Coloring Book Obsession: Not Here

Hey I am not knocking it, people enjoy them and it is good to de-stress BUT I go to the art mag section of book stores now and they have taken over. 

The pros and cons of a coloring books obsession

In fact, coloring books for all ages have become more popular than ever, with about 12 million sold in the United States last year, according to new data from Nielsen BookScan. Only one million were sold in 2014. The trend of more adults turning to coloring in an effort to de-stress has contributed to this rise.

 This Sociologist, Frank Furedi, in his article on the subject calls it The McDonaldisation of the Mind. It's worth a read.

Hey, grown-ups: put down the colouring pens!

To take a few examples... Lucy Mucklow and Angela Porter's Color Me Stress-Free: 100 Coloring Templates to Unplug and Unwind (Zen Coloring Book) is advertised as 'the perfect book for stressed-out adults who want to reconnect, simply and easily, with their inner creativity'.

It's a harmless fad, people have fun with it, but I agree with some of the comments by Frank Furedi. 
"But whatever their calming effect, they are clearly an inferior alternative to art therapy. The colouring-in of mass-produced designs probably won’t challenge your creative powers. Free drawing, making your own art and design, is far more likely to engage and enhance your imaginative insight."

While a harmless fun fad there is just NO comparison to the power that comes from creating your own work. I know not everyone is an artist, BUT there are some amazing ways to create and get longer lasting theraputic benefits.

LINKS
Knitting or joining a knitting group

Health Benefits of YarnCrafting

How Taking Photographs can Improve Your  Mental Health

10 Amazing Health Benefits of Painting and Drawing

What is Art Therapy


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