Everything You Need to Know About Coloring on National Coloring Day 2023

As the vibrant hues of summer begin to fade, we eagerly awaits the arrival of National Coloring Day 2023 on September 14th. This annual celebration of creativity and imagination ignites the hearts of both young and old, transcending generations as we pick up our pencils, markers, and crayons to embrace the simple joy of coloring.

From intricate mandalas to whimsical landscapes, the blank pages become our canvas, allowing us to unleash our artistic expressions and rediscover the delight of a timeless childhood pastime. So, on this wondrous day, let us come together to explore the power of colors, unlocking a world of possibilities and embracing the therapeutic embrace of art on National Coloring Day.

What Is National Coloring Day?

Many of us may be unfamiliar with National Coloring Day, a special day to celebrate coloring. September 14 is universally recognized as National Coloring Day, when people can take a moment to relax, breathe, and color away. 

Exotic Blooms Coloring Book

This day was first instituted in 2015 by Jace Shoemaker-Galloway, also known as the Queen of Holidays. In her words, this day is all about “adding a splash of color to your life.”

This is not to be confused with National Coloring Book Day in August, which focuses specifically on coloring books.

National Coloring Day encompasses the whole world of color, ranging from different coloring mediums to all the different ways colorists and artists find to celebrate color, whether through watercoloring, coloring with alcohol markers, or shading with coloring pencils.

Watercolor Coloring Book

Is Coloring Still Popular?

This may come as a surprise to anyone who hasn’t enjoyed the process of coloring since childhood, but coloring has increasingly been an enjoyable experience for many adults—both professional artists and those who have taken on coloring as a hobby. With the wide range of opportunities for artists to find coloring mediums and online coloring tutorials, coloring has increasingly become accessible for many in recent years. Especially with the onset of new adult coloring books, coloring has quickly become an activity that many adults enjoy in their free time.

READ: Watercoloring Tips – Using Negative Space for Watercoloring Light Flowers

Benefits of Coloring

Are you feeling anxious, having trouble sleeping, or experiencing difficulty with focusing or organizing your brain?

According to WebMD, coloring affords numerous physical and mental benefits for people of any age. While coloring, a person stays completely focused on the simple task in front of them. This induces them into a meditative state, which relaxes their brain, and thus, improves brain function. Furthermore, the act of coloring strengthens hand-eye coordination and motor skills, skills that are not honed through excessive scrolling on electronics or other common activities.

A number of health professionals cite coloring as a helpful activity to delay the onset of dementia. In addition, coloring can improve focus level and reduce anxiety in adults. Engaging in coloring before bedtime also makes it easier to fall asleep and enjoy a restful sleep at night. 

Artists' Watercolor Brushes - Round

According to National Today, “The activity of coloring is both creative and repetitive, allowing your mind to get absorbed in what you're doing and let some of those high-level cognitive functions take a break. Coloring is also wordless, which lets your linguistic processes take a breather, too.”

Knowing all this about coloring, the decision to begin coloring appears to be a simple one—just do it! 

 Watercolor 36 Pan Set

How to Celebrate National Coloring Day

How does one celebrate National Coloring Day?

Well, this is pretty intuitive—what better way to celebrate a day all about color than by coloring? Take out your favorite coloring mediums, or better yet, treat yourself to some new coloring supplies.

Choose your favorite color tones and enjoy coloring away on a coloring book, a blank page, a handmade card, a scrapbook layout, or any other mode of your choice. Every year on September 14, artists and amateurs alike should set aside some time to embrace the beauty of coloring. If you don’t know where to begin, try a free online class about coloring to get started. 

Feel free to drop by our All About Crafting page for more paper crafting inspiration, ideas, tips, and tricks!