One day I suggested that my friend and her kids and I should have a coloring party. We could have hot dogs, chips and ice cream and all color together, with the TV off, of course. We had a blast and we plan to do this once a month. Since then I have made it a practice to color in my books at least once or twice a week. This time is very relaxing for me and gives my mind a much needed break and its just plain fun. I think it is sad that we abandon, as adults, the fun things that we engaged in as kids. Just because we grow up doesnt mean we have to stop having innocent fun. I know it sounds simple, but try picking up a coloring book with images in it you can relate to and color inside or outside the lines if you want. Maybe even just scribble, but allow yourself to get in touch with the less serious side of yourself for a little while.
I was 20 years old when my love affair with coloring was re-ignited. Just about to fly home on a 14 hour flight from New Zealand, I was in the airport book store looking for a magazine to pass some hours when my eye was caught by an intriguing looking coloring book. I thought to myself: 14 hour flight....why not try coloring? Armed with a box of pencil crayons and not really expecting my interest to last long, I fastened my seat belt as the plane began its take-off. Thinking full well that the coloring would only last a few minutes before I was lured into the mega-selection of in-flight movies, I was curiously surprised when 30 minutes passed...then an hour...and then 2 hours and I had not even checkout out the movie selection! I had finished my first page in my brand new coloring book and still had 12 hours of flying time left. The rest of the flight passed quickly and gloriously. My love for coloring has only deepened, and here are the reasons why.
When I was a child I just loved to draw and paint but, as I remember, before I even could begin to draw accurately I used to color in. The next stage was to learn to draw using stencils and then I graduated to be able to draw freehand which provided me with an absolutely fantastic sense of achievement. I went on to love drawing but the point I am trying to make is that it all started with the simple yet effective art of coloring in!
