlifeismeanttobeenjoyedand

participated in, not just walked through like

we’reon“automatonmode”.

Our liveshave stress.Denying thiswill keep the

stress present, if not stronger. By accepting that

we have stress we can move onto solutions,

whichiswheretheblisswithinuscanshine.We

shouldallwanttobethemostthatwecanbefor

our families and friends, of course, but also for

ourselves!Intheswirlingliveswelead,it isnow

essentialtofindthetypesofcreativeoutletsthat

willhelpuseliminatestresswhileenhancingour

life in some way, whether it be emotional or

stimulating.

According to Adobe Data (April 2012 release),

75%ofpeoplethinktheyarenotlivinguptotheir

creativepotential.Wemaynotallbeabletowork

inacreativefieldtofulfillourcreativepotential;

however,wecanalldosomethinginourfreetime

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tobringitoutandwatchtheamazingresultsthat

happen as a result. Less stress.More happiness.

Me time. Who wouldn’t say yes to those three

things?

Asdaysturntomonths,thenyearsandeventually

decades,manyofuscontinuetogrowbusierand

asaresult,wearebecominglessconnectedwith

our emotional needs. This can wear a person

down and if they don’t take action, trouble can

grow.Nottakingcareofourselvesleadstomental

duress, physical illnesses, and general

discontentmentinlife.Itisnotjustforthesakeof

you reading this that we are sharing it: adult

coloringhasprovenresultsinhelpingadultstake

the downtime they need to be better for

themselves,whichmeanstheyarebetterintheir

jobsandintheirpersonallives,too.

It was early in the 20th Century when the link

betweencoloringandpositiveemotionaltherapy

foradultswasfirst introduced.Sincethattimeit

has taken off slowly, but for those who have

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understood the correlation it has been very

helpful—andtherapeutic!

Whenitcomestocoloringasaformoftherapyit

provesthatitoffersstressreliefandallowsusto

usebothsidesofourbrain.Therightsideof the

brain is used for themore academic and logical

functions.Theleftsideofourbrainisusedforthe

creativity and intuition. Together, both sides of

ourbrain—whenusedas they shouldbe—make

fora fantastic teamthatwillhelpusachieve the

most out of life from all aspects (the spiritual,

emotional, physical). According to psychologist

GloriaMartínezAyala, “The action involves both

logic, by which we color forms, and creativity,

when mixing and matching colors. This

incorporates the areas of the cerebral cortex

involved in vision and fine motor skills

[coordination necessary to make small, precise

movements]. The relaxation that it provides

lowerstheactivityoftheamygdala,abasicpartof

ourbrain involved incontrollingemotion that is

affectedbystress.”

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Admit it, you didn’t think that learning about

adultcoloringwouldgiveyouallthosebenefitsas

well, did you? It’s so wonderful to think about,

butwhenyouexperience it, it becomes real and

every thought and emotion you have really can

burst into thismoment of awarenesswhere life

slowsdown,yourelax,andyouexperiencegreat

things from your creative self. It’s also been

suggestedthatcoloringisanamazingwaytotap

into the joyfulness of our youth and to extract

thosepartsofourmemoriesthatarespecialtous,

bringingthemintothepresent.

The most common approaches that adults take

for therapy and achieving a more mindful state

areusually “spastyle” therapiesandexercise.Of

course, these are wonderful choices, but many

peoplecan’taffordtogotoaspadailytogettheir

fixoftherapysotheyfeelattheirbest.Exerciseis

alwaysafantasticthing,butifyoudon’tgetyour

exerciseinyouareleftwithnothing.Whenlifeis

busyandwearetiredbytheendoftheday,very

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few of us are motivated to go and exercise.We

justwanttositandrelax.Thisistheexactreason

that you shouldhave coloring inyourarsenalof

self-caresolutions.

Unlike many therapeutic solutions to life’s

challenges, coloring is one that you can do

anywhere.Itdoesn’tmatterifyou’retired,ifyou

are on a tight budget, or where you are. Rainy

daysoutsidecanleadtoanurturedcreativespirit

inside.Formany,itmayseemunusualtofocuson

the affordability aspect of therapy, but it is

important,andhere’swhy:affordabilityhasmore

emotionalvaluethanyoumayhaveeverrealized

because financial stress is one of the largest

stressors that adults have. It can consume them

and break down their joy, sabotage their

relationships,andforcethemtobeanywherebut

in the moment they are in. Any chance to stop

worryingaboutthepresentandthefuture,ifeven

for just an hour, is an excellent opportunity to

take. Don’t let it pass you by. Put that coloring

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book where you can see it when you pass by

certainareasofyourhome.Itissoliberating!

