My evolution as a "colourist"... and some introspective ramblings :) | Adult Colouring
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ม.ค. 2024
- Disclaimer: All content on my channel is intended for adults.
Taking a look back at what I've coloured since I began colouring as an adult back in... 2016? 2017? 2018? I can't remember (and I didn't write anything down or even keep most of those pics - they're long gone in the trash - eep!)
Join me for a stroll down memory lane and some introspective (and possibly incoherent :)) ramblings on how my attitude towards colouring has changed and why I'm finding it so difficult lately to start a new page. Kind suggestions to help me to overcome my mental block are always welcome in the comments below! :)
If anyone has any questions about anything they see in the video or would just like to say hello, please pop down to the comment section below!
Thank you for watching! Keep calm and colour on! :)
Connie
#adultcoloringchannel
Something I do to help choose colors before a page is use them on a dedicated book with small pictures. This way I can see if I like them together before I ruin my main page. I think that we all have the same fears about our books but I came to a place where I had to decide if just coloring made me happy no matter how the page turned out. I’m still here coloring and enjoying it and appreciate you and your honesty very much.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Yes - I need to remember why I started colouring in the first place. :)
I related to this. I think my rational brain fights my creative brain when I color. If I make a plan, that activates my rational brain and I get into analysis paralysis. I have to remind myself that I do this for play, not to be perfect. I try too much to be perfect with too many things, and I started coloring to try to let that go. I have to remind myself of that constantly.
You couldn't have said it any better. Nailed it 👌.
YES - analysis paralysis!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Wendy - very helpful. :)
So recognisable!
@@colouringchemist nahahhahahha I over think it huh? too much time on my hands LOL
Connie, thank you for sharing this video. I think the most important thing we all need to remember is that coloring/art is not about perfection but rather expression. We all bring amazing talent to the table, I think we just tend to get in our own way. Some of your mandala color palettes were absolutely beautiful. And I especially liked the butterfly mandala from Nature Mandalas. There are times when I want to color but I’m not sure what to color and I’ll swatch instead. There’s something comforting about laying down the colors on paper even if we aren’t creating future masterpieces.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It's funny - I started on a new swatching project this month - probably as a way to still put colour down on paper but, like you mentioned, without having to worry about the final product. :) And yes - expression rather than perfection. I need to remember that. :)
I really enjoyed this video. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I think that there is something to be said about letting go. Some pages I like to plan, some I just start with an item and keep on moving. Some work out beautifully and some just never need to see the light of day again! Haha! I've been colouring for a long time and I still mess up beautiful pages. It's all part of art. Sometimes you succeed and sometimes you learn. I found that for me the key is to mix up the degrees of difficulty. After a hard page, I like to follow up with an easier picture, like colour by number (Disney) or by a wallpaper type page found in many books. Those are more restful and repetitive and keep me from taking a long break from colouring. It becomes meditative instead of having to think. And yes, perfectionism kills the joy. Like Dede Willingham loves to say in her videos, "Enjoy the process", otherwise it becomes a chore. Whenever I feel frustrated, I just abandon a page. I have so many books.... life is too short to continue doing something I don't enjoy because "I have to finish". The thing is, who says I have to finish? why? I'm doing this for fun so when it's not fun, I just move onto another page. I accept my flops, I learn and I strive to do better next time.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
Some excellent thoughts and advice - thank you for sharing! :)
Wow this was so interesting. It’s a great reminder to keep your work to see your progress. I have a math degree and my two daughters are engineers. We like to be creative but we can so relate to your challenges. Because of our STEM brain, we crave balance and order. We look at our projects and know something isn’t quite right and we are learning how to discover if the variable is color, shade, tone, texture, execution, etc. I struggle with page planning as well and I frustrate myself because I’m ordinarily a methodical planning person! Rest assured, you are not the only one struggling. I’ve been following color alongs with artists I like. I think it’s helping because I know I like their end product and won’t “ruin” a page. I also started a “sketch” type journal for swatching colors , painting, gel pen doodles, whatever as an ice breaker, so to speak. I also found a used Johanna Basford book at a thrift store. I grab it often to just experiment. I’m also going to try a page using a color palette. All artists I know laugh when they talk about their flops -and there’s tons of them. So let’s try to take the Edison approach in our coloring: I haven’t failed 99 times, I’ve just found 99 ways that didn’t work. ❤️
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
So glad you liked the video! And thank you for your ideas and advice - it's always great to hear from another STEM person - STEM brains think about artistic stuff differently, don't we? :) And I love the Edison approach - I need to remember that! :)
Connie.....your not alone. I think in exactly the same way you do. Fear of the blank page, can't visualise the end page and worried about messing the book up 😏 i love your matchstick mouse pages. My savour has been my colour cubes, Pinterest and watching lots of colour alongs xx
Yes, I agree….. Sarah r Clark’s colour cubes and companions are great tools for when you get stuck. The main thing in all of this though is to have fun and sometimes I too have to remind myself of that and quit being so hard on myself.
