Colouring books for adults - WTF?

[Riley Blue]

What's with these colourng books for adults? I saw some in Sainsburys yesterday, now they're a news item - what's the point of them? Surely all those bored people could do something more useful with their time?

[Jasandjules]

Bought my OH half a dozen, she seems to think they are a good idea..

[Eric Mc]

Can't see the problem. One of the joys of life is being able to do things that aren't 100% practical.

[John145]

Using your brain to complete hand-eye coordination tasks has been found to be therapeutic. Mindfulness et al.

I can see the appeal, although I prefer spannering or chopping/digging to colouring.

[rohrl]

Magic Painting is much better than colouring. Remember to wash the brush before you switch from one colour to another and also not to get the paper too wet or it'll wrinkle.

[TheEnd]

It's unusual that it has taken off out of the blue, I'm thinking hipsters are to blame somewhere along the line.

[Black can man]

Don't please, my Mrs must have around 500 pencils,

[jmorgan]

I prefer join the dots.

[dcb]

Riley Blue said:

What's with these colourng books for adults? I saw some in Sainsburys yesterday, now they're a news item - what's the point of them? Surely all those bored people could do something more useful with their time?

You might not like them, but enough folks do to make it worthwhile
to publish some.

For the bedbound, I suggest jigsaws and colouring books, to say nothing of
catching up on all those unread books around the house.

For those of us with not enough brains to be called onto Mastermind, a
pleasant hour can be had doing a bit of colouring in.

Lukewarm stuff certainly, but so much more creative than daytime TV.

[wc98]

Riley Blue said:

what's the point of them? Surely all those bored people could do something more useful with their time?

like moaning about someones slightly boring hobby on ph

[JuniorD]

I haven't done any "colouring in" (as we call it in our neck of the woods) in hmmm, about 35 years, but I don't like seeing colouring in done with felt tip pens as I like a nice homogeneous colour fill and not the thatch roof type effect

[GroundEffect]

My girlfriend, a primary teacher, gets a lot of relaxation from them. She normally works 80-90 hour weeks so I won't begrudge her downtime in her own way.

I use video games to relax personally...

[Esseesse]

JuniorD said:

I haven't done any "colouring in" (as we call it in our neck of the woods) in hmmm, about 35 years, but I don't like seeing colouring in done with felt tip pens as I like a nice homogeneous colour fill and not the thatch roof type effect

You need some magic markers and proper marker pad. To get homogeneous colour you need to maintain a 'wet edge'.

[Moonhawk]

Riley Blue said:

What's with these colourng books for adults? I saw some in Sainsburys yesterday, now they're a news item - what's the point of them? [b]Surely all those bored people could do something more useful with their time?[b]

What like watching some blokes kick a sphere around a patch of grass? Drive nowhere in particular? Put words or numbers into a grid? Watch people screaming at each other in a cockney accent on TV? Make a few pixels jump around a computer screen?

Don't see why colouring in is any less 'useful' than any of the above activities.

[Halmyre]

jmorgan said:

I prefer join the dots.

I remember, many years ago, a 'join-the-dots' book for adults. Never plucked up the courage to buy it; hedgerow porn was cheaper anyway...

[JuniorD]

Esseesse said:

JuniorD said:

I haven't done any "colouring in" (as we call it in our neck of the woods) in hmmm, about 35 years, but I don't like seeing colouring in done with felt tip pens as I like a nice homogeneous colour fill and not the thatch roof type effect

You need some magic markers and proper marker pad. To get homogeneous colour you need to maintain a 'wet edge'.

Fantastic, I must remember this top tip when the kids are old enough for colouring!

And as a matter of remarkable coincidence, for as long as I've been on PH, any time I saw your user name I read it my mind's eye as "Esselte", the pen and stationery supplier ...

[Gingerbread Man]

A friend has one which she does alongside her kid when she draws in her book.

[ReallyReallyGood]

I hear they can be useful for those who suffer from anxiety attacks, as it provides a distraction when they feel an episode coming on.

[Neil H]

I'd rather have a box of Lego myself.

Neil (age 39)

[Pickled]

Esseesse said:

JuniorD said:

I haven't done any "colouring in" (as we call it in our neck of the woods) in hmmm, about 35 years, but I don't like seeing colouring in done with felt tip pens as I like a nice homogeneous colour fill and not the thatch roof type effect

You need some magic markers and proper marker pad. To get homogeneous colour you need to maintain a 'wet edge'.

My daughter does a lot of Manga art, and the proper pens and paper make it look as though they've printed