Adult coloring books have been popular for at least a few years now. Finally, after years of fighting with the children, arguing until parental faces turn blue that coloring is FUN, damn it, why can’t they just do that and give us a break for a bit, the grown-ups can show them how it’s done.
Grown-up coloring books can have more complex designs, and even adult themes. Coloring solo is calming and a nice way for the anxious to keep hands busy while listening to podcasts, audio books, or music. Coloring with friends is gaining in popularity.
A few years ago, scrap-booking parties were popular. Friends would meet at someone’s home or at the scrap-booking store, bringing totes full of photos, tools, and supplies with them, and work on elaborately designed scrapbook pages commemorating major events or just everyday life. The problem with this is that not everyone was into scrap-booking, and it took potentially hours to prepare for the party, printing out photos and buying things like glue dots. And then someone would spill their wine over everyone’s photos, and even though no one would admit they were a little bit peeved, they were.
The rise of book clubs started before scrap-booking, and book clubs remain popular. The trouble with book clubs is you have to read the book. This varies. Some book clubs see discussing books as a reason to gather regularly; actual reading is optional. Some book clubs are hard core and it is hard to bluff your way through the book discussion.
Adult coloring parties, though, are perfect because they require no printing of photos, no pretension of reading, no particular skills, talent, or preparation at all. Guests can bring their coloring books with them if they have them, and crayons, markers, colored pencils, whatever. The host can print a selection of pages out very inexpensively. Borrow the children’s art supplies. If someone spills wine on the coloring pages, it’s no bother. It’s not as if they were going to be hung proudly on the refrigerator door anyway. A little grease from the snacks only adds to the artistry.
Ingredients of an Adult Coloring Party
Supplies
- Printable coloring pages (Print out 2 – 3 pages per guest per hour of party time)
- Assortment of crayons, colored pencils, and markers
- Selection of beverages
- Selection of snacks
Gathering place
Table and a chair for each guest (If the table is not art-supply safe, then cover it with a tablecloth and provide clipboards as a hard coloring surface.) Optional instrumental music soundtrack.
Guests
The Adult Coloring party is suitable for a group of friends already acquainted with one another but is also a good way to introduce friends from different spheres. They should all be fairly open-minded. The host should be okay with uptight guests opting out of the coloring. The main thing really is not the coloring, it’s the conversation. An ideal guest would be 1) an average or better conversationalist and 2) not OCD about everyone coloring inside the lines.
Give the Adult Coloring Party a try! You and your friends might find that it’s a favorite reason to gather together to share conversation and party food and drink.