Thanks for your thoughts, Kelly! I do have the colour cubes but I still get that anxious/fear feeling in my tummy when I go to start. I'm going to keep trying to work past it. :)
Thanks for chiming in, Aislynn! I have the colour cubes but having a palette doesn't seem to help with the anxious/fear feeling in my tummy. I think I just need to keep trying to work past it. :) And remember to have fun! :D
A comment made by another colorist helped me. She posted, “So what if you mess something up. It’s only a page in a coloring book!” I honestly never know exactly how my page will turn out, and I think that is part of the fun.
Very true - I need to remind myself of that more! :)
i never plan a coloring page i start it picking colors as i go and if I get stuck I just stop. wait for another day till it comes to me.
Yes me too. I think Connie is overthinking it. Art is about experimenting thats what I was taught in art school.
I guess I’m fearless when it comes to coloring & art, my first 2 books I purchased where Maria Trolle & lulu mayo did I mess up a few pages yes, but yes in art no right answer no planning a page if I screw it up I learn for next time, but then again I’m a graphic designer by trade, and I went to art school, so that helps, can I draw not well. But graphics are more about page layout & design,,,,yes let go whatever happens happens, I have a Rita Berman page I would love for you to see, full of mistakes but it got over 205 likes on a facebook coloring page, & I thought wasn’t that great.
Good advice!
Overthinking is my "superpower", Neda. :) I agree - I need to not worry so much and just try things out!
@@colouringchemist yes my co-worker is like you when we do our graphic design…..I learned to Just go with it, I used to overthink somewhat, but now finally I just go with it, it’s only paper as they say.
I have SO many half done pictures and for the first time ever this week, I bought a second copy of Kerby's World within worlds book because I stuffed up so many pictures. You're definitely not alone. I think we can become prefectionists. I didn't get so much into mandalas but started stuff like Kerby's books first but I have way too many abandoned pages in them. Thanks for sharing :)
So glad you found the video relatable! :)
Hahaha, I have done exactly the same today. I’m ready for Kerby’s art now and this time I’m ready to enjoy myself 🙏🌸
I'm so with you. I used to jump in, boots and all. Five years down the line, I'm really nervous to start a page. However, this is exactly the trajectory learning a skill takes. Harking to The Learning Matrix, initially: 'You don't know what you don't know' - so anticipation prompts you and your bar is lower. Then you move into the most demoralising stage where: 'You now know what you don't know', an unavoidable stage riven with fear, and demotivating in the extreme. If you're able to move through this stage, you're into the: 'Now you know what you know', but are focussed and mindful of each action. Finally, you move into: 'You operate on autopilot' in a way you've become acclimated to the task and no longer need to focus. Funny, though I coach on this stuff, I'm definitely not immune! ❤️
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit "under the weather" - trying to recover from injuring my back.
Thank you so much for your insight! Yes - I'm definitely in that demoralizing middle stage. :) Continuing to try to work through it, though!
@@colouringchemist I’m ABSOLUTELY in that middle stage too. It’s nice to know it’s all part of the process and I’m not alone. ❤
I do feel like you most of the time. I love the feeling of flow because I learn and im curious and dopamine washes my brain. But everything new becomes boring after a while and then you can choose being safe and content or a beginner and curious and have fun - but not be good. And i also think not buying stuff makes you feel what you feel. Art is like life… i think you were like a kid … just happy see colors on paper. I cant plan a page. I dont know whats its gonna be like…but if I would know what it would look like…then i wouldnt be curious about the resultat or the process and it would be like a task…like doing the dishes. But art is like a surprise. 😊 but i guess you need to be a learner to have really fun. I love you sharing your thoughts because I can relate.
So glad you could connect with my ramblings :) - thanks for chiming in!
Have you heard of Sarah Renae Clark and her Color Companion and Color Cube? They are a series if photos for color inspiration with a colr palatte coming from a photo. I just ordered the Color Cubes because I thought it would help me get started. I am definitely new to adult coloring. I mostly have collected supplies!
Yes I think that would help our Connie
I use the color cubes all the time. What also helps is some knowledge about color theory.
I do have the Colour Cubes - but I still get that "scared" feeling when facing a blank page. :) In fact, having a plan is, in some ways, scarier than not having a plan. If I have a plan, my inner "perfectionist" self is then bound and determined that the final product had BETTER look like the perfect version that I see on the cards OR ELSE. :D I'm not sure what the "or else" is - I think I need to try harder to tell my inner perfectionist to go and stuff it. ;) :)
Started watching your channel last night when I could not sleep, now the next day I am on this the third video, I plan to continue with each new video that pops into my feed today. I have this problem that if a person's voice is not of a certain quality I can't listen to them, it just seems to grate my ears and made me cringe. I really enjoy your voice and your talents are obvious, that you had trial and error well that is what make progress, and growth. Like when you see that lightbulb moment in your students, it is like an adrenaline rush. You are walking your own path and teaching your viewers as you journey. Thank you for your time and talents.
I like thinking about this art learning of mine as a journey. :) Thank you so much for your kind words!
