1-2 years ago, when friends and clients told me I should come out with a coloring book of my art, I must confess I was rather perplexed, and the thought conjured up images of newsprint booklets for children, full of cartoons.

Which mind you, it didn't seem like a terrible idea, as I have thought of writing and illustrating children's books, but I wasn't confident that my regular art was entirely child-appropriate. Heck, my work tends to unsettle most adults who are not of an esoteric persuasion, I didn't want to be responsible for freaking out small children. 

But no, they meant coloring books for adults. To which I wondered, is that really a thing?  And as I started to notice displays in bookstores and articles online, why yes, it truly is a thing.

I didn't get quite why until I sat down to create one, and contemplated my own creative processes from an outside perspective.  Because when it's a thing that's been part of your existence for most of your waking life, you can take it for granted how it makes you feel.  There's a reason why artists can get really unhappy to the point of unhinged when they're unable to make art - there's magick in the process that is soothing, inspiring, and otherworldly. 

At first, it wasn't easy to transform my work for a coloring book format.  My drawing style is very layered, full of tiny lines, washes of tone, and not clearly delineated into neat tidy spaces. Would it lose its energy as I made the images simplified and "clean"? 

For the first book, "Steampunk Menagerie," I created images directly from my head, picking themes and characters I had created in the last couple of years, but essentially making the book images entirely from scratch. They ranged from fairly simple and clean to moderately intricate - suitable for a variety of skill sets in theory.  The images are accessible and fun all together, but there was definitely a learning process involved in working to change my approach to drawing. I often lightly drew out the designs in pencil, then inked them in - and they got more complicated as I worked through the designs. The result was fun, and I could see the appeal of coloring them in, but I didn't quite "get" it. 

The second book, "Myth and Magick," was based on art I had already made (mostly current work), and here's where things got really interesting. I took scans of my work, faded them out in Photoshop to they were barely there, and began to draw on top of them. Where it was harder to make intricate images with something I'd newly conceived, revisiting established pieces of art allowed for me to really look at that art in new ways.  Although I wouldn't be coloring in these pieces myself, I got wonderfully lost in creating new patterns and lines on top of my work.  The level of intricacy went up drastically! 

My third book was also a revisiting of previous artwork, this time dating from 2000-2004: "The Art of Bellydance." I used the same technique from "Myth & Magick" on the artwork I created when I was new to bellydance and so inspired by it, it infiltrated all aspects of my life.  This time around though, I could add all of the experiences I've had since then, and transformed the pieces to reflect more body types and interactions between dancers.  I was able to not only enjoy recreating the pieces design-wise, but truly give them a new life that had a much larger scope. 

So in the journey to create these books, I really started to understand the magick behind coloring that appeals to so many, and I recognized the deeper levels I tend to sink into when I'm making artwork.  There's an interior conversation happening about the artwork - how it looks, what story it's telling, what should I do next - but at the very same time, there is something I have long called "listening to the silence."  It's something I tapped into a little girl and couldn't really explain to anyone back then. Listening to the silence means that underneath the chatter, there is this sense of being wrapped in a warm, comfortable blanket, to enjoy the sensation of just being without doing, that you're safe, protected, and in tune with the universe. It's not about the lack of sound, but the fullness of it, and how it feels.  I can't say that there's anything quite like it.  And perhaps this is what folks are tapping into when they color?  Being in control, but also letting go at the same time, getting lost in the lines, shapes, and colors. 

And then there's the feeling of transformation - from the beginning where the paper is blank, or image untouched - to where it becomes something else when you are finished.  So regardless of whether you are the one drawing the image in the first place, or the one making the choices to add color to it, there is a definite sense of accomplishment in being a part of its growth. 

If you'd like to take it to another level of metaphysics, you can combine intent with this process.  Depending on the image that you are coloring, and/or the colors you are using, the coloring can be a form of spellcraft or connecting with deity.  Consider what it means to color in an image of your patron/matron deity: all of that focus on an image of them, in conversation with them, honoring them.  Or a nonspecific image like a mandala or geometric design can be focused as a symbol of healing or other intention.  It can be presented as a gift for a specific person, or made to represent someone to work upon sympathetically. It could also be used to channel frustrations and burn the end result to cleanse or banish.  A practicing group could get together and color identical pages with a specific goal, or pass along a page to build up like an exquisite corpse to work a spell. Really, there are so many possibilities!

Consider what colors have meaning for you and your purpose - and this is really dependent on your tastes, beliefs, and background. What color or colors mean healing to you? What is love? Happiness? Cleansing? You can also choose from a variety of media - colored pencils, markers, crayons, water-soluable, etc - the choices abound! 

If you'd like to see more about my coloring books - head over to my website here. All of my books are published through a small local printer here in Seattle, entirely created and designed by me - and there's more on the way (including a Tarot one I'm hoping to have ready for Paganicon!)

You can also check out your local bookstore, craft, or hobby shop - where you'll be sure to find a variety of titles, subjects, and pricing to suit your desires. Or make your own! 

Happy coloring!