National Coloring Book Day

National Coloring Book Day is dedicated to the joyful emotions children and adults experience from coloring pictures. For many decades, coloring has been one of the favorite activities of many people. They allow children to develop artistic taste, and adults to relax, distracted from everyday worries.

History

The first coloring books were produced in 1880. They gained popularity in the early 20th century, when comics were released in this format. In the 1960s, coloring became a common activity for children. It was possible to buy a coloring book for every taste: simple or complex, with a small or large number of pages, with pictures for any subject. Two decades later, coloring books were actively used in teaching biology students.

In the 21st century, coloring books for adults appeared – most often they contain complex and/or abstract pictures and are aimed at relieving stress. They quickly gained immense popularity.

In 2015, Dover Publications launched the National Coloring Book Day. In this way, Dover Publications draws attention to its products, the audience of which is both children and adults.

Interesting facts

• Anti-stress coloring pages have a more relaxing effect if you do not think about the combination of colors in the overall composition, but allow yourself to use whichever felt-tip pens or paints you want.
• A popular type of coloring is painting by numbers: they can also be both simple and very complex.
• Many people prefer the digital format of pictures for coloring: there are many sites and applications available.

How to take part

Take up coloring alone, with friends, or with a child. You can arrange a competition: for example, several people color copies of the same picture, and a prize is awarded to the one with the most harmonious color combination. It is also interesting when several people color one big picture.

When is National Coloring Book Day celebrated in 2024?

National Coloring Book Day is observed on August 2 each year.

Observations