Connie, you are way too hard on yourself, your coloring is beautiful! I believe your insecurities come from you not being in control with your coloring like you are in your profession. I totally get it because my coloring journey was the same. It’s the ability to let go and experiment with new techniques which are outside our normal comfort and control zone. Thank you so much for sharing your journey and where you are at today, it was so inspirational for me personally. You’re a jewel.
You've totally nailed it on the head - it's a control thing. :) So glad you connected with my journey - and thank you so very much for the kind words! :)
You’re putting too much pressure on yourself. Coloring is a hobby, a way to put your mind at ease. If I feel that I struggle to do a page, I put the book aside and do something else, like diamond painting or dotting. Meanwhile I watch youtube and see what other colorists are doing, after a while I start coloring again and relax, no pressure. If I’m not sure about the colors, I pick out a color combo (as mentioned, the color cards (cubes) from Sarah Renae Clark).
You’re doing great Connie, I really like you’re channel, keep it up.
Ditto❤
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and advice - and for the kind words! :)
Connie, that mandala you did several times are great! (I know my English isn’t correct in that sentence, but it works for the idea) I like doing the same thing. It’s so much fun to color the same mandala differently just to see how different colors, shades, and combinations make us feel. Yellow is warm and happy, blue is cool and quiet. I like this combo, but not that one. It’s all a learning experience. And it’s fun to just color. When I’m in a coloring slump, I like to color a mandala with a limited palette just to see how I can make it work. Sometimes I even color one side one way and then flip the colors on the other side to see which I like best. And I have enough mandala books that I can mess-up, roll my eyes and say “yuck!” Or I just swatch and admire all the colors. Colors make me happy. Hoping that Inspiration returns for you. She will. She always comes back!
PS, some of your mandalas were so colorful they remind me of a kaleidoscope! So cool!
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
Your English is wonderful - no worries! :) Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and ideas - it really does help to hear from others who found value in my ramblings! :)
I share your trepidations about starting a new page, and perfectionism generally. Your mandalas are actually quite lovely to the eye. I think we can sometimes be overly self-critical. Even big-name professional artists had to make disasters to get where they are.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
Thank you for the kind words and for sharing your thoughts! It's true - I'm my own worst critic. Something I need to work on! :)
I think all of us evolve into our own style and some of it is just finding the images that work best with your style and favored palettes. That takes time. I have found that limited palettes help me tremendously. Keeps the pages far more cohesive & harmonious without my needing to overthink. I loved seeing your evolution here in this video. It's amazing to see where we all began and you have some wonderful pages (aren't we all our own harshest critic?!) When I look back to the beginning of my adult coloring, I often think 'oh dear. why did I do it that way?' or 'it looks so flat' but now I know that it's been a learning process the whole time and I try to enjoy it for that and not overthink and over worry (which i'm known to do in general. OOPS lol) and I remind myself daily that i'm not 'messing up' my books. they're there to be a creative outlet and not 'work' it's my book. i can do what i want. Loving your very thoughtful video series about these topics. Just wonderful. And i'm hoping you are feeling better
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts - so much truth there! :) Glad you enjoyed the video!
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful colouring journey and your extremely interesting thoughts. We deal with some of the same struggles (Damn you, perfectionism!) and, while I hate seeing someone else struggle, it’s comforting in knowing that I’m not alone with these things. I think you were coming to some very good conclusions throughout the video. Colouring is supposed to be something we enjoy. If the outcome is perfect but we had no fun doing it, why bother? It seems like the times that you have the most fun is when you DON’T go in with a plan. Maybe that’s your key. No, it won’t guarantee a certain outcome, but nothing will. At the very least, you will have enjoyed the process, and that makes what you coloured worth it. At least, that’s how I feel. I think continuing to be mindful of WHY we colour in the first place is important. You just wanted to put colour to page, not expecting to create a personal masterpiece each time. Keep reminding yourself of that. Also, colour what you want to colour. Life is too short to be making ourselves do stuff we don’t want to do, especially in our free time. Now, of course all of this is easier said than done, but you seem not only incredibly intelligent but self aware. I think you’re in a natural part of any journey. Do what you can to be patient and compassionate to yourself as you navigate this frustration part of your art journey and you’ll get through it. I’m going through a similar thing so I’ll be right there with you. Thanks again for your time, hard work, and thoughtfulness. You’ve got a new subscriber. ❤
Thank you so much for sharing, Meghan! I'm glad that you found you could identify with my journey - it does help when one finds others that share the same struggles. :) And yes - I've been doing much more experimenting lately (and less over-thinking ;)) and I've been enjoying my colouring so much more.
So happy you found the channel - and thank you for subscribing!
Thank you for your honesty. I’m sure you are not alone in your thoughts. I said to my husband just today how I was just going to start a page and enjoy the journey. I’d forgotten to enjoy the process rather than worry over the outcome. Better to have travelled… 🙏
So true! I need to remind myself that it's the process and not the product that should be the most important. :) Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
"Am I overthinking this? is just letting go and not over-thinking the key?? ...hmm... Let me think on that for a while." XD you are nothing if not consistent! You are very hard on yourself, but I very much understand. You'll figure out what works for you, we are all always learning!