Throughcoloring,whetheryouareabeginneror

ontoadvancedadultcoloring,youwillrecognize

yourabilitytoreconnectwithyourchildhoodand

all the magical ways you found to escape when

youwereyoung.Suddenlyyourememberwhatis

important in life—and it’s not getting that dust

bunnyoutfromunderyourcouch.Atleastnotat

thatmoment.

Removingourselvesfromouradultmindsisquite

powerful. When we are in our “achievement

zone” we often focus on what must be done,

thoughtsofthepast,andconcernsforthedayand

thefuture.Itisquiteoverwhelming.Byspending

qualitytimethathasanemphasisonenjoyingthe

serenitythatcanexistinyourlife—regardlessof

yoursituations—isnecessary.Noonecango full

throttle all of the time. And please, don’t let

yourself just collapse one day, frustrated and

exhausted.Beproactiveandtaketheinitiativeto

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dosomethingforyou—somethingthatcelebrates

theadultyouareandthechildyouwere.

Once you take care of your internal well-being,

youaregoingtofindbalanceandclarity.Youmay

not even fully recognize that it is missing right

now,butonceyouhave it, you’ll be able to look

backandsay,“Thatwasonceme.Notanylonger.”

Our best solutions can often be simple.

Rememberthat.StephaneRollandpenneditwell:

“Icontinuetobedrawntoclarityandsimplicity.

‘Lessismore’remainsmymantra.”Areyouready

togetthemostoutofthesimplepleasuresoflife?

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TheSuppliesYouNeedtoBeginColoring

It’s time to begin organizing your adult coloring

gameplan.Youaresettodevotesome

time to yourself and have some fun. So…what

comesnext?It’stimetogetthesupplies!

Thespecificthingsthatyoumusthavearesimple:

• Afewcoloringbooksthatinterestyou

• Themediumsthatyouwishtocolorwith

• Aplacewhereyoucanactuallydotheactivity

Let us start with the coloring books that will

interest you. In order to determine which

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coloring books are of interest to you take some

time to look around, either online or even at a

store.Today,youcanfindadultcoloringbooksat

alotofstores,becausetheyareanitemthatsells

and people are more interested in than ever

before. The considerations to make when

choosing coloring books to begin your creative

adventure are few, because they are guided by

yourgenuineinterestsandwhatappealstoyou.

First, you’ll want to figure out what appeals to

you.Thereisawidevarietyofoptionstochoose

from, including animals, designs, adventures,

landscapes, and even some fun choices that are

adultbased in theme,bringingyou somegiggles

andamuchneededrelease.

Next, you will want to evaluate what you may

wanttouseyourcoloredpicturesfor.Remember,

thereisnoneedforthemtojustsitinabookand

notbeusedatallafter theyaredone.There isa

great section in this book titled IdeasofWhatto

DowithYourColoredPictures, thatwill help you

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piece together some fantastic ideas. If you

perhaps feel a bit hesitant about that or are

thinking there is no way you would ever share

what you created in any capacity, you may not

feelthatwayforlong.Becauseyouareyourown

worstcriticandthereare incrediblewaystouse

your heartfelt artwork that are resourceful,

inspiring,andthoughtful.

Andlastly,whenchoosingcoloringbooksdon’tbe

afraid to go for something that you can learn

from,aswell.Athirstforknowledgeaboutthings

that interest us simply because we do is quite

natural to the human spirit. For example, if you

have always wanted to learn more about

butterflies, choose a butterfly coloring book and

make it an interactive experience. Learn about

the varieties of butterflies that exist and create

your own versions of themon the pages or else

workwith your favoritemedium to recreate the

eloquence of a butterfly that already exists in

nature.Theentirecoloringexperienceisdevoted

toyourpersonalfulfillment.

