What's the deal with all those coloring books?

Happy Tuesday!

amyoes.com

“Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?” 

― Ian Wallace

Haven't I been telling you to get out those box of crayons?  Amazingly, coloring books are all the rage right now!  

Well...you know all is right with the world when you see this clip on Fox Evening News...

Possibly the best movie scene ever (from Billy Madison)

 COLORING IS MAKING A COMEBACK!  (FOR ADULTS!)

It's not just me - there was a wonderful article from about .com - What's up with coloring books for adults? 

This is just one of the many adult coloring books flooding bookstores right now - being a kid is so in right now - I love it!

" Coloring is a creative act that requires little actual creativity, as all you’re doing is choosing colors. This limited creativity makes it an ideal stress relieving activity because you have some control over your creation (the choice of colors), but you don’t have to make any serious of complex decisions, because all the drawing has been done for you. And it’s difficult to argue that adult coloring books are the same as the much more simplistic books kids play with; one glance at the pages in Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book will demonstrate that." - about.com

And here's another article that says

Adult coloring books grow in popularity as relaxing pastime

and now there is preschool for adults?  Sign me up for that!

I'm a big fan of coloring pages.  In fact, I made my own coloring page of Singing Tree that I sell along with the poster.

You can also learn how to make your own coloring pages from magazine articles - I have a fun little tutorial for that on Sunbeams and Heartstrings.

That's why I bring art to the hospital - I can color out my fear or frustration (or boredom)

Drawing is not just for kids, and I've always felt that way.  And who doesn't enjoy a  whiff from a box of fresh crayolas?

Or Copic markers!

I also love to draw out my visualizations...

Visualizing my goals for 2011

In my article on art therapy for addiction, I write

I love visual metaphors to help stay on the right track. I like to imagine anxious, addictive thoughts as red frantic tadpoles along a river, swimming swiftly through one’s mind.  I imagine myself kneeling by a riverside, just calmly noticing those tadpoles passing down the river. I see the tadpoles pass on by and leave my view. 

A drawing I made to visualize myself at peace with my anxiety.

As I notice these thoughts come and go, I say to myself, “My anxious thoughts are like tadpoles in a river. They keep swimming toward me and quickly swim away as I let them pass.” <Click to Tweet!>

In The Studio...

My oblivion and unashamed passion help to silence my inner critic.  Whatever I paint, I create from the heart.  I try to focus on the physical sensations of feelings my brush glide across the canvas, drenched in a juicy glob of heavy-bodied paint.  

Whatever I paint, I paint from the heart.

And today I was thinking about my wedding...

Of course, I botched up the magazine photo when I put a bit too much white paint on it!

But did I mention that acrylics are incredibly forgiving? And that a paper towel does WONDERS?

I didn't know where I was going with this...but do I ever?

Although perhaps I did have a little something in mind...

I can't believe I'm married now.  It's not even the feeling that "I've planned and planned for this and it was over before I knew it."  It's more like, "Wow, I did the marriage thing.  I've checked that off of my life list."

Wow.

And as the pun-derful world of greeting cards might put it....

Before I go...

This was just one of the amazing views from our honeymoon cruise.  Here's some more eyecandy:

They took a hike so you don't have to.  Check out 45 Breathtaking Views from the World's Greatest Hiking Circuits.

“whatever you do

be gentle with yourself.

you don’t just live

in this world

or your home

or your skin.

you also live

in someone’s eyes.” 

― Sanober Khan

Show me your doodle!  Pin it, Tweet me, telepathy...(sorry to link for that, figure it out yourself)