:D Overthinking is my superpower. ;) :) I'll keep on fighting against my perfectionist tendencies - I'll get there someday. :)
Everything you talked about I relate too. Frozen with both being overwhelmed and fear of messing up. so I shop....buy more and get more overwhelmed. Thank you for your honesty. I feel like I am not alone. I feel I am not good enough for the nice books.
Awww... We just need to get brave - both of us! :) So glad you liked the video!
Every page is a learning journey. No reason to fear how things will end up because each page is testament to that learning journey. Treat yourself as you would treat your student: with grace, acceptance, encouragement and pride. Loving your videos.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit "under the weather" - trying to recover from injuring my back.
Very true - I need to remind myself that it's the journey that matters and not the final destination. :) Thank you so much for chiming in!
I love seeing what you started out with! I love color by number! I love other books too and I will color in other books I used to stress myself out with how things should look in regular books where color by number I don't have to think! I don't know why! I have been telling myself I color to enjoy and relax and it's for fun and if I make a mistake or if it's not how I want it to look it's okay! It's just for fun! I am a big worry wart! We are our own worst critics! I'm getting better just going with the flow! Picking colors takes me a bit too! It's always fun to learn and I have so many things I hope and plan to learn with coloring! Love this video! It is always nice to hear someone else's story! I love all your coloring pages they are beautiful!❤Thank you for sharing!
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit "under the weather" - trying to recover from injuring my back.
I'm so glad that you enjoyed the video - and thank you for your kind words! :)
@@colouringchemist no need to apologize! Your welcome! Take care hope you feel better soon!
boy are we so alike lol. I listened to the whole video going, yup, yup ,yup . we perfectionist are a hard bunch. we are our own worst critics. we want everything perfect all the time not just in what we use but where we work ect. buying all the things in hopes it will increase our skills lol. so yes i agree in the beginning of any craft we all start off great trying new things and poof one day we get a better understanding of things then everything goes wrong. lol being a multi crafter i've hit that mark in everything ugh . then i stop and cant seem to get further with it. why cause I over think it. we just need to jump in and do it. coloring is great that way no rules just jump in where as if it knitting or crocheting you need to follow a pattern or its a bust lol. i did how ever discover one thing use your more inexpensive stuff, if u mess it up who cares . if you use your most expensive stuff its too intimidating at least for me anyways.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! I definitely need to let go and "break more rules"! :)
I play the piano, I’m not great but can read music and enjoy myself. My point: A family member used to let me know when I’d hit the wrong note ARGH!!! As if I didn’t know. I then remarked why didn’t they applaud the 567 notes I’d hit correctly?
Same in colouring. The odd mishap shouldn’t detract from the whole.
(Sorry for not being succinct😊)
@@13Moondancer No apology necessary - I understand exactly what you mean! :)
I LOVE mandala books! I color in other stuff, but my heart is with mandalas. I have the whole Colorit series and I just go through the Sarah Clark color cubes for color themes
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit "under the weather" - trying to recover from injuring my back.
I love mandalas, too! That's mostly what I've been doing lately. :) Thanks for stopping by!
I use my LuLu Mayo books as my "practice books" where i try the gesso and glazing liquid, color palletes, new supplies etc.
Excellent idea! :)
I really like the bold colour combos of your early mandalas. I think you are being hard on yourself❤. What would a friend say about your works? I don’t have vision ahead of time either and that is ok. I also have lots of WIPS. When I get stuck I put it aside and then when I flip later new ideas sometimes reinvigorate a partially complete page. I just enjoy the process and nothing hinges on the outcome.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
I know - I'm my own worst critic. :) Definitely trying to work on focusing on the process rather than the product! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! :)
I have aphantasia, no amount of trying will ever let me imagine how a completed page might look. I just look at a page, pick out an element, pick a colour I like and just get on with it :D Then I try to add colours that could match and hope for the best. I have two books that I colour in order right now (Small Victories and Rita's Jahreszeiten), partly because I hope to see some progress throughout the book and partly because it saves me from spending hours looking for a "good" page to colour. I started with one, but as I started using watercolour and other embellishments I need to let one book try and will colour in the other one. I'm less than year into this hobby and I'm working on getting to know my supplies and am mostly colouring for mental health reasons.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! I think I definitely need more of the "just get on with it" mentality. :)
Maybe you could try digital coloring. I've seen some TH-camrs planning their pages on a tablet by scanning the picture in. Then they can try different color combos/media effect before starting on the paper page. It's a new skill in itself, but being able to see how the page looks, erase, change your choices before starting may ease the pressure
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
Unfortunately, I don't own a tablet but maybe it's something I could try on my phone. Thanks for the idea - I'll look into it! :)
@@colouringchemist oh, that's sad to hear ! I hope you are feeling a bit better now. Always take care of yourself! TH-cam is still here for when you feel better. Hugs 🤗
Super relatable and you’re not alone. I tend to obsessively plan each page and before I know it I have 10 sets of pencils surrounding me, a color wheel, and way too many pieces of scratch paper strewn across my desk testing color combination. At the end, I have nicely bundled all my ‘perfect’ color combinations together in rubber bands in front of me - with an hour of cleanup ahead of me before I can start .😂. Once I’m started, let the second guessing commence! The more I color, the more common it becomes, that all the meticulous planning was for not, and the ten sets of pencils are back out, the scratch paper has been swapped out for erasers, and I’m relaxing - what will be will be. There are always flaws and even flops but they are less common when compared to pages where I stuck 100% to the plan. What I do know is that the planning process satisfies my brain - same can be said for swatching - but it doesn’t always produce what I want. In the end, I love my books and all my supplies make me happy.
