Adult coloring books have been flying off shelves in bookstores in the past few months, as a quarter of the Top 20 best-selling books on Amazon are grown-up coloring books.
The trend has reignited an educational activity that's usually only done by children. But these days, adults are turning to coloring books for recreation.
Some psychologists recommend this to grown-ups to relieve stress, according to The Huffington Post. However, there are other experts who denounce this as "therapy," according to Art Net News.
Still, coloring book for grown-ups is a booming industry, and coloring parties are all the rage. In fact, a public library in Massachusetts is holding a coloring party this weekend, Maynard Wicked Local reported. A bookstore in Edmonton, Canada has also done coloring parties in the past, according to CTV News. But you, too, can organize a similar event.
Here's a guide to setting up an adult coloring party amongst your friends.
1. The theme is simple - it's art. So it would be easier to decorate your place going by this theme. Splash colorful trinkets and table toppers, or use colorful food trays and utensils for the food and drinks. The colors will immediately set the festive mood.
2. If you have first time participants, it would be good to provide them with a selection of coloring books or sheets, in case they don't have theirs yet. These are not expensive, as there are several free-printed sheets you can download online, such as the samples from Dover Publishing.
3. Similarly, provide an array of coloring tools for your guests, especially the first-timers. Some may prefer to use colored pencils, while others may want pens and markers, or any other tools. Giving them the options will, hopefully, unleash their creativity.
4. Don't forget the wine and snacks, as this is a good time for adults to socialize as well. Offer a colorful cocktail, which you can easily make, such as this creamsicle cocktail recipe. Pick out colorful finger foods like macarons or cupcakes.
5. Propose a coloring challenge to add fun to the party. There are several ways to go about this, but one of the popular ones is a three-color challenge. For this, participants must only use three colors to complete their work on the illustration of their choice.
