DIY Abstract Coloring Book

Step 1: Fill a page with random, overlapping shapes.

One of my most effective methods of self-administered therapy is drawing. Sometimes, though, my mind is so agitated that I can’t muster up enough of the focus necessary to draw. I need some kind of transitional task to relax first. Or sometimes in the evening, I may simply not have the energy to sketch, but I still want to do something more engaging than scrolling endlessly through my Facebook feed.

During these times, I put on music and make my own coloring books with Field Notes notebooks and templates of geometric shapes. (I can’t remember where I got the templates, but I think they’re used for architectural and schematic diagrams.) There’s something strangely satisfying and soothing about making random patterns from rectangles, circles and ovals. When I’ve covered the page with overlapping shapes, I grab some colored pencils and color them. I usually choose about five hues that I like looking at together. (This also satisfies my craving for bright colors, which I don’t always get enough of by sketching typical urban landscapes.)

 

Step 2: Color!

I don’t know if anyone else would find this type of DIY coloring book useful, but any reason to use colored pencils is good enough for me.