As I watched the video, I thought many times, ‘you’re your worst critic’. There were quite a few of your pages, you disliked, that I thought were quite nice. My best advice, don’t try to solve the equation and give yourself grace. Trust yourself, accept that there are no right answers and not every page will live up to your scrutiny.
I bet you know every flaw (in your eyes) but nobody else does. That said, if you find a technique for solving the coloring equation, make a video that teaches each meticulous step -I’ll be there for every minute! 😁
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
I know - I am my worst critic. :) It's always been that way, no matter what I'm doing. I never think I'm "good enough". Thank you so much for the encouragement and advice - and if I come up with an "answer", I'll be sure to make a video! :)
Totally relate to this, have come back to colouring and am worried to mess books up so overthink and yes swatching is a good excuse to use everything I have bought, need to start just going for it. I watch so much you tube and it always ends up perfect so I almost think not going to be good enough and dont want to ruin beautiful books.
I hear you. :) I watch a TH-camr who is a mixed media artist and she tells her viewers to be brave and start creating - such lovely advice! :)
There is no wrong way to color, every page may not be perfect or great. But as you said you are learning and it brings you joy! I always tell people when they choose a paint color it is only color it can be changed, redone it’s all a learning process! My children never wanted to draw with me because they would say theirs never came out as good I would tell them to just draw we all start somewhere ! Your work is lovely please don’t be so critical of yourself your work is your work let it bring you joy!
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
Awwww... Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement! :)
@@colouringchemist oh no, I hope you feel better
Have you ever used a book of color combinations? I find them such a great resource - practical, educational, and inspiring. Love your channel; thanks for posting real real stuff. ❤
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit "under the weather" - trying to recover from injuring my back.
I have the Colour Cubes from Sarah Renee Clark - but I still find it difficult to jump into a page. :) Thanks for the suggestion, though! And I'm glad you're liking the channel - and you're welcome! :)
Hi Connie, you sound so much like me.😂 I don't feel like I'm very good at coloring either. Which frustrates me to no end; especially because I am an artist. Painting is my nirvana. But it's challenging for me to plan out a painting. I'm more of a grab the brush, and let's get to it.
You have to remind the logical side of your brain that this is for fun and there's no right or wrong way of expressing yourself in art. I watched your video and there's nothing wrong with your color choices. Your pictures are awesome. There are two things that I would suggest for the immediate time frame.
Throw out the mathematical mindset for now. It's not a problem to be solved because your coloring is not a problem. And yes, you're overthinking the process. Try this and see how it works for you.
When you lay down your first color choice, write down the name of each color in the order that you used them (for now skip trying to lay out a color plan). Just color and write down the name of each color with a little swatch beside it Only when you're finished coloring, review the list, matching the name with the colors in the picture.
You can make this as detailed as you want including the names of your coloring tools as well.
Do this with every picture that you color. Each time before you start a new coloring page picutre review the list and match the colors with the information you wrote about your color choices, and the tool or media used( gelly roll blue glaze).
After doing this a few times both sides of your brain will be satisfied, and you will feel more organized, also more relaxed.
Connie, I hope this helps. Don't be affraid of bright colors. Nature is intense with vibrant colors.😂
Thank you so much for you fantastic advice! I always love to hear from artists! :)
Yeah I'm with you, very logical. I'm currently 'stuck' so many pretty pages and I feel I have to colour them 'properly' so now I'm back to my comfy blanket of patterns, cbn and mandala's. I have noticed some colourists using reference photos and maybe that might help to visualise the picture, not a picture of the exact pic your colouring but a random photo of something similar, so it's still has a creative feel x
Thanks for the thoughts! Reference photos do help sometimes - but then I start to worry that I can't make my pic look "exactly" like the photo. My own brain is my worst enemy - dang brain. :)
I was wondering if you could turn it into an experiment and try different tactics each month and then see which month you enjoyed your colouring most. M1 plan pages, M2 speed colour and try and do as many pages as possible before the inner critic starts, M3 go natural don't look at inspo do what you feel each day, M4 pick your pages at beginning of month and let your brain ponder them and don't colour anything other than them, choose scary pages ect
@@mycolouringquest5663 Excellent ideas! Thanks! :)
I have about 300 colouring books and havent completed one page yet… i bought second copies of some so I didnt have to worry about “destroying” the book, but still no go. I have watched so many tutorials and gorgeous outcomes that I could teach someone else how to colour professionally, but still cant pick up that pencil to start, not even with a tutorial…. I keep telling myself Im collecting for retirement, but I know thats a lie…
I have a large collection too. For the length of time I’ve been coloring very few pages are started and done. I have accepted I like to collect books - I genuinely enjoy the line art and love books in general. ❤
We all have our own unique approach to the hobby - and I think that's great! :)