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When it comes to themediums thatyouwish to

use for coloring the options are expansive. You

can use crayons, colored pencils, paints, magic

markers, pastels, or any other medium you can

think of that might make the experience more

fun. For your reference and to see where your

interests lie, look over the section of this book

titled Coloring Mediums: The Advantages and

DisadvantagesofEach.Inhereyouwillfindoutall

about the nuances of all these wonderful

mediums and one may resonate with you more

thantheothers.Theeasiestmediumtostartwith,

asagreeduponbymanyadults,iseithercrayons

or colored pencils. These are the two mediums

thatmostofusare familiarwithand likelyhave

around the house—especially if you have

children.

The last consideration you will want to explore

when you begin to color is where you want to

color,exactly.Theonlylimitationsarewhatyour

mindsetsforyou.Someofthemorecleverways

thatadultshavetakenadvantageofcoloringare:

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onairplaneswhentheyaretravelingforbusiness;

sittingoutside surroundedby the soundsof life;

inacozy,warmspotsuchas theirbedoronthe

couch(withalapdesk);andeveninaparkorby

ascenicviewthatyoureallyenjoy.

Take a few minutes to look around you and

evaluatewhereyoufeelyouwillreceivethebest

experience. Keep your comfort inmind, aswell,

and also your posture. The idea is to be relaxed

whenyouaredone,notrealizingthatyourbackis

stiff or your eyes strained. If that seems

farfetchedtoyou, it is likelybecauseyouareyet

to realize how addictive and delightful coloring

canbe. It takes you away.And if you remember

the famous, “Calgon, takemeaway” lineyoucan

gain a sense of the type of powerful, impactful

escape that awaits you in the coloring book you

choosetocreatein.Onceyouhavethebasics,itis

timetogetalittlemoredetailedinyourthoughts.

Thisiswhatcomesnext!

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ColoringMediums:TheAdvantagesandDisadvantagesofEach

Youare about to receiveamini education in art

mediums thatwillmake you themaster of your

coloringdomain.Rememberthe3Es,whichare:

experiment,explore,experience.Withthesethree

principles guiding you, you can find a style and

techniquethatisuniquelyyouandinmanyways,

acreative imprintofhowyouvisualize things in

your tranquil serene world where everything is

focused on giving you the therapy and reprieve

that you require to return to your best possible

selforkeepyourbestpossibleselfflourishing.

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Crayons

Thereareliterallyhundredsofcolorsofcrayons,

whichmakes them an excellent medium to use,

particularly if you are drawn to diverse colors

and busy patterns that have room for lots of

details.Youcangetcolorsinskintonesandearth

tones.Someareneonandhaveglimmeringhues

orbitsofglitterrightinthem.It’samazing,really.

And then there are the basic colors that we all

know—our primary colors and all the hues of

different shades that make colors as individual

anduniqueashumansare.

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Theonlydownsidetocrayonsthatwecanreally

seearethatitishardertodoshadingtechniques

withthem.Ifyouwanttopressdownreallyhard

for a deep, less translucent color you may risk

breaking your crayon, which can be as

maddeningforanadultasit isforachildwhois

creating their masterpiece in their preferred

coloringbook.

Whenyouusecrayonstocoloryouwillalsowant

to make sure that you have a sharpener. Some

boxes of crayons have the sharpener built right

in, but that is not always the case. Choose the

crayonsthatreallyinterestyoufirst,andifthere

is no sharpener in the box you can always

purchase one separately. Yes, they have

sharpenersforcrayonsthatgiveyouapointedtip

withoutalotofmessorbreakingthewax,which

canbefragileattimes.

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Coloredpencilsandcharcoal

pencils

The variety of colored pencils out there is quite

extensive. You can getmore expensive sets that

have ahigherquality of lead in them, aswell as

many diverse colors. How expensive you go for

coloredpencilsissolelyreliantonhowmuchyou

arewillingtoinvest.

If you have never walked through an artist’s

supplystoreorlookedaroundonlineyoushould.

The selection can be almost overwhelming, but

equally interesting, as well. Certain types of

pencils arebetter for certain typesofpaper and

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within the pencils themselves you can choose

from conventional wax pencils or oil-based

pencils.Manypeoplepreferthesetowatercolors

because it is easier to blend, especially for a

beginner.

Another consideration is whether you choose

water soluble pencils compared to non-water

soluble ones. With non-water soluble pencils

you’ll be able to create deeper, thicker colors,

which has quite an appealing, rich look. With

watercolor pencils you can cover greater

amountsofareabyaddingabitofwater,making

a pencil take you further than it might be.

