A favourite past time among children has made its way into the adult world.
Adult colouring books, known to offer therapeutic relief, are among the selections dominating Amazon’s bestsellers list.
“Using just a short period of time to colour helps to calm and increase focus in many people,” said Lacy Mucklow, an art therapist and author of various adult colouring books, including the Colour Me series.
Some of her books illustrate designs based on mandalas, spiritual symbols formed through geometric patterns.
“The repetitive motion and detailed designs help to induce a meditative state for most adults and allows them to tune the world out for a little while as they focus on the images they are colouring,” said Mucklow.
On a recent Thursday night at Toronto’s Gladstone Hotel, located at Queen Street West and Gladstone Avenue, colouring came to life.
“You just lose track of the time and experience the moment,” Kyle Burnett
Pencils, crayons, colouring pages, and if need be, a beer or two, were offered to visitors taking part in the colourful experience.
Kyle Burnett, 20, said he wanted to take a break from his busy schedule as a full-time student at Ryerson University. “You just lose track of time and experience the moment,” he said.
A group of adults take part in a colourful experience at Toronto’s Gladstone Hotel
Burnett, sees colouring as a getaway from the rushed and often stressful lifestyle of a university student.
“It brings me back to my inner child, when everything was so uncomplicated,” said Mack Tee, who also attended the colouring night at the hotel.
“I didn’t have bills to worry about. Life wasn’t coming at you fast. All you had to do was pick up a pencil and colour.”