Wondering if colouring books is wasteful

[Dreamymoon]

I do this for a hobby but I’m thinking about how useless it is after I’ve coloured. I don’t have skill in colouring so I do those “colour by number” books. I can’t decorate my room with them or donate them. Once they are done all they do is take up space. I enjoy it, sure but what is the purpose afterwards. They cost so much too and the supplies as well.
I can’t paint either or draw to sell anything

[CosmicWonder]

You can do something useful and have fun.

However in my experience it’s more wasteful to not have fun. So my advice would be let it go, shift your perspective on it and have fun.

Much kindness,

CW

[Miss Hepburn]

If it feels good, gives you pleasure ...harms no one....I see no issue.
Enjoy it, I say.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Dreamymoon

I do this for a hobby but I’m thinking about how useless it is after I’ve coloured.

What a wonderful 'fun' way to practise 'Mindfulness' Enjoy......

[hallow]

Coloring books can be very good at relieving stress. For that brief time all the problems of the world goes away. Any creative outlet can be even meditative. And you have something physical to show for it.

[FairyCrystal]

Originally Posted by Dreamymoon

I do this for a hobby but I’m thinking about how useless it is after I’ve coloured. I don’t have skill in colouring so I do those “colour by number” books. I can’t decorate my room with them or donate them.

If it brings you joy then that is the purpose :)
Does it matter if it costs some money? Most hobbies do. If your hobby is to ride a horse that costs a bomb. Can you effectively do something with that? Not really. A hobby is not about any other purpose than bringing you joy.

I paint for instance. Rarely sell anything. It costs me money: proper quality canvas, brushes, paints, medium etc. If I'd ask the same question you do I might as well stop, and with that cut off my own pleasure & joy in painting.
The same with reading cards. I spent a bomb on decks. Doesn't make me money, rarely does. But I like reading cards regardless, and occasionally getting in new decks.

[lostsoul13]

Best things in life are wasteful, sleeping plain au chocolat , cakes and smoking lol

[RedEmbers]

Part of the hobby could even include finding something useful and fun to do with your picture's once you have finished them.

My kid likes it when I write a letter to him on the back of mine :-)



Sometimes I use them as part of my journal as I find visual journals very useful for my mental processing.


Just a couple of thoughts.

[FairyCrystal]

Originally Posted by RedEmbers

Part of the hobby could even include finding something useful and fun to do with your picture's once you have finished them.

My kid likes it when I write a letter to him on the back of mine :-)



Sometimes I use them as part of my journal as I find visual journals very useful for my mental processing.


Just a couple of thoughts.

That's a cool thing to do!
I still have all the drawings and paintings on paper I once made (think about 30 yrs ago). At the time I made a hardboard folder to store them in so they wouldn't get damaged. Just pieces from a cardboard box that I decorated. Now it sits upstairs and sometimes I go through everything that's in there and I enjoy it tremendously!
So even if you don't do anything in particular with it, other than storing them, it's still a treasure!

OT - There's also no reason why you shouldn't put your work up. Just buy frames at the dollar store or the like and dedicate a wall to them. Put all the frames up like a collage. Enjoy it :)
ANd bear in mind that most of the now great masters weren't considered great at all when they were still alive. It's not what others would say and think, but how you feel about it.

[Dreamymoon]

I just don’t know if it is a good idea as it leaves a mess of stuff