Remember those days when you wanted to

recreate something—like Santa’s red suit—and

you would find that all your red was gone just

from that?Water soluble pencils can help avoid

that frustration from happening. So, if youwant

to create something that has a very dominant,

highly used color in it, consider this in your

decision.

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The only con that some experienced in using

coloredpencilsisthatitismoredifficulttoblend

colorsthanitiswithothermediums.Thatmaybe

abletobeworkedwith,dependingontheresults

thatyouareseeking.

Mostpeopleagreethattheprostocoloredpencils

are their ability to blend better, you can create

deeper and more illustrious coloring, and they

aremoreuserfriendly.

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Paints

Paints can create the most interesting colored

masterpieces because of how you can blend

colors and create either distinct or abstract

results. A good thing to consider when you are

entertaining paints, whether water paints, oil

paints, or acrylics, is how adventurous do you

wanttogo.Wecertainlyencourageyoutotakea

“the sky is the limit” approach, because youwill

never know until you try. Remember the 1 E—

experiment.

The cons thatmay hinder you from choosing to

colorwithpaintsisthatthesuppliescantakeupa

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bitmore space than youmight care to use. This

justmay not be feasible for you. Also, it is a bit

messiersoyourclean-upislikelytobemorethan

justpickingupyourcoloringbookandputtingit

awayandputtingyourmediumintoitscontainer.

Youwill have to find a place for yourpicture to

dry.Andyouwillwanttomakesurethecoloring

book is perforated so you can tear the page out

first. Thankfully most adult coloring books are

perforated.

The benefits of using paints to color is that it

reallyallowsyoutogetintotheexperience,while

also developing a different type of hand/eye

coordination than what you may develop with

other mediums. The way you can blend colors

andcreateyourowncolors isamazing.Takethe

color green for example. There are so many

brilliantshadesofgreeninnatureandwhenyou

look at crayons or colored pencils or magic

markersyoumaynotbeabletoseethatshadeor

recognizeawaytoduplicate it—withpaintsyou

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can experiment and adjust, creating that perfect

huethatistheexactcolorthatyouwant.

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Magicmarkersandgelpens

Magicmarkersandgelpensareawonderfulway

tocreatebright,boldimagesthatworkwellwith

precise lines. Markers have wide tipped, thin

tipped, metallic, and even multi-colored tipped

options to give you a creative experience that is

asfunasitisexperimentalattimes.Gelpenshave

the advantage of bright, popping colors and

metallicandglitteroptionsthatarebeautifuland

draw you in. Youmay not fully knowwhat you

are going to get in the end, especially with

specialtymagicmarkers,butitwillbeexcitingto

findout.

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Many people who have tried out different

mediumswithcolor, feel thatmagicmarkersare

themostlimiting.Whiletheyareeasytouse,they

just don’t offer the variety that their exploring

minds are looking for when they dive into

coloringanimage.Itcanalsobechallengingtobe

consistentwhencoloringalargerspace,whichis

somethingtobemindfulof.

Ontheotherhand,magicmarkersareeasytofind

and purchase and you can get packs that have

upwardsof fiftydifferent colors in them.That is

exciting. Plus, they don’t break or wear out as

quickly as other mediums. Colored markers are

alsoaterrificwaytousetwomediumsatonce—

accentinbright,boldcoloredmarkerwhiledoing

the subtler things in a different medium for an

interestinglook.

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Pastels

Pastels are amazing and lovely, but not used as

commonly as they should be (just opinion, of

course).Theabilitytoblendandswirlandcreate

softer colors that are still vibrant come to life

when you put the pastel to the paper. Andwith

bold,vividcolorsyoucanreallybringthemtolife,

especiallyrichhueslikereds,blues,andgolds.

Overall,mostpeoplewhoworkwithpastelsagree

that the cons of working with them mostly

involve themess. The pastel particles are never

fixedorset inplace,whichmakesthemtricky. If

you don’t remove the access particles they can

35

land and discolor parts of your image that you

didn’twanttobecolored.Youhavetobepatient

andmeticulous—theyarenotforthepersonwho

lovestocolorfast.

However,theprosofusingpastelsmaketheextra

bits of effort really worth it, because you can

achievesuchluscious,velvetytextures.Theylook

amazingandgiveadistinctiontowhatyoucreate

that really acknowledges that your coloring is a

completely different thing than what kids may

color.Plus,youdon’tneeda lotof tools towork

with pastels, which is very appealing to some.

