Ahhhh...Isn't Art So Relaxing?

I wouldn't call myself a "colorist," really,  but I've been into drawing and painting pretty much my whole life.  It has always been a part of who I am.  So I totally understand why people have turned to "adult coloring," doodling, etc. in the last couple years as a way to escape the pressure and stress of societies demands.  However, I have a hard time thinking of the actual process of producing any art as truly being "relaxing." 

 

Producing art can present you with loads of stressful situations.  As in the cartoon I sketched below, the pencil lead can keep snapping, the sharpener might not work, you can spill coffee on your work, accidentally color outside the lines... It can be quite stressful, actually!  

 

But I guess it isn't the process that is actually the most beneficial part of producing art.  It is the feeling you get when your work is complete and actually looks halfway decent.  I have learned over the years not to crumple up my paper and throw it across the room when I'm frustrated.  If I stick with it and adapt to my mistakes, the final product can still come out okay.  I have found this to be the case with running ultras as well.  If you keep pressing on past the "lows" and keep doing all you know how to do, eventually you will reach the "highs" and eventually the race will be over.  In fact, this is true of life in general.  Keep pressing forward and make the best you can out of the mistakes of your past. 

Art Inspiration

I thought it would be fun to show a few pictures I have snapped from the trails that were loosely used

to inspire some of my artwork.

Why Are Grown-Ups Still Coloring?

The other day we were at my wife's grandparent's house.  While my wife played Yahtzee with Papaw, I found myself doodling on the back of an old scorecard with a ballpoint pen that was on the table.  This has been my custom pretty much my whole life!  All through school I doodled on my papers, books, and even on my desk... and don't get me started on everything I drew on and colored on at home, including my wall!

Papaw was intrigued at my doodles and asked if I could draw an eagle.  While I drew him an eagle (picture below), my wife told him I was in the process of making an "adult coloring book." 

 

Now before I go on, I should point out that I've been hesitant to use the term "adult coloring book" for a few reasons.  First of all it sounds dirty! Secondly, I invite all ages to color my book when I am done (if I ever get done).  And the third reason is... well, keep reading.

 

Upon hearing the term "adult coloring book," Papaw immediately started to laugh out loud.  He said "I can just see them at the nursing home with their crayons!" 

 

I chuckled too, though a little embarrassed.  

 

He proceeded, "Do they do Color By Number, too?"

 

Little did he know, last year was a booming year for illustrators.  Adult coloring books were at the very top of Amazon's best sellers.  Johanna Basford's Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest & Coloring Book was off the charts. "Zen" doodles, mandala, and "Sharpie art" had become (and still are) more popular than anyone could have predicted.  When I first became privy to the popularity of this hobby, I thought of all the doodles I had thrown away over the years and how I could have turned them into coloring books.  I'm not going to lie, the more I thought about it the more I saw dollar signs.  I've been working on a book ever since (and have found out just how difficult it is to produce a decent amount of good, quality illustrations that people will want to color).

 

So why is it so popular?  I can give only a few theories:

 

1.  Coloring brings back fond childhood memories

 

Because of the fact that I am trying to produce a coloring book, I joined a Facebook group called "Adult Coloring Worldwide."  I decided to take a little survey on how many in the group colored as a child and how many started later in life.  There were certainly many who jumped on the bandwagon later in life and got addicted, but overwhelmingly the members of that group loved coloring as a child.  Some continued drawing and coloring their whole life (I'm sort of in that category...even though I am one of the few men in the group), and others got away from it in their high school years only to pick it up again years later.  It makes perfect sense that we want to return to something we loved as a child.  For many of us it was like a security blanket.  It was calming and relaxing.  It helped us focus.  It was like... coffee!

 

2.  Coloring truly is therapeutic

 

I can't explain it, and I'm not sure there has been much by way of scientific research, but many people have found coloring to be a release.  Got stress? Go color.  Got anxiety? Go color.  Suffer with ADHD? Many are finding coloring to be helpful.

 

Now, I'm not going to say whether it is right or wrong for adults to turn to coloring for these issues. Certainly, getting exercise (perhaps going for a hike) and eating a better diet can help.  As a guy in ministry, I think one's spirituality must not be neglected either.  I turn to my faith in Christ for EVERY issue I go through...but I'll save that for another post.  But I can't think of any reason this hobby should be discouraged (unless of course you have no social life and don't get a thing done all day because you have 5,000 coloring books that need you... but, you know, that is a chance you take at just about any hobby!)