I am still lost every single time I start a new page😂 Some people get a full image of a coloured image in their heads, I get maybe an idea of main colours and contrasts and the mood. Or I just start with one element and then keep grabbing colours as I go on😂😂😂
If you feel a need for a more controlled process, maybe try colouring with constantly consulting the colour wheel. This process can be almost scientific yet it's still creative. Or tackle the pages with a ready made colour palette, I have used that in the past when I'm not sure what to do. Or find two palettes that look good together and combine them onto the same page, that can be fun.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
Thanks so much for the ideas and advice! The colour wheel and colour palettes do help - but I still feel scared. :) I need to stop over-thinking and just start - whatever happens, happens. :) Easier said than done, though! ;) :)
Thank you so much for sharing all of this. I am just starting out in this wonderfully colourful world of colouring. I'm still at the stage where I pat my pencils and glow whenever I look at them all. But the colouring books that are actual artists pictures....I'm so afraid I will mess them up, which is sooo silly, the artist has been paid for their work, and I can get a new copy if I want to. I wonder if my problem is ego. I don't want to feel "inept" at merely colouring in, I also don't want to feel as though I don't deserve my colouring supplies, coz I'm not good enough yet to do them justice, or that I'm wasting my time, there are things I could be doing, like cleaning the ceiling or organising my sock drawer, I know I can do those things reasonably well......but there is no way to find the creative joy of climbing the colour mountain without risking the avalanches, cliffs and altitude sickness( dodgy colour choices, messy colouring and bad blending, slopping of coffee etc) that come with new creative endeavours. The very best Of luck to you, I hope you find the joy again. I love your channel.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
Love your mountain climbing analogy - I'm definitely going to remember that one! And you're right - ego/not deserving the supplies does come into it for me, too. So glad that you're liking the channel - and thank you for your encouragement! :)
❤
It’s the same with any hobby/ pastime/ job…
Beginners have enthusiasm but low skills, Masters have all the experience and skills to translate an idea into reality. In between there’s the part where we struggle to improve. If it were a musical instrument there would be a lot of practice and a build up to a solo performance. If mandalas are your ‘scales and arpeggios’, then warm up with those then pick a palette from a nice one and translate to a picture that it ‘harmonises’ with. We all have the ones that don’t work out but then the next one might be great! And remember, Scientifically, negative results are still important!
Love your analogies!! :) And yes - negative results ARE important! :D
I totally get you when you say that the more you learn the more you get frustrated. It happens to me on every field. I am a doctor, a radiologist specifically, and the more I know the more I know that I don't know. It is happening to me now with my English, not my first language. At the beginning it was all good, I felt confident speaking in this language and I was very happy every time I got to speak in English. Now I have an extremely extensive vocabulary but I feel that it's almost impossible for me to find the right word to express exactly what I want to say. Even writing this comment is making me feel like a beginner and I have just to keep it simple because I am afraid to make mistakes. And I am not coloring as much as I would like to because I am intimidated by any coloring page, simple or detailed. This is why I am following a lot of color along. I will overcome this I am sure, but for the moment that's where I am at. Thank you so very much for your videos, I love your insight.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit "under the weather" - trying to recover from injuring my back.
I think your English is wonderful! And yes - the more we know about something, the more we discover all of the things we don't know. :) So glad that you could identify with the video - glad you enjoyed it!
I guess if you plan you get minimize failure and fear and in the end content or disappointed but if you don’t plan you get scared, frustrated and surprised and proud in the end. And that’s more motivating. I don’t know. But if you overthink stuff I’m right there with you. 😊
Very true! :)
Hi, Connie. Thanks for sharing your experience and journey. I've felt identified several times, :) I have no drawing skills whatsoever nor I'm good for fine and plastic arts. I have skills for music, that is why I can say I have no artistic vein.
When I first started coloring it was during the Pandemics. As many people I started with mandalas and very budget pencils. The next step was coloring by numbers but I got bored very soon. I wanted to do something more "adult" and not only lay plain color on the page. So I bought every beginner guide for colorists on the market and... got very frustrated every time I read a frase "and now follow your intuition..." Lady!!! I've bought your book! What intuition are you talking about???
So the books didn't work very well for me. And then one day I stumbled upon a channel on TH-cam: Colour with Claire. It literally changed my life. I discovered that there are basic rules, like a multiplying chart, that I can learn and do quite nice things. Shadows, lights, dimensions, deepness... all that I learned with her. It was when my "youtube academic life" had started. I don't watch Chris Cheng, although I follow her on Insta. I can't emulate her. I try simpler stuff. And I try not to compare myself to anyone because I'm well aware that I don't have skills, although I can do some coloring. It's just a hobby.
My "lab rats" are pocket sized books by Hanna Lynn, specially for skin tones and hair. Books with double set of pages are always welcome. I use color palettes for color choices, although the most difficult thing for me is to distribute them correctly on the page.