There are no paint brushes, cups of water, and

color palettes. A blender is definitely

recommended if you’re looking for a more

abstract,threedimensionaloutcome.

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Yourmedium

Withallthisgreatinformationonwhichmediums

offer what—both the benefits and the possible

disadvantages—you will likely have a sense of

where you want to start in your journey. The

recommendation is to go with what you’re

comfortable with first, especially if you are just

starting to experiment with coloring. You can

always build your skills as time passes by, and

you’ll likely want to, because most people who

partakeinadultcoloringfindthatitisquiteeasy

to make it a part of their routine—that lovely

habit that they gravitate toward because of the

benefitsitbringsthem.

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HowDoIColor?TipsandTechniques

The tips and techniques that it takes to grasp a

bettermasteryofcoloringarenotsochallenging

to learn,andareones thateveryonecanachieve

without a lot of effort. After all, the purpose of

coloring is tohave funand relax,not to feel like

youaren’tcutouttodoit.Everyoneiscutoutto

color.It’sjustasmuchofafactastheknowledge

thatweneedairtobreathe.Okay,thatmightbea

slight exaggeration, but hopefully you get the

idea!

38

Letusstartwithwhereyouchoosetocolor.This

is important and there are a few things to

consider when picking a spot. Putting some

thoughtintothiswillreallyincreasethequalityof

the artwork you create, while also enhancing

youroverallexperiencebyhelpingtoensurethat

youaregettingtherelaxing, therapeuticvalueof

yourcoloringexperience.

• Ifyouneedtode-stress,makesureyoupicka

placewhere youwon’t bedisturbed andyou

canjustget intotheflowofcoloringasmuch

aspossible.

• Wherever you set up shop, make sure it’s

conducivetothemediumsthatyouchoosefor

coloring.Forexample,it’sprobablynotagood

idea to paintwhile you’re reclined in a chair

orlounginginyourbed.

• Keepyourpostureinmindandmakesureyou

move around some, because coloring is an

activitythatmakestimemovebyquickly.

39

Whenitcomestothemediums,youwillwantto

rememberafewimportanttipsthatwillhelpyou

figure out how to use themwithout ruining the

pictureyouwishtocreate:

• Testmarkers or gel pens that youmaywant

touseandseeiftheyseepthroughthepaper.

Iftheydo,you’llobviouslywanttomakesure

thatyoutearthepageoutifthecoloringbook

isperforatedandifitisdoublesidedyouwant

tomakesure thatyouarechoosing theprint

you’d like to color most. If you love both

prints and want to color both, you’ll likely

have to choose a differentmedium to create

with.

• Put a blank piece of paper behind the page

you are coloring if you keep it in the book.

This will prevent any possible damage to

otherpages,aswellasmarksthatmayresult

from pressing down on pencils, crayons, or

othermediums.

40

• Alwayskeeptipssharpenedsoyouaregetting

a fine line that is more consistent. This also

makesiteasiertoshade.

• Visit art stores where you can have a

consultantsharesomeinsightwithyouabout

the different mediums. Many times you can

evendoafewdoodlestoseeifyoulikeit.This

makes sense to do before you purchase any

suppliesotherthanthecoloringbook(s).

• The more colors you can purchase in

whatevermediumyouchoose,thebetteryour

chances for blending, customizing and

creating more detailed colorings. Keep your

budget in mind, but go as big as you can

withinit.

Shading isa techniquethatalmosteveryonewill

wanttodowhentheycolor.Herearesomebasic

tipstohelpyoulearnthistechnique,whetheryou

do it with crayons, colored pencils, pastels, or

paints, and really use it to bring your images to

life.

41

• Pressure shading is the simplest shading to

try.Yousimplyalterpressureonyourpencil

todothisandinthosespots,thecoloryouare

usingwillbecomedarkerandmoredistinct.

• Colorless blending is having flecks of white

show on the paper in the pressure shaded

areas. Youwill startwith the lightest area of

theareayouwishtoshadeandmakecircular

motions that flowwith thepatternand leave

small spots ofwhite exposed. If youwant to

bereallycreative,youcanalsoputsomething

with texture behind that area to make a

uniqueshadedarea.

• Usethenextshadedarkerofthecoloryou’re

using—especially reds, greens, blues, and

purples—to further intensify the shading.

This gives dimension and character to what

you’redoing.

