Do coloring books say anything about children?

When I was a litle kid, the art teacher would let me know if I went over the lines it was a bad thing, what are you a fucking border guard!?!
I did think at the time she was right, it was kind of standard practice to think in those terms, but in a way it inhibits creativity…let the crayon be free, like a wild thing let loose on the paper of life, that’s deep man, truly deep.

Interesting question. I know little about the facts involved but the first time and it was the last time I went to counselor in a very long time… Had me draw pictures and then analyzed them.

He was actually pretty accurate. But they were freehand and done in pencil.

In regards to color there are tons of sites that speak of color therapy. Certain colors evoke certian emotions really using one color a lot signifies an emotional need or imbalance, I am confused as to which one. If there is any science behind it I haven’t seen it.

As to the line thing well personally speaking when I colored I would first feel compelled to draw the perfect picture staying in the lines some where in there that tought would change to an urge to expand myself in some way. I also became obsessed with adding texture or some other detail not included though not always vampire related.

And I still color, sometimes it’s drawing or painting and sometimes its with one of handful of a few kids that I know. Other times it’s helping my friend out with her class room or something of the like but I get more enjoyment out of it then I have ever admitted.

I spelt little wrong, tee-hee.
Seriously though, if a kid likes those dot-to-dot books they’re said to be ordered & structured, but if they like to colour in fat unicorns & fairies they’re dreamers & delusional.
I used to draw spectacles & a fake moustache on the faces of topless models, study that professor!!

I can only answer the last question. That adult is A-Ok in my coloring book! I love to color, and it’s no secret. ;)

I have a relative with fraternal twin boys. They are 4. One boy is has “poor” small motor skills and is uncoordinated. He can’t keep within the lines and tends to scribble over things. The other can. He spends the time to get the crayon right to the edge. He can also throw and kick a ball like an adult It is too early to tell if these characteristics will follow through in life.
So far, the “scribbler” has a good sense of humor while the coordinated one is mostly serious. They have very different personalities. And they are twins!
It is going to be fun watching them grow and take their separate paths.

@LuckyGuy I did not read your answer fully… sorry. Little sleep last night.

What an innaresting question @Symbeline.
I remember really resenting coloring books when I was a little kid. I preferred to draw my own stuff.
.....Kind of like how I am tired of reading books for class now, and just want to be left alone to do my own research and writing??? I have no idea :-p

Fascinating, @Symbeline – I’d love to hear your take on my kid.

He writes letters all over the pages. Usually his name, sometimes he’ll try to spell other words. Then he starts on math problems = 3+3+3=9 over and over. Then, he might sort of start colouring in parts of the picture, but quickly becomes bored with it and starts flipping through the book to do all the mazes.

When the mazes and Connect-the-Dots pages are done, it’s time to get a new colouring book. I should just buy a book of mazes.

@bookish1 – I used to just outline the pictures with the colours they were supposed to be. I suppose it was kind of like tracing the rake around the Zen garden – mindless meditation.

I’ve never been big on actual coloring. Paint, that’s where it’s at.

I was an inside the line girl once I had enoufh control to stay in the lines, which was very young. In fact, I used to draw a dark line of color over the coloring book black line and then with less pressure on the crayon fill in. I didn’t think of it on my own, I saw another kid do it and liked it. I didn’t care if I used the “right” color usually.

My sister was less in the line and when we drew or painted free hand she has all sorts of colors and fantastic designs, I never was as creative.

We both are rule followers, we both have decent senses of humor, but hers is a little different. She likes SNL and The Onion, and I am not fond of that humor.

We both care about things being visually pleasing to the eye.

She is more interested in art than I am. It gives her more staisfaction I guess? I loved studying history of art. When it comes to paintings I am very particular with what I like, she has a broader appreciation.

I had an easier time academically, especially the younger grades. In the end though her degree was probably more difficult and I think she worked harder at school, and is willing to work harder at something to master it.

Being able to draw inside the lines at young age was lie a sign of things to come that writing and following direction would come easy to me, while my sister struggled a little. But the struggle might be better long term.

Coloring books are at such young ages and children develop so differently that I don’t thk it is easy to assume a lot from it. If you observed 4 year olds and then later obaerved 7 year olds, there might be a lot of variation with the 4 year olds, and less with the 7 year olds, but there would still be differences.