Till nowadays I don't consider coloring as a relaxing activity, but as of the patience and perseverance one. I still lack the "intuition" but I've learnt the "multiplying chart" and it allows me to apply the rules. And I learn every time, which is the main motivation for me. So you are not alone in your "artistic struggles". Just take it easy and remember: you can always buy a second copy, ;)
P. S. If you are still looking for Winter postcards from H. Karlzon, you can find them on Amz Spain; amazon.es They cost around 5€. I don't know how much the shipping would be.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit "under the weather" - trying to recover from injuring my back.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! I agree - Colour with Claire is a wonderful, wonderful channel. :) And I'm the same - I have no intuition when it comes to the visual arts (although I do have some when it comes to music :)).
And thank you for the heads-up on the Winter postcard book! I did manage to get a complete copy from Amazon UK so I'm happy. :)
@@colouringchemist take a lot of care and get better soon. Love your channel.
Listen, I consider myself a pretty good colorist. I’m not ridiculously good, but I’m better than average. And I hardly ever have a planned outcome for a page. Most of the time, my page comes together and other times it rambles off into a direction I’m not pleased with. What I have learned is that the better I get, the harder I am on myself. I also fail more, because I challenge myself more than I used to. I feel the same things as you do, and the only way forward is just to color something, anything. When my coloring mojo is low, for whatever reason, I will color a mandala, because the repetitive pattern is as close to mindfulness as I can get, without drooling and going glassy-eyed. 😆 There are times when I am envious of those beginner colorists who are not yet jaded by the bright lights of the coloring community. They just color. They just fill in the empty shapes with color. They don’t care or know about shading. Oh what bliss! And even when I do force myself back to simpler times, I’m still an over achiever. So yeah, I’m often like a deer in headlights when deciding on a new page. And then I have to remind myself I have plenty of ability and to quit stalling. P.S. Mandalas count as real coloring. And you and I are colorists. I have never thought of that word as something to aspire to or earn. I do and therefore I am. I color and I am a colorist.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts - so many good things to ponder. :) And I'll try to "own" the title of colourist more authentically. :) Thanks for the encouragement!
I started off with coloring books at the end of 2019 and loved the experience of looking at different coloring books and learning about the brands of coloring pencils and alcohol markers. At the same time I was doing my own drawing too. Then I abandoned drawing, focused on coloring books, and then I started stamping and card making. Then I realized coloring books and card making were inhibiting my creativity as it became harder and harder to make coloring book art or cards, better than the one I had just done. Then I switched back to drawing my own art and watercolors. I feel more creative and free doing my own thing. I also find it less stressful. I still make the occasional card and after two years I colored a page from a coloring book. Since my coloring skills have improved I really like the page I colored and I framed it. Personally, I find that painting or coloring from real life or an image is easier than making up a cohesive color scheme for a coloring page. That’s where Sarah Renae Clark’s ‘color catalog’ and ‘color cubes’ fill in the gap to aid with color schemes. I don’t have them and currently I don’t need them.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
That's so wonderful that you found your creative happy place! :) And thank you for sharing your thoughts!
@@colouringchemist I hope you’re feeling better. Thank you and you’re welcome! ☺️
I color for fun. I dont let it stress me. HOWEVER, i do make mistakes, and normally fix well enough that they are not noticeable, but recently got so disgusted with a colored page, i tore it out and tossed it. From Small Victories, too. (Thank goodness i have 2 more copies of the book.) That was the most extreme thing i did, to tear out a page.
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit "under the weather" - trying to recover from injuring my back.
Thanks for chiming in! I hear you - I basically did the same thing with one of the pics I coloured in World of Flowers. :) I'm trying to work on my perfectionism and get more joy (and less stress :)) from colouring. I'll keep trying! :)
With your math n science brain I think Erica from elmcolors said to make her pages cohesive she does at least three parts or items on page same color to distribute them evenly that might help to but your art work is beautiful
That's a great idea - thanks! :) And thank you for the kind words!
You are very welcome
I do this too a lot of times, especially on pages with multiple of the same or similar elements. I’m working on the grasshopper violin page from Mythographic Fairy Wonderland and all of the grasshoppers have the same color base. Then I use my mids, darks and shadows to add the variation.
The stark white of a page is daunting sometimes, so just getting some color on the page is helpful. Tree…brown. Grass…green 😂
@@QueenofFlannelColors Very true - that completely white, uncoloured page is very daunting. :) Thanks for sharing!
Sorry you have me really thinking about this today.. could the issue be not with the colours themselves but with the depth in the pictures, are your darks dark enough and your lights light enough? People can do rainbow images and they are gorgeous and others do monocromatic and they are ugly… and vice versa… im thinking its the depth that makes the difference? More shadows, more highlights on each item? Just a thought….
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit under the weather.
It could be - I do struggle with contrast in my colouring. Something to work on! :)
I've heard people say that they just treat Lulu Mayo books as "easy coloring" and they don't worry as much about shading and perfection as they do in other books. Some have taken inspiration from the front cover of Lulu Mayo's books and color the pages in the book similarly to the cover. And if you notice, there really isn't shading on the images on the cover. So maybe if you took that approach on Lulu's books it would help you to not over think it. I know that helped me!
