Adult Coloring Books: Why The Craze?

Adult Coloring Book Craziness

Adult coloring books, why are they such a craze? How have they become more than the sum of their parts? People talk about how they are relaxing, stress reducing and more. But nobody tells why they do this. Prepare to be amazed as we consider the science behind the craze.

There are physiological and psychological reasons that coloring books for adults have such a profound effect on our affect. Here we will explore one of the psychological reasons.

Entering this state is linked to improved mental
health. Adult coloring books make it easier
to enter this state.

Why Me? As an artist, I could not resist the chance to create coloring books for adults. As a scientist, I could not help but want to know the science behind them.

Shameless Self Promotion First, you can see pages from my coloring books here... Jonatan Steele's Adult Coloring Books. Please vote for which you like best by giving a like to it. Better yet, share so others will also vote.

Additionally, I teach classes on how to create art note and greeting cards. If you can draw a circle, a heart and a straight line, then you can draw your own cards. You only need to know how. I can teach you. This is my adult coloring books why.

Now, on to whats behind the adult coloring book craze. Here is only one of the many reasons why they are so incredible, beyond what you probably already know.

Do You Know About The State of Flow

While you may recognize the psychological state of flow, you may have never heard of it.

You may have see it in your grandmother who loved to stand at the sink washing dishes, even though there may be a dishwasher near by. Or when (most often guys but also girls too) one of your family members inexplicably disappears to be found working under the hood of a car restoration. And you personally experienced it when you were six and you sat spending hours coloring in books.

This is a state of flow.

The psychological state of flow is a mental state where we become fully immersed in a state of total focus on what ever task we may be doing. It is not just involvement in doing something, it is a complete and energized involvement in what ever is being done.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Me-hi Cheek-sent-me-hi)

Getting into the state of flow is sometimes referred to as being in the zone. Dr, Csikszentmihalyi says flow is a state of being in "completely focused motivation."

To be able to color inside the lines, attaining eye hand coordination along with the creative aspect involved in coloring, minded focus is required. People who color not only find it easy to get totally involved in the coloring, immersion is almost essential.

Flow is not just limited to physical tasks that are performed. We can also enter it when we are learning. Have you ever spent long hours researching something that is fascinating to you?

When entering the state of flow, we may experience intense joy.

While similar to hyperfocus, flow is always positive where as hyperfocus can have a negative effect. When it comes to coloring books for adults, there does not appear to be a down side when it comes to our mental health.

In his writings, Dr Csikszentmihalyi said that entering a state of flow on a regular basis is essential for mental health and wellbeing.

Adult Coloring Books Why

No wonder that people are going to adult coloring books. Being able to enter the state of flow allows for creative expressioin that they left in their closet with all their toys at 6 years old.

A mixture of joy, immersion that causes the mind to block out all minutia. All the daily stresses not only can be put aside, the state of mind requires them to be turned off when you indulge in your adult coloring book.

This in turn allows for a reduction in stress as our body has time to process the stress from the day in our subconscious while we are in a conscious state of enjoyment, coloring our books.

It should be noted that many teens and even some preteens have also started to color these books.

There is some science on adult coloring books why. That will be considered in the following link.

Adult Coloring Book Science

Punch is a page out of one of my abstract coloring books, Ulterior Art.