Hiya, i’m new to coloring and have been at it for about a month. I have ADHD and tend to get really into a hobby and convince myself I need the best materials to enjoy it most. Then I find a new shiny thing and the hobby goes to collect dust in my hobby closet for a few years until I find it again and it gets another cycle of obsession. I have come to terms with it that this is how I am and have embraced that ‘my hobby is hobbies’, but I also don’t want to make poor financial decisions.
HOWEVER, all that being said, I’m really really enjoying this new hobby. I’m a new-ish mom and single (she’s almost 1! Time flies!) and things have been rough because my daughter has a severe metabolic disorder that brings a lot of stress and sorrow. Coloring has really been helping me unwind, process, and keeps me from doomscrolling once she’s in bed. I also love that I can do it on the couch while watching a show, and that I can easily pick it up, do five mins of coloring for a mini dopamine boost, and then go on with my day or to do list. All of this makes me think this isn’t just a hobby but a full on mental health coping mechanism, and I hope it will stick around as a hobby this time.
I currently own two good coloring books (cocowyo Girl Moments and cocowyo Cozy Corners) which is plenty (i don’t want to have too much to choose from when picking out a new page). I also own the 60 set of the honolulu S, as well as a collection of about 30 off brand markers that have pretty colors but terrible brush markers and don’t blend well. I