• Don’t be afraid to use lighter colors over

darker to bring about a different type of

contrast.Thisresultsinabeautiful,softerlook

that has softer, less defined differences

betweenthecolors.

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There are many other tips and techniques that

arejustrandom,buthighlybeneficialthatwealso

want to share with you. The more you know

about the process the easier it will be to relax

your mind and let your creativity commence,

whichiswheretherealexcitementbegins.

• Take your time when you are coloring. The

processismeanttobeslowandenjoyable,as

that is where the relaxation comes in.When

youtreatitlikeato-dolisttask,youremovea

significant amount of the joy from the

experience.

• Use a blank piece of paper to experiment on

what you may be curious about or a free

coloringpageonline.Thiswillallowyoutoget

a feel for what you like without wasting the

beautifulpagesofyourcoloringbooks.

• If youareusingpaintsorpastelsor charcoal

pencils, wear clothes that you don’t mind

getting a little dirty—just in case. These are

themessiermediumsandwhiletheymaynot

43

stainyourclothespermanentlyyoustillwant

toexercisecaution.

44

RecommendationsforColoringBooks

Adult coloring books can be found everywhere.

Youcangotoalocalstoreandfindthemnow,not

only in craft sections, but also scattered

throughout the store. They draw interest and

people naturally gravitate toward them, curious

andfascinated.Youquiteliterallycannotpassone

bywithouttakingapeekinside—evenifyouhave

not consideredcoloringasanadultbefore.They

havethattypeofappeal.

Whenyoulookonlinetherearemorechoicesout

there than you ever thoughtmight be available.

Throughmajoronline retailershereare someof

themostinterestingandappealingcoloringbook

options out there, waiting for you to buy them

andmaketheblackandwhiteimageswithintheir

pagessomethingthatisdistinctlyyou—aproduct

ofyour imaginationandwillingness toexplorea

joyfulactivity.

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Printsanddesigns

Someofthemorepopularprintsanddesignsthat

youwillfindinclude:

• AdultColoringBook:ColoringBookFor

AdultsFeaturing50BeautifulandIntricate

MandalasbyMorganaSkye

• Adult Coloring Book: Stress Relieving

PatternsbyBlueStarColoring

• ColoringBookforAdults:AmazingSwirlsby

HappyColoringandElenaBogdanovych

• AdultColoringBook:MandalaColoringBook

forStressReliefbyAdultColoringBookWorld

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Animals,insects,andfantasticflyersand

flutterers

We have a natural connectionwith animals and

often take note of their movements when they

crossourpathsatanygiventime.Itmakessense

thatthey’dbesuchapopularmotifforadultswho

arereadytocolor.

• AdultColoringBook:ColoringBookForAdults

Featuring30Beautiful‘CreaturesoftheSea’

DesignsbyMorganaSkye

• Creative Haven Creative Cats Coloring

BookbyMarjorieSarnat

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• Adult Coloring Book: Butterflies and

Flowers:StressRelievingPatternsbyCherina

Kohey

• Creative Haven Owls Coloring Book by

Dover

• DoverCreativeHavenArtNouveauAnimal

DesignsColoringBook byMartyNoble and

CreativeHaven

• AdultColoringBook:ColoringBookFor

AdultsFeaturing30BeautifulAnimalSpirit

ZentangleDesignsbyMorganaSkye

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Experiencesandfantasies

KellieElmorewrote,“Sometimestheonlywayto

ever find yourself is to get completely lost.”

Adventurestorealplacesandmadeuplandsare

awonderfulwaytogetdelightfullylost.

• Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and

ColoringBookbyJohannaBasford

• CreativeHavenDreamDoodles:AColoring

BookwithaHiddenPictureTwistbyKathleen

GAhrens

• Grim Fairy Tales Adult Coloring Book by

JamieTyndallandVarious

49

• Mermaids, Fairies & Fantasy: Coloring

Books for Grown Ups by Cheryl Casey and

WingfeatherColoringBooks

• AdultColoringBook:ColoringBookFor

AdultsFeaturing30BeautifulButterfly

ZentangleDesigns

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Nature

• LostOcean:AnInkyAdventureandColoring

BookforAdultsbyJohannaBasford

• Creative Haven Country Scenes Coloring

BookbyDotBarloweandCreativeHaven

• AWalkintheWoods:DoverNatureColoring

BookbyDotBarloweandColoringBooks

• AdultColoringBooks:ColoringBookFor

AdultsFeaturing33BeautifulFloralDesigns

byMorganaSkye

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Humor

Wecanchoosetolaughatourselvesorinspiteof

ourselves at different times in our lives. Adult

coloringgivesusanavenuetoevokeanytopeof

emotionthatwewishitto,andhavingalittlefun

in the process is a great thing. Charles Dickens

expressed this wonderfully when he wrote,

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly

contagiousaslaughterandgoodhumor.”

