Why Are Adult Colouring Books A Trend?

"I wasn't even really aware of it!" laughs the Sydney-based artist. "I'd thought about doing a colouring book, before it was a trend... but then never really pursued it. Then, yeah, the publisher said it was kind of a trend and they told me some stats... and I was kinda surprised. But it's pretty cool that everyone's getting back into it, instead of looking at your Facebook and all that — do something productive and relax." 

The idea for Mulga's Magical Colouring Book sprung from Moore's current work on a children's book, due out early next year. "My art's kind of perfect for colouring in because I use a lot of detailed black lines," Moore adds. The book features 80 pages of bearded wonders, hipster gorillas and other animals with attitude.  

"I definitely think it's good for ya! It's not bad for ya!"

The trend seems like it's at its peak at the moment — on the Angus & Robertson bestseller list, for example, six of the 14 titles listed are colouring books. On Bookdepository.com, they take up ten of the top 20 current bestsellers. Unlike children's colouring books, the adult variety features extremely intricate line drawings and patterns — forests, mandalas and nature scenes are popular themes; although an official Game Of Thrones colouring book does exist, as does an Indie Rock Coloring Book (which has been endorsed by bands and gives its proceeds to charity), and there'll be a Vogue Coloring Book out in November — and are marketed with descriptions such as "promoting mindfulness", "relaxing" and "anti-stress". According to an article in Sydney Morning Herald, companies like ANZ Bank, Wesfarmers and Bupa are handing out colouring books to their employees in a bid to foster mental health. The professional opinion of the mental health benefits of colouring in differs from expert to expert, but the consensus seems to be that, at the very least, focusing on the details of a simple task obviously allows you to zone out.

"I would say it's just relaxing," says Moore. "You can not think about anything else going on, and then you can just focus on [colouring] and just get into it. And at the end you can have something that you've created... that makes you kinda feel good, probably releases some kind of endorphins. So I definitely think it's good for ya! It's not bad for ya! It's probably not as good as everyone's making out — it probably is part marketing but you gotta be able to sell something I guess, so!"

For Moore personally, it isn't the colouring part of his work process that evokes calm in him. "Probably the most therapeutic part for me is doing the black lines. I do the colour then I do black lines, and you can just zone out and just get creative and put the black lines where they need to go."

"There was less time for me to create, so when I wasn't working at the office I would try to create as much as I could."

Numerous articles have tried to get to the root of the reinvigorated popularity of colouring books among non-children. Is it just that the way they're marketed allows adults to enjoy a typically juvenile hobby? Could it be that since the responsibilities of adulthood don't allow many of us the means or the time to exercise our creativity, colouring is an easy solution to fulfil that need?

Funnily enough, Moore admits that he thinks he was more productive when he worked full time in finance and did art on the side. "There was less time for me to create, so when I wasn't working at the office I would try to create as much as I could. I would draw on my lunch break — I was surprised at how much I could get done in an hour lunch break at work. I think these days as well I'm just a bit busier doing other things — you know, the business side of things... I'd rather just draw but you gotta do the other stuff too if you wanna make a living from it."

It sounds like the Mulga brand has been well and truly established. Moore had his first art show in a Cronulla gallery in 2012, selling t-shirts and artworks, and then after a bit more than a year of doing markets he took up art full time in March 2014. Since then, he's done work for companies including Phoenix Cola, Oporto, Mambo and Virgin Mobile. "It hasn't been too long; I've just been pushing it hard, taking more opportunities that came along and trying to do my best. Saying yes too many times can be a challenge." 

Indeed, Moore's schedule seems incredibly full. After live-painting at Splendour In The Grass, he's been preparing for his colouring book to drop in stores (he's already sold almost 200 copies on his website within a week), and doing press — even appearing on triple j Mornings to do a Take 5: five songs that colour outside the lines. "That was amazing! I listen to triple j all the time and Zan Rowe, she's like one of my favourite presenters, and getting to meet her and do a Take 5 is a pretty amazing thing to do... Still buzzing from that!" Moore gushes.