Anyone that has shopped in public in the last year will be familiar with the onslaught of specialized coloring books for adults on display. These are not the cheap, brownish colored pages with cartoon characters you may remember from childhood. No, these coloring books are designed for adults and are full of detailed designs that replicate intricate patterns of ancient mandalas[i]. News outlets have covered their popularity[ii]; they are top sellers on amazon.com; and you can join an adult-coloring book meet-up! Even scientists have gotten in on the action by studying WHY we enjoy these books so much.
And while I enjoy an adult coloring book as much as the next stressed-out mama, I’m here to tell you that creating a mosaic is like coloring on steroids (okay, I don’t think I’ve ever colored on steroids, but stay with me here). You see the real draw for most of the color-ers in this new “craze” is the meditative and calming effect that comes from focusing on choosing colors for the detailed and intricate outlined drawings. Like Sudoku, walking, or even yoga, this repetitive process helps stressed-out adults to be mindful and keep their brains in the present moment. Journalist Julie Beck likens it to walking in a labyrinth: “You just wander down the path until you’re done. It feels simultaneously like repetition and progression.[iii]”
THE COLORS
When you’re creating a basic mosaic project, you usually start by drawing some outlines – so you get that same sense of filling in the lines that you get with coloring. But here’s the difference: instead of crayons, markers, or colored pencils, you get to use tile and glass in amazingly gorgeous textures and colors.
ENTER THE NIPPERS
Now, you need to note: these tiles are not necessarily in the shapes you need. So instead of just picking a color, you get to use these plier-like tools called “nippers” to cut the tiles. These tools create a satisfying snap each time you use them to begin to change the shape of the tiles. And with each snap, you can feel a little bit of stress waft off the top of your shoulders.
THE REPETITION
Just like coloring an intricate adult coloring page, when you’re tiling you are looking to see how to fill in spaces and where your next move should be. This sense of being on the look-out for the next-best- move keeps your brain from worrying about whether the dog pee smell will come out of your rug or if your latest client presentation was as good as it could have been.
THE PACE
The nice thing about both mosaics and coloring pages is that it takes a fair bit of time to finish a project, usually a few hours. When you plan to devote two or three hours to a project and watch it evolve into something pretty and full of color, it just feels satisfying.
THE RESULT
And guess what? When you’re done, you’ve got a lot more to show for your time than a mere beautiful coloring page for the refrigerator. You’ve got an artistic creation that is your original work. So what are you waiting for?
[i] http://www.fastcodesign.com/3056467/the-ancient-origins-of-your-obsession-with-adult-coloring-books
[ii] http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/06/health/adult-coloring-books-popularity-mental-health/
[iii] http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/11/sorry-benedict-cumberbatch-your-head-is-fine/414010/