Did you know that drawing can chill you out? Yes, it’s true. You can meditate and breathe…And you can draw.
According to this article in Psychology Today, the benefits of drawing go way beyond making pretty (or shitty) pictures.
Doodling, according Sunni Brown, author of The Doodle Revolution: Unlock the Power to Think Differently, claims doodling has gotten a bad rap. In her now famous TED talk, she proposes that doodling is deep thinking in disguise and that it is a simple, accessible tool for problem-solving in general. In fact, Brown believes doodling spontaneous marks actually helps you think.
Below are some coloring books for adults (and kids – makes a GREAT parent-kid activity!) that we are loving. My son is especially obsessed with the cats. Go figure!
Classic Sketchbook: Botanicals by Valerie Baines
Rockport Publishers | January 1, 2017
USD $19.99 |CAN $25.99
Classic Sketchbook: Botanicals is a draw-in book that shows you how by taking a close look at the details of great floral paintings and coaches readers to try the techniques with the help of an expert’s suggestions. Printed on quality uncoated stock and suited for drawing and watercolor, each spread will consist of two working parts. The left-hand page features a close-up for a drawing or painting by a noted artist from the 19th century or earlier. The right-hand page is for drawing, with the expert’s brief coaching tips, observations, and a demonstrative sketch.
Classic Sketchbook: Cats by Patricia J. Wynne
Rockport Publishers | July 18, 2017
USD $19.99 |CAN $25.99
Classic Sketchbook: Cats shows how art is done by looking at details of museum-quality works, then coaching readers through the techniques with the help an expert’s suggestions. This art guide provides instruction on how to sketch fur, paws, and eyes, as well as cats sleeping, playing, or pouncing. Her unique instructions place a close-up of a drawing or painting by a noted artist like Gauguin or Chardin, on the left side of the page. The right side of the page provides step-by-step drawings, which illuminate the process.
Drawing for Joy by Stephanie Peterson Jones
ISBN: 9781631592959
Quarry Books | July 1, 2017
USD $22.99 |CAN $29.99
In Drawing for Joy, artist Stephanie Peterson Jones offers beginning artists a low-stress way to build a successful daily drawing practice in just 15 minutes a day. The accessible series of 52 week-by-week exercises, each with 7 drawing prompts or starts, teaches readers how to draw by exploring line, texture, pattern, and color. The book begins with basic information on the required materials for completing the exercises and essential techniques and strategies for coloring your creations.