Great advice! :) I mentioned the very same thing in my March completed pages video - it helped me to feel so much more free! :) Thanks so much for chiming in!
@@colouringchemist Yea I think most colorists would agree! Thanks for sharing 😊
Have you tried a colour along? Watch a favourite TH-camr colour a picture and follow along, same picture, same pencils etc?
Thanks so much for the suggestions! I have tried those things - but then I'm always afraid that my pic won't turn out as well as the person hosting the colour-along. :) It really is my perfectionism that's getting in the way - I need to keep working on getting over that! :)
Connie what printer do you use for your printed pages?
It's an HP LaserJet Pro CM1415fnw color MFP (that's what it says on the front of the printer :)). I don't think it's available anymore which is too bad - it's been a workhorse of a printer!
yes!!! I am scared of messing up and I too think I have ruined the book. I do not like that feeling but ut happens, I tear them out and throw them away. In my mind it erases it I guess. weird. over thinking too and critical parent in my head is way over the top.
Overthinking can be so hard to overcome - I just keep trying! :)
Mandalas are also “real” coloring, and the one with the Diaster note in your color-it traveling books is really pretty. You are too hard on yourself. Coloring is supposed to be relaxing, so I work on two or three books at a time and switch on and off depending on my mood. Maybe a mandala, and a Rita Berman and a Johanna Basford at the same time. I think you were more relaxed and experimenting on the ones that you are happy with. You’ll figure it out. :-)
Awww... Thank you. :) I know - I am very hard on myself and I'm continually struggling with perfectionism. And you're absolutely right - I've been doing a lot more experimenting lately and I'm enjoying colouring so much more. :) Thanks so much for chiming in!
All of the mandalas you thought were terrible I thought were great
Thank you! :)
I feel the same as you....but I think your color choices were fine
Thank you! ❤️
I think coloring adults put far too much pressure on themselves. Watch children color. Most just dive in. Without agonizing about color palette, color placement, and so on. I think part of the problem is term "colorist." Dover Publications popularized that in 2012, when they unveiled Creative Haven, and started trying to sell coloring books to adults. I dislike the term, because it creates expectations, and it's self-important (I also hate the phrase"coloring journey"). Coloring doesn't have to be high art. Maybe it shouldn't be, unless you earn money from it. Let coloring be coloring. Attaching the label creates the expectations of "coloring like an adult" (stay in the lines, use color theory, you must use shading, blah, blah). It's just color. It's just paper. Lol
The other problem may be the "community." It also creates expectations, and sets norms. Watch the Facebook groups. A marker devotee can post a picture little shading, and still collect ooohs and aahhs. Often, if a pencil user posts a picture with little or no shading, people will often come along and say something like, "You should at least attempt some shading...." Depending on the group, moderators may remind everyone to play nice (and mind manners), or delete the comment. In other groups, where publishers pick images to spotlight, usually they favor images done in markers. Pencils are a slower medium, and usually take more time and effort to complete. Maybe publishers think marker images just photograph better (or something), but it's discouraging.
As far as planning images beforehand, or visualizing desired results... I think the people who can say they know how they want the whole image to look, or can visualize the results entirely are few. I think most just have ideas for some elements, and build up from there.
Well... Since you have a printer that you're happy to do print PDF pages with, perhaps you could print thumbnails to plot ideas on. Say four printed at 25% of full size. You could think through your ideas there, before you commit to them. Especially with more expensive books. I've heard that some people use their phones for books that are too big to copy on a scanner. Snap a picture, send it to their computer, open it in an image editor, and setup the printing format there. I haven't tried it. There are quite a few free computer programs for editing images, as well as lower cost ones (Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop Elements)., Maybe that would help you.
From personal experience... I seldom completely like my colored pages. It's usually when I get ideas above my station ( "colorist" vs. a middle-aged idiot that colors to kill time, while I wait for the grim reaper) that I really take coloring too seriously. Then, I usually hate my finished images. Lol The printing thumbnails thing won't work for me. My Brother laser printer (MFC-L2710DW) sucks. The toner rubs off even standard "copy paper." It's usually not color palette and placement that I dislike, just everything else. Lol
My apologies for the late reply - I've been a bit "under the weather" - trying to recover from injuring my back.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! And for sharing the idea of roughing out a potential page idea on a thumbnail of the picture - I'll keep that in mind. :) So glad you chimed in!
@@colouringchemist You're very welcome. There's no need for apologies. As someone that deals with chronic pain, I know how drained it makes one feel. Rest up and recover well.
I use workable fixative spray on my home printed pages to stop that annoyance, but I’ve only done a few minis from agotapop and Johanna Basford freebies.hth
Are you are Virgo ♍
I try not to share identifying info online so I'd prefer not to given when my birthday falls. :)
I have a couple of suggestions for you: Barb Owen's channel - Mandalas and mixed media art; Dede Willingham - coloring and mixed media. Dede has a saying "The person who made the color book you are working in is not going to call you up and scold you for altering a page, using colors that are not suggested, the book belongs to you give yourself permission to create", fly free.
Thanks so much for the suggestions! And for the encouragement! :)