Perhaps you are like me. The first time I saw the adult coloring books at Barnes & Noble I thought the idea was strange. Okay, I thought it was silly.
But then, it was not just a few books, it has become a torrent. And you can read on the web or in the science section of The New York Times that many people derive satisfaction, if not mental improvement, by “reverting” to coloring books. Complex coloring books.
Here is a lovely example: Edible Paradise, A Coloring Book Of Seasonal Fruits And Vegetables by Jesse Canelo’s Wiener. It was just published in March and I’m sure you can find the book somewhere in those stacks that now populate every bookstore.
Here is a sample page, Pepper Vines with Bloosms and Beatles. It’s a little irresitable.
There are about 90 drawings in Edible Paradise, arranged by the season. So, you can color your spring asparagus now. There are tomatoes awaing you. And cabbages, and parsnips and pumpkins.
Perhaps, again, like me, you feel a reluctant to dig and start coloring. What if you make a mistake, what if don’t like your version of nature? I’ve started on my copy of the book, and I tell you that those inhibitions melt away.
You know, you can always photocopy a page before you start and then try, try again. Yeah, I’ve done that, too. And you have to make sure that you get the right color. Eggplants are not purple. They are Royal Purple. Chestnuts are not just brown but that special Gray Black Brown with the demi-tones that denote fall is here. And squirrels.
So when you succumb and buy Edible Paradise, you want to go all out and get that biggest box of colored pencils. The very biggest. Our world is filled with color and detail. Edible Paradise proves that.
Have some fun. [It’s a lot cheaper than a therapist!]