Fidget-spinners are for kids; coloring is for grown-ups
Aug. 2 is National Coloring Book Day. Coloring books have come a long way from the simple pictures of childhood.
Now coloring is a major adult pastime, with books full of pictures so intricate they can take days or longer to finish. Those who color are referred to as “colorists,” and the tools of coloring are no longer crayons but special pens and pencils of every shade.
Meagan Taber, manager of LaFayette Dollar Tree, says that when her store gets in a shipment of adult-level coloring books, they sell out very quickly.
Coloring is a hobby that Taber, who lives in Fort Oglethorpe, enjoys herself when time permits. “It’s relaxing. I like choosing a color scheme and mixing and matching colors on the picture. And it’s fun to experiment with paints, gel pens, colored pencils and markers.”
Annette Johnson, manager at Michael’s in Fort Oglethorpe, also enjoys coloring. “I like the Mandala coloring books and I prefer to use colored pencils, though I also like fine-tipped colored pens.”
Mandalas are popular themes for adult coloring books because of their detailed patterns and symmetry. They have their origin in Hindu and Buddhist tradition, but the word has come to refer to certain types of patterns in the world of coloring.
“Some of our regulars are very particular about their coloring books,” says Johnson. “They like certain themes or certain brands. We also have customers who come in to buy coloring books for relatives in nursing homes.”
Adult coloring books are usually themed — geometric shapes, animals, flowers, butterflies, the great outdoors, wolves, dragons, castles, Harry Potter. The titles run into the many hundreds, if not thousands. In an effort to appeal to the male colorist, there are even coloring books full of hunting and fishing scenes, classic cars and guns (not that ladies can’t like these things).
Along more educational lines, Dover Publishing has long sold a line of coloring books depicting scenes from history as well as science. Each page has an explanatory paragraph to round out the value of the book. Titles include things like Medieval Tapestries, Japanese Woodprints, Famous American Paintings, Medicinal Plants, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Hamilton, American First Ladies, The Underground Railroad and The Old West. The company also carries many fashion coloring books depicting common and fancy dress from ancient to more recent times.
The coloring book craze has spread to other products, as well. Folks can buy postcards and greeting cards they can color — or send uncolored so the receiver gets a twofer deal, a greeting and an activity. Even Bibles now come in versions with pictures readers can color, including verses depicted in decorative lettering.
Taber, whose favorite themes are flowers and underwater pictures, mermaids, fairies and wizards, offers advice to those who would like to try this relaxing hobby: “If a page is printed on both sides, markers and pens can leak through and ruin one side, so it’s a good idea to make a copy to color. Try different types of coloring instruments and have fun!”
The takeaway on all this? Fidget-spinners are for kids. Coloring is for grown-ups!
Locally, folks (age 16 and up) who like to mix socialization and art can show up at the Walker County Library at 305 Duke St. in Lafayette on Monday nights at 5 p.m. for coloring sessions.
Happy Coloring Book Day!