@LuckyGuy Fraternal twins; so it isn’t surprising.

If you scribble outside the lines, you’re a future sociopath who will murder middle-aged men in the most creative ways.

If you color inside the lines, you’re a future sociopath who will murder middle-aged men in the most boring ways.

If you add your own pictures to the paper, you’re a future sociopath who will murder anyone who uses poor grammar in your presence.

If you use the same color for everything, you’re a future sociopath who will murder spotted animals.

If you still color as an adult, then you are just that fucking awesome.

I don’t remember whether I stayed inside the lines or not. Given that I probably had poor motor skills, I doubt if I did at first. But I also don’t remember coloring books ever interesting me.

Frankly, I don’t think your ability to stay inside the lines has much to do with anything other than motor skills and perhaps gender. But that’s probably because fine motor skills are related to gender.

Yes. They can say whether a person will be a good cook or not. I leave it to you to figure out what the sign of a good cook is.

I’m color blind, so as a kid I was always all “fuck coloring books, yo!”

I loved coloring books as a child & I was a ‘stay in the lines’ child. However, I did use as many different colors as it was possible to use. I still buy coloring books & I have a huge number of crayons. I now also create paintings & I use acrylic paints in as many colors as it is possible to use!

Let’s face it—kids who scribble outside the lines grow up to be rebels and out of control. If they can stay inside the lines, they become repressed goody goodies. There is no in between!

Sheesh! That what you wanted to know?

PS, you can predict their feelings on a whole lot of social issues if you know this one fact about them. No lie.

Never did like coloring books. Never had as many crayons like my evil classmates who had those huge boxes with rows upon rows of crayons with all the colors of the rainbow and more… much more. I only had the single row box. Year after year. And so, with malice and in secret, I took from them evil classmates. One from each of their treasure chest, a single color stick I plucked unseen. Leaving them unknowing, missing a piece until such time when they needed it. And they were confused. Glimpsed and glanced at each other with mistrust. Ah, the seeds of doubt I’ve sown amongst them gave great joy. And so I hid. For days I entombed myself with the crayons I stole and in the dark binded them. The one massive crayon to rule them all! I then lighted a candle whereafter I set its tip afire. Afire! And let drop its melted soul onto the pages of my coloring book. Within the lines of the drawings, yes. Yes. Oh, what bliss!

Four days later they opened the janitor’s closet and found me. Weeping with joy over my now complete coloring book. My precioussss….

@Seek_Kolinahr Yeah, I was going to add in my details; what if the kid just jots down math problems on or besides the picture? I don’t know at all what it would mean. If your kid seems bored with the coloring, maybe he wants more of a challenge. Especially since he goes out to look for the mazes. That was one of my favorites too, mazes. And yeah, there are cool maze books out there, I had this epic one where all the mazes were done by people who were known for making works of art out of them. Maybe you should get him one. :)

@WillWorkForChocolate Classic. I love the way you think. :D

@wundayatta Are you being serious, or is that a joke?

@bob_ You always the most classic shit. :D

@mazingerz88 Wow man…that post was like a mix between a Victorian vampire poem and some kind of Satanic Christmas song. you really did that?

Thanks for the answers yall. For now, I leave you all with this.

I went from simple colouring books to elaborate multi coloured ‘paint by numbers’ projects that took days to complete. One day I lost interest and stopped. I didn’t rebel I just found better things to do.

@Symbeline Serious? Moi?

All the good answers have been taken. There’s really nothing to say about this other than people are all different. So I went for the extreme answer. A joke. Which contained truth.

First ten minutes: Try to stay inside the lines, and do pretty well.
Ten minutes after that: Okay, let’s take aaaaall the crayons and color the whole page.
Then: AND NOW THE TABLE. MY MOM. THE WALL. AAAARGH

I still color. Does that make me childish?

Yes, there used to be a push on about kids coloring in the lines. I think that’s gone by the wayside. My mom used to tell me that when it came to coloring Zebras, I’d color in the lines, but each of the stripes would be a different color. She thought that was cool.

According to @WillWorkForChocolate, I will be an equal opportunity sociopath who will kill everyone, regardless of color.

lol

In fact, regardless of SPECIES!! (^^^I see you up there CAT!)