 

 

3.  Coloring is good, old-fashioned fun!

 

Look, we are American!  What else are you going to do?  Play video games?  Watch movies? Play Yahtzee?!!!

 

 I'd rather draw.  And if you would rather color, be my guest...just don't forget to buy my coloring book when it comes out! 

 

(Follow the progress on my coloring book project by following this blog, subscribing to my Youtube channel, and following me on Instagram and Facebook.  Thanks!)

Update on Coloring Book Project - Weeks 1-5

 

So, here is where I am so far.  It has been quite a challenge to go from years of doodling on scrap paper (doodles that I would throw away after finishing) to producing artwork that I am scanning into the computer and trying to get formatted for publication.  It has been quite an experience already, and I'm only half way done.

 

I'm thrilled to have many complements on my artwork, it certainly helps motivate me to keep going...but there is a huge difference in people admiring my work and people being willing to purchase a book of digital prints of my work.  I feel like I'm annoying people with all my posts of my works in progress, but I feel like it is the most effective way to raise awareness of my work for future sales?  That is truly going to be the most difficult part of this project...marketing!  I'm up for some suggestions in this area!

 

I have made a few pdf files available for download at  https://www.etsy.com/shop/PrairieSteps, and will be adding more work in the upcoming weeks.  Currently, each file is $1.75  (buyer will be able to print as many copies as they wish of that purchased file).  This obviously isn't intended to bring in a lot of profits, but I'm hoping it will help to promote the work, and perhaps it can be better appreciated in a tangible form.

 

I am also happy to send people a free file of certain pieces if they will color them and share on social media to help me promote the work.  Let me know if you are interested.

 

Thanks again for those who have been following this project, and for all the kind words.

 

Progress on Coloring Book Project - Week 3

It's been a long, busy week full of mixed emotions as we buried my wife's grandmother.  She was a faithful, godly, hard-working woman.  She will be missed, but is in a much better place now, with Jesus her Savior.  As always, you never know how much a person meant to you until they are gone. 

Anyway, the family was down this week, and we spent a lot of time together (comforting, reminiscing, and fellowshipping).  The preparations for the funeral, extra time spent with family; along with the regular, daily duties to perform, made it a little difficult to get a large amount of artwork done this week.  However, I was able to get a few pieces done, and looking back I'm a little surprised to see they were such time-consuming pieces (I worked a lot of late nights). 

Along with the work shown in this video, I have the beginning of another piece and several ideas for more to come.  I anticipate that next week will be a profitable week in terms of getting work done on the coloring book project.  Thanks for following, and I'm looking forward to posting more next week!

Progress on Coloring Book Project - Week 2

 

Another fair week for producing some artwork.  I may get some done over the weekend, but probably won't share much, so I decided to post this today. 

 

I'm still enjoying it, which is good!  I've been a little concerned that it will become a "job" and I will dread doing it each night.  However, last night I wasn't "feeling it," and so I quit and went to bed. I think it is the first night I haven't produced anything since I started the project, but I'll make up for it next week, Lord willing.

 

Thanks for following, I hope you enjoy it!

Progress on Coloring Book Project - Week 1

So, it was a pretty good week in terms of producing artwork.  Unfortunately I didn't do much running or hiking, but this was a good week to substitute that for art.  First of all, I was recovering last week from being unusually sick with whatever everyone in our family and in our church has been passing around.  Secondly, it has been pretty icy out (I've got pretty bad experience with running on ice!).  So, I was able to fill a couple hours each morning and each night with producing artwork.  I don't know how much it will suffer once I get back to running, but I plan on posting my weekly progress on this project (with a similar video for each week).  Thanks for following. Have a good Lord's Day tomorrow!

Free Coloring Calendar Download

Feel free to print and color the following picture! Just right click and go to "print picture."

 

 

Here is how I colored it:

Stay posted for more artwork and updates on the progress of my upcoming Prairie Steps coloring book.

Thanks!  And if anyone colors this calendar, I'd love to see the final product.