• Swear Word Adult Coloring Book: Stress

ReliefColoringBookFeaturingSwearyWords,

AnimalsandFlowersbyRainbowColoring

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• Sit the F*ck Down and Color: Adult Swear

WordColoringBookforStressReliefbySwear

Word Coloring Book Group and Outrageous

Katie

• Dr. Who Coloring Book by James Newman

GrayandLeeTengChew

• Unicorns are Jerks: A Coloring Book

Exposing the Cold, Hard, Sparkly Truth by

TheoNicoleLorenz

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Spiritual

Through our preferred type of spirituality,

whatever that may be, we can find amazing

channels and outlets that connect us with the

tranquilityandawarenessweneedtorealizehow

amazingourlivescanbe.

• CreativeColoring Inspirations: Art Activity

PagestoRelaxandEnjoybyValentinaHarper

• Good Vibes Coloring Book by Thaneeya

McArdle

• BeautyintheBible:AdultColoringBookby

PaigeTate

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• ColorthePsalms:AnAdultColoringBookfor

yourSoulbyMichalSparks

• AdultColoringBook: ColoringBookForAdultsFeaturing 30 Beautiful Zentangle Designs With

PositiveAffirmationsbyMorganaSkye

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IdeasofWhattodowithYourColoredPages

You have this amazing coloring that you just

created. It represents you in some way and the

processofgettingtothatfinalresultwasonethat

brought you awareness, contentment, and an

overall great feeling that can be nothing but

helpful, if even for peace of mind. What comes

next?Itistimetoshowoffwhatyoucreatedand

not just let ithide inadraweror in thecoloring

bookyoucreateditin.

Inthissection,wearegoingtosharesomeofthe

most innovative and interesting ways that you

can use what you create in some capacity. If

you’re nervous to do so, don’t be, because as

JuliannaMarguliessays,“Smallgesturescanhave

abigimpact.”

All coloredpictures are giftsworthyof giving. If

you doubt this, for even a second, think of your

children.Don’tyouloveitwhentheymakeyoua

picture? You cherish it. This does apply towhat

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youcreateandgive,aswell. Itcanreallymeana

lot tosomeoneelse,shouldyouchoosetogive it

asagift.

If gift giving isnotwhatyouhave inmindasan

option,youcanalsouseyourartworktoenhance

the beauty that surrounds you and it will also

serve as a gentle reminder of what you’ve

accomplished—you have tapped into your

creativepotentialandtakenthetimetotakecare

ofyou.Thatisalwaysworthyofacelebration!

Theoptionsbelowareones thatwork foreither

gifts or for you. And they are easy to do, which

makesthemevenbetter!

Framedartwork

You have created this fantastic picture and you

reallylikethewayitturnedout.Justlookingatit

makesyousmileandyouarenotjusthopingitis

good;youknowthat it is!Godowntoyour local

craftstoreandfindamatteboardtoplacethison

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andaframetoputitin.You’llwanttomakesure

thatyouusethepropermaterialsthatdon’tseep

throughyourpaper,butyoucando it.Or, ifyou

are not interested in doing this yourself, have a

craftingstorethatoffersframingservicesdoitfor

you. You cannot lose! Pictures like this can be

hung anywhere in your house and even your

office.Betteryet,ifyouknowaplacewhereyou’d

like a picture you can color onewith the colors

thatwillworkwiththatarea.

Scrapbookpages

Scrapbooking is a very popular hobby today.

Thereareallthesewonderfulpapersthatyoucan

use,butthepriceofthesethingscanaddup.Why

not give that extra personal touch to your

scrapbookbycreatingthepaperthatthememory

is placed on. It’s a wonderful idea and if the

scrapbookisforyou,youwillknowthatyoulove

thedesignyoucoloredbecauseyoupickeditout.

