Debra Dettone, a 52-year-old preschool teacher who lives in Harrison, Ohio, was having some anxiety over her job recently. Her doctor was concerned about her blood pressure. This week, she went back and got some good news: an improved reading of 120/84.
“[My doctor] said, ‘What are you doing?’ and I said, ‘A little bit of walking and I color at night,’” said Dettone over the phone, outing herself as an adherent of a suddenly trendy hobby – adult coloring.
“To unwind at night, that’s what I do,” Dettone said. “I’ll sit down for an hour or so and color a notecard or color a mandala or whatever. It helps me. It relaxes me. So I can go to sleep and start the next day.”
Chances are you’ve already heard it’s the year of the adult coloring book. Publications have touted the books’ ability to help adults “de-stress and self-express”. Coloring has been said to be able to help you achieve mindfulness, banish anxiety, and even deal with trauma. Some of the books explicitly label themselves as “art therapy.”
Is this trend as great as it’s cracked up to be? We asked some professionals.
very interesting. art can help a lot of people as long as they have patience. I used to do charcoal but running out of patience right now. Watercolour, pastel all are great ways to colour. I took a calligraphy class in spring and all of my class mates were retired people, I was the only young person in class. Colouring book might sound a little strange though.
I’ve not done the adult colouring books but years ago my wife and I did those felt pictures you could get from the cheap/pound shops. We both found it relaxing.
It may not be “creative” in the sense of doing your own drawing or painting but does that really matter? It’s a fun thing to do for those of us who are not good at doing our own drawings or paintings(I have the ability of a 6year old and not a very talented one at that).
Tried and found it relaxing, but not really satisfying. Going out with my cameras to create original art is both relaxing and satisfying. I’d recommend photography first. I am likely biased, however.
this is interesting. I know guy from my school who has scz and he loves coloring books. At first I thought it was absurd, but then I realized that I sometimes draw for fun, and it helps me feel less…■■■■■■ in the head. I also like to write for fun. It helps me feel less ■■■■■■ in the head. I also like to do research in psychology for fun…it helps me feel less ■■■■■■ in the head. I also like to exercise intensively…it makes me feel less ■■■■■■ in the head. I like to talk to you people, my fellow scz people…it makes me feel less ■■■■■■ in the head.
One time I was ■■■■■■ in the head literally. I did not really like it. I will leave that vague and open to interpretation. hahahahah
I approach it as a form of storytelling. The camera stays in my bag when I can’t decide what story I’m telling, or how to convey a complete story to the viewer. Sometimes a single picture tells a story, sometimes you need a series for a photo essay. But, in the end, no story, no art.
The problem with most snapshots is there is a small story for the person who captured the image because they supply the context. The general public – who are missing the context – look at the resulting image and see nothing. Because for them there is nothing.
