As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I am currently in the hospital. I have also mentioned that I’m not a hobby person. The only major hobby I have is writing, though I also enjoy reading. But having been in the hospital, it’s been hard to focus on reading, writing, or anything but the extreme pain and nausea and the uneasiness of having a surgical scope and not knowing what’s wrong with me.
But I wanted to do something to distract myself! So I turned to adult coloring. I’m not the best colorer, but I don’t think that matters. One of my friends who also has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, one of my main conditions (a connective tissue disorder), said she colors when she’s having bad flares, so I decided to try it out. It ended up being super helpful! So I decided to recommend the tools and coloring books I’ve used for others who are interested in this hobby.
This book is so much fun! I asked my husband for a coloring book and some markers when I was first admitted to the hospital. I love that it’s a combo coloring and sticker book. There are so many great room layouts and nature scenes, plus stickers to put in each room. I love the mix of coloring, already-printed color, and stickers. The coloring is intricate but not TOO intricate for a non-artist like me. Plus situating the stickers is something fun to do when even coloring is tiring.
Two of my coloring pages in process. I added the stickers too.
I’m currently using the normal Crayola fine line markers in the yellow box, the 20 count. I am planning on ordering this 40 set for more of a color selection.
I’m a Crayola purist; I’ve used other brands of markers but Crayolas are always my favorite. I enjoy using markers, always fine lines. Some people prefer colored pencils instead, but I’ve never really enjoyed coloring with them. I do like the shade variations you can get with colored pencils though. Here’s a good set, also from Crayola, with 50 different colors, if you like colored pencils.
Tolkien’s World: A Fantasy Coloring Book
This is the first adult coloring book I ever got. It is so intricate and beautiful. It takes forever to color, but it’s very soothing. I especially enjoyed coloring the Shire and the Hobbit hole.
Here are some coloring books I like but haven’t gotten yet. I will definitely get them when I finish my current one!
A Million Cats: Fabulous Felines to Color
Art of Coloring Disney Animals
BirdRock Home Bamboo Lap Desk with Laptop Storage Compartment
I spend a lot of time in bed, even when I’m not in the hospital. It would be super helpful to have a comfy desk like this one. I love the bamboo top and the storage tray that could hold my coloring stuff. I could also better rest my phone on it while writing on it (I rarely use a laptop, only for work. I do all my writing on my phone!).
Mr. Snowflake made me a bath caddy tray for Valentine’s Day, and it is one of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten. I love that I have a place where I can color, read, or rest my phone while in the bath.
Do you enjoy coloring? What are your favorite coloring books, coloring utensils, and coloring tools?
kiwi / 617 posts
Many Many years ago I had watercolor colored pencils.
They worked just like regular colored pencils, but then you could use a paintbruch with water over your drawing to ‘blur’ the colors, making it look like a watercolor painting. They were super cool! (and I am not artistic in the least, so this is from a complete novice).
I bed the LOTR book would look really cool with the watercolor pencils!
pomegranate / 3272 posts
I know one of my issues is not being super detail oriented so those coloring books stress me out!