If you scrapbook for someone else—a child,

spouse, or parent—you can find coloring book

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themesthatmatchwhatisimportanttothemand

usethattogivethemsomethingthatshowsthem

how important theyare toyou. It’snotonlyour

memories that make life special, but our

handmadetouchesthatdo,aswell.

Handmadecards

What better way is there to create the perfect

card for someone to show exactlywhat you are

feeling at that time than by making one that

spotlightssomethingyoucreated.Thisisaclever

andmeaningfulwaytoreallygivethegiftof“self

expression” to someone thatmeansa lot toyou.

Or, if you are interested in starting a small

business based on your hobbies, you can create

amazing cards and sell them at craft fairs or

onlinesitessuchasEtsy, theartists’ community.

Andifyouarenotthatconfidentinyourcreative

skills and abilities yet, do not worry. With

practicecomestheskill.Youcandoit!

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Bookcovers

In the age of technology there are still plenty of

opportunities where you need to have a book,

especiallyifyouareinschool.Rememberbackto

those days where you would take a paper bag

from the grocery store to make a book cover.

Then you’d decorate it up and try tomake sure

thatitlastedyoutheentireschoolyear.Whynot

decorate it with artwork that you colored. If

you’renotback in school,maybe it canbe a fun

project thatyoudowithyourkids. It isanadult

coloring book world for you, but it will draw

interestfromothersofallages.

Bindercovers

Bindersarecommonintheworkplacesettingand

even at home, because they are handy and

efficientwaystoorganizethings.Decoratingyour

binderwithacoloredimageisareallyfunwayto

use the fruits of your efforts. Imagine this…you

drewthispictureafteryouhadastellarworkday

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inwhicheverythingwentyourway.Itshowsthis

energyandenthusiasmthatyoureallyconnected

with through the colors and image you chose.

Havingaccesstothat imagetodrawyoubackto

thatfeelingwhenyouarehavingatoughtimeor

inneedofasurgeofenergyisasmartdecision.It

is self-therapy and it is a way to gently remind

yourselfofthetypeofpersonyouwanttobeand

the way you prefer feeling. No one likes to feel

less thangreatandnoone isbetterequipped to

makeus feelgreatagainbetterthanus.Wehold

the keys to our emotions and control our

reactionsandoutcomes.

Wrappingpaper

Small, fun gifts can be made even more

interestingwithhandcoloredwrappingpaper. If

youandsomeoneyouknowbothhaveapassion

for the same thing—birds, for example—just

imaginehowinterestingitwouldbetogivethem

their small bird gift inbirdwrappingpaper that

you created. This is repurposingwith heart and

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theappreciationforthecreativityandcleverness

ofwhatyoudidwillbeappreciated.Peoplewho

knowyoubestrecognizewhenyoudosomething

thatcomesfromtheheart.

SocialMedia

Socialmedia is here to stay andmost peopledo

enjoyit,althoughtheymaywonderwhyattimes.

A great idea to showyour coloring success is to

create a Facebook page, Instagram account, or

Twitter account and post the pictures you’ve

created. Spread the joy and give a message of

inspiration. For example, you could share that

you created this imageonadaywhenyouwere

inspired by a cloud that looked like amountain

top. Any chance to bring awareness to how

peoplecanbettertake intheirsurroundingsand

bemindfulofspecialmomentsisagoodthingto

share.And itwillcomebacktoyouwith itsown

rewards,oftentimeswhenyouleastexpectit.

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What’sinyourcreativewheelhouse?

These are just a few ways that your colored

pictures can be used once you are done. Think

about your life and your skills. Are there any

otherwaysyoucanthinkoftouseyourartwork

inyourlife?AndaccordingtoAlbertEinstein,one

ofthegreatgeniusesthisworldhaseverknown,

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of

life’s coming attractions.” What do you want to

attract?

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Conclusion

There is the world that is physically around us

andthenthereistheworldthatexistswithinus.

Theworldwithinusisonethatallowsustobring

out our inner child, explore our creativeminds,

andextracttheseamazingthoughtsandconcepts

onto the image that we choose to color. It’s a

wonderful place to be and all the decisions that

aremadecomefromyou.Nomatterhowyouare

feeling in a given day, stressed or relaxed,

melancholy or joyful, you can find a way to

express those feelings through coloring. It’s

amazingtoseethedifferenceinresultswhenyou

allowyourmoodtotranscendtopaper.Notonly

isthistherapeutic,butitisalsoinspiring.