It’s the latest craze sweeping the world and Malaysians too can’t get enough of adult colouring books, writes Zuliantie Dzul
IF world trends are anything to go by, 2015 is becoming the year of adult colouring books. These books have been selling like hot cakes since the middle of the year. The trend is believed to have started in 2013 in France with the publication of Secret Garden by Scottish artist and illustrator Johanna Basford. Other European countries caught the colouring bug thereafter, followed by South Korea and Taiwan last year.
“The trend reached Southeast Asia at the beginning of this year. It has become such a popular activity that some Korean artists have even taken to posting their work on Instagram and featuring the activity in their respective movies. Singer IU, for example, was spotted with a colouring book on the KBS drama, The Producers,” says Chin Poh Choo, merchandiser with MPH Bookstores. “Due to overwhelming response we’ve actually created dedicated shelves just for this new genre in our stores and outlets.”
Unlike children’s colouring books, those for adults contain elaborate and intricate designs such as those seen in Basford’s works, which also include blank spots where the illustrator encourages people to add their own elements to scenes.
“My creativity is cultivated by a curious imagination and a delight in the fantastic,” Basford shares on her website. “Much of my work has roots in the flora and fauna that surrounded me growing up on my parent’s fish farm in rural Scotland.”
People from all walks of life have embraced this activity, which has, up until now, been the domain of children. As far as designs are concerned, women, it has been noted, tend to prefer books which carry designs based on nature. However, with the growing demand for more varieties in design, and the fact that there are men too who have turned to this new past-time, the ‘canvas’ has expanded to include themes such as animals, architecture, travel and patterns like mandalas and zentangles (abstract drawings using repetitive patterns).
To make the experience more interesting, there are also colouring books with a storyline, such as The Time Chamber and The Time Journey, and let’s not forget the very popular pop-culture colouring books like Game Of Thrones and Harry Potter.
UNITED IN CRAZE
Another factor that has helped to drive this trend is social media. Hobbyists have gone on to set up their own respective Facebook groups for members to share their artwork. For example, the Colouring For Adults — Malaysian Asean, which was created in August, has already garnered over 1,000 followers. Created by senior analyst at Seagate International (Johor) Haliza Mushirah Mohd Yusuf, this Facebook group brings together all Malaysian adults with a shared passion for colouring books.
“I got involved with colouring because my sister introduced me to a colouring group overseas where I usually post my artwork. Since I don’t see any colouring groups for Malaysians, I created one,” shares 38-year-old Haliza. Other than sharing interests, the group also organises activities such as colouring contests and giveaways which involve generous contributions from local artists such as illustrator and children’s book author Emila Yusof and doodle artist Rizal Paperhead Bag. Adds Haliza: “I want to spread awareness to Malaysians that colouring is a therapeutic activity. It can release stress and is a fun activity for families.”
Joel Low, director and clinical psychologist at The Mind Psychological Services
and Training, Malaysia’s premier
psychological centre, concurs, saying: “The act of colouring is a very therapeutic process that can be calming or relaxing for the individual. When you’re engrossed in an activity, you’re focused on the task. As a result, your mind doesn’t wander around to things that worry you too much. So naturally you get calmer, and more at peace.
Adding, he says: “The act of colouring is to engage in something we call mindfulness. Simply put, mindfulness is the act of being in the present, in the right here and now. Colouring books do a great job in getting us to stay mindful.”
Low also believes that the act of colouring has the added advantage of bringing us back to those good old happy childhood days where we would spend hours colouring and drawing, free from stress.
A colourful world
Adibah Noor, 45 (singer, actress)
“When there weren’t any colouring books for adults before this, I used to buy children’s colouring books, so I guess I’ve had this hobby, on and off, for the longest time. It was actually a friend of mine who got me into the colouring activity again when she actually bought an adult colouring book for me recently. I’ve been hooked ever since and am now happily colouring four books! I’ve been visiting bookstores looking for more books and colours! I love them all. When I’m tired of flowers and mandalas, I have another one full of cats. When I’m tired of that one, I have a book of flowers, and when I’m tired of that, I have another one full of assorted designs. It’s therapeutic and calming. I spend less time looking at my phone and watching TV. Of course, it’s also for the joy of it all. You select a colour and start colouring parts of the pictures. Then you see it come to life and add on more colours. After that you just can’t wait to finish the whole picture. Once you’ve done that, you can’t wait to start on the next picture. It’s addictive!”
Patricia Sim, 32 (MBA graduate)
“I found out about these colouring books from pictures that my friends posted on Facebook. I read that some people started colouring to release stress or because they wanted to join in the fun and share the same hobby with friends. The black and white pages are perfectly crafted for you to make them beautiful with colours. Some books even have a few unfinished pages for you to draw. You can be creative. This colouring for adults may just be a fad that will go when something else comes up but either way, I think it’s a great channel of diversion from our daily life. You never know, you might just discover the creativity you never thought you had or creativity you thought you’ve lost.”
Fiona Anne Kab, 32 (English tutor)
“I started this hobby about two months ago. A friend told me about this latest trend. The first book I bought was Secret Garden. It’s the most popular book now. So far, I have six colouring books. I love to spend hours colouring because it really is very calming. It’s a wonderful feeling to have when you see the finished work.”