Let's Talk with Diane A.S. Stuckart
Color My World!
September 14, 2023
Not only is September 14th my brother David’s birthday (Happy Birthday, Bro!!), it’s also National Coloring Day. According to the crayon gods, today is the time to embrace our inner child and revert to a time when our biggest worry was picking the right shade of blue from the box of sixty-four.
Yep, coloring isn’t just for kids anymore. Unless you’ve been living off-grid, you probably know that adult coloring books have been big business since the 2010’s. In fact, our friends at WebMD list seven benefits of adult coloring, one of which is helping induce a meditative state (and who can’t use that!). https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/benefits-coloring-adults
But coloring, like the craft of writing, is not without its controversies. And I’m not just talking colored pencils as opposed to crayons. The biggest among them may be the battle between the “coloring within the lines” camp versus the “scrawling all over the darned place” contingent. Lines folks tout the hand-eye coordination benefits along with general neatness. Scrawlers speak of the bold unleashing of creativity. The conflict rather reminds me of the old “plotter versus pantser” debate in the writing community. Neither of these approaches is wrong; they’re simply different ways to the same end. The books eventually get written, the pages are ultimately colored, and all is right with the world.
But segueing back to my brother. David earned his MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and spent many hours volunteering his time counseling homeless and low-income folks. I mentioned to him about coloring and mental health, and he had this anecdote for me:
“I had a middle-aged Navajo male client with memory issues. One session, he described how he loved to paint Cherokee powwow dancers as a youth [so] I brought colored markers and paper to the next session. [Finally] he confessed that his grandmother warned him not to paint powwow dancers out of respect for the ceremony, but then he told of fond memories how she influenced him growing up. This coloring activity brought back vivid memories without even a single stroke on the paper.”
Like writing, coloring can be a powerful force for good…particularly, for good mental health. So, grab yourself a pack of crayons and have a Happy National Coloring Day!
Are you an inside-the-lines type or an unrepentant scrawler? Comment by 9/20 about your coloring philosophy for a chance to win a paperback copy (US only) of PEACHY SCREAM by Anna Gerard.
While you’re here, visit our contest page to enter our September contest. One lucky person wins two books, including Nancy J Cohen’s Trimmed To Death and Debra H Goldstein’s Five Belles Too Many. Click for contest
Want to know more about author Diane A.S. Stuckart who writes as Anna Gerard? Visit her WEBSITE.
Posted in Let's Talk, with Diane A.S. Stuckart • Tags: Color My World, Diane A S Stuckart, National Coloring Month, Peachy Scream | 38 Comments
I’m a inside the lines type and have always tried to be even as a kid. Thank you for this chance at your giveaway. pgenest57 at aol dot com
Thanks for commenting. In theory I appreciate the well-colored page (I’m a bit OCD-ish) but in practice I’m impatient and more likely than not to be a scribbler, myself. 🙂
I am an “inside the lines” type of coloring person. I admittedly am not very good at coloring (even at 55!) but am too neat and organized not to try it.
April, I don’t think there’s a way to be “bad” at coloring! 😀
Love the idea of freely creating art, but the reality for me is color between the lines and bring the designated picture to life.
Debra, we need you “between the lines” folks to keep the rest of us in check. 🙂
I’m a stay inside the lines but blend the colors type. LOL
You can never go wrong with blending!
I’m a inside the lines. I love coloring. It can be so relaxing. They have some really neat coloring books out there.
Sherry, it’s amazing what’s out there in coloring books…and how intricate the patterns are!
I’m definitely an inside the lines type. Somes times I wish I could be scrawler, but it’s just not me.
Dianne, I give you official permission to scrawl just once so you can see what it’s like. 🙂
I’m more of a crafty person.. and I love doing crafts with my students. I also do coloring when my mood strikes. I am “color inside the lines” person, and always like vibrant or pastel colors. I like to keep things neat and clear and organized..
Emily, I’m sure the kids have a great time with their “crafty” teacher. 🙂 For that, you definitely do have to be organized.
I haven’t colored since I was a kid! I stayed within the lines but came up with interesting color combos.
Pat, playing with the color palette was always the best thing about it. 🙂
From childhood I have always been a color inside the lines person. I always thought that drawing outside the lines looked too messy for my taste and that viewpoint has not changed even as I have gotten older.
Cherie, I’m going to have to do an “outside the line” pic and change your mind. 🙂
Thanks for the shout out Diane my lovely sis! You made my birthday more special 🙂 For me, it’s fun to color inside or outside the lines- depends on my mood. Love, David
You are very welcome. Hope it was a great day! <3
Even back in kindergarten, coloring something that someone else had created never sat well with me. I always preferred starting with a blank sheet of paper to create my own images. I guess that’s why I wound up going to art school. 😉
Lois, that make sense. I really don’t recall ever being a big fan of coloring as a kid. Except for grade school assignments to color a page, I don’t think I ever colored on my own.
I am an inside the lines gal, but I am totally making up the color scheme on the fly.
Mostly inside the lines…. but blur them to play with the shading sometimes
Margo Sue, that’s a great compromise!
And just so everyone knows, that fab turtle coloring image in the blog post is Maggie’s!
Inside the lines
Deborah, we love our traditionalists. 🙂
I’m an in-the-lines type of person. I also used to like Connect the Dots. I don’t think I’d have the patience for those adult coloring books. I’d rather do a Sudoku puzzle.
Nancy, I agree with you. I’m just too impatient to fritz around with being neat!
I am a color within the lines person! I never liked messed up, ruined pictures in my coloring books in my youth and I am still that way. I have a movies coloring book and colored pencils that I have not used yet. I better get coloring!
Madeline, I’m sure your grownup colored pages look fab!
I haven’t colored since I was a kid. When I did, I usually colored within the lines and the colors had to go together.
Hi Diana. I’m definitely on Team Color Coordination. I don’t care about inside the lines but the color combos must be pleasing.
I’m an “inside the lines” colorer. I’ve always been a rule follower!
C’mon, Susan! Rules are meant to be broken. 🙂
With a plethora of coloring books available for kids and adults, being artistic can be very relaxing. Even my 5 year old grandson expresses himself through drawing on paper with crayons or colored fine-tip markers; some even had glitter.
it’s so important to encourage children’s (and adults’!) creativity. I bet his drawings look fab. 🙂