Creators of adult coloring books have decided to do something to stimulate turned a childhood pastime into an adult stress reliever. Available at craft shops, bookstores and large retail stores, adult coloring books include shapes, animals and illusions that take on an abstract and more sophisticated art form that becomes a personal creation.

Art is said to be very therapeutic, and coloring allows you to be whatever kind of artist you want to be. You can use colors that are deep, dark and mysterious or those that are bright, shiny and fun. The colors you use become a reflection of your mood and personality.

My bad attention span makes it hard for me to sit and concentrate on one thing. Surprisingly, coloring was

Morgan Stanley colors in her adult coloring book to relieve stress. // VF File Photo by Ashley McKean

something I was able to spend a lot of time on without getting bored.

With finals week very close, I have been experiencing a lot of stress, and the coloring book has been helping
me get through that. Normally naps are my stress reliever, but this time I my brain, instead of shutting it down. Not only did it relieve my stress, but it also helped me stay awake and focused.

Even though I was in different moods, the coloring book made me feel better and calm.

A study done by “The Medical Daily” found that a lot of people color during college lecture to help stay focused but that was not the case for me. I was too busy trying to figure out what color I wanted to use next.

Something I didn’t like about the book is that some of the pages are really complex. I am not a pro at coloring, and I thought that some of these pages had too much detail. I didn’t even want to face the challenge.

The coloring book was inexpensive, and no matter your art skill level, it allows you to feel like the next Picasso. You don’t need to have any previous experience in art to be able to create a page that is unique to your style.