Fads come and go, especially nowadays when everyone can share almost anything on the internet and start basically any trend that can come to mind. An internet phenomenon such as this is often referred to as a “meme,” and almost always refers to something humorous or entertaining.
But what we are about to discuss is not a simple “fad” or a “trend”. It’s not exactly a “meme,” but everyone on the internet has heard about it. It doesn’t have much of the humor, but it is definitely entertaining.
Welcome to a world where adults use coloring books. Today we are going to know what this phenomenon is, and what it’s about, why people do it, and how it all began.
Why? Because coloring books for adults are sweeping the nation.
Before we talk about anything else, we would first like to introduce you to the entire concept behind it. Coloring books for adults are exactly what they sound like: they are coloring books, made specifically for the use of fully-grown men and women.
Remember when we were kids and we all wanted to get our hands on different colors of crayons, just so we could fill in the pre-drawn cartoon characters and animals inside our coloring books? Well, this takes that memory to the next level since we, as adults, are expected to have better motor skills than pre-schoolers and elementary students.
These specialized coloring books retain that “pre-drawn design” element, except with more intricate details and complex images. In order to appeal to the masses, coloring books for adults were suited to our perceived level of creative skill. And it apparently worked!
The reason it clicked so well with the adults is because it is surprisingly relaxing. The benefits of coloring soon overcame the embarrassment that went along with holding a set of crayons or colored pencils and literally filling in a coloring book.
Coloring helps you relax your mind, freeing it from all your worries by having you focus on one productive thing. Your eyes and your hands will be too busy treading the fine details of an adult coloring book to even let your brain keep thinking of your problems. It keeps you from over-thinking, letting you clear your head of all the negative thoughts that are bothering you.
Now when exactly did this trend start? Well, it all began in 2011, when the Scottish freelance illustrator Johanna Basford was approached by Lawrence King Publishing to produce a coloring book. The UK publishing house noticed her work online and loved her intricate drawings. This led to the production of “Secret Garden”, a coloring book initially aimed for older children.
However, something very interesting happened along the way: adults started buying it.
Adults began buying the coloring book as a gift to their younger relatives, but they also bought copies for themselves. The book then sold a million copies in France, and it soon spread all over the world.
The thing about this phenomenon is that it hasn’t exactly died down – until today. If it were a simple fad, or a trend, or a meme, people would’ve gotten over it by now. But they haven’t. And that’s because it has a solid and consistent set of benefits.
This trend is in fact so effective that people consider it to be therapeutic. While most experts wouldn’t go as far as saying you could use it as a form of professional therapy, some psychiatrists have taken to giving their clients adult coloring books to work on, just to see their condition improve.
People say that it’s relaxing, that it gives them some form of creative release – that’s why people call it “art therapy”. And while it’s not the kind of treatment we could all exploit for its cheapness, it is still confirmed to be a great way to loosen up and relieve ourselves of our burdens.
If you’re in need of a new hobby, or simply want something unique to do during your spare time, we strongly recommend buying a coloring book for adults. It’s great for your mental health, it helps you cope with stress, and it is surprisingly enjoyable!
These coloring books are also incredibly cheap, so that means it is far less expensive than taking up a different hobby. There’s a reason coloring books are sweeping the nation – and it’s because it’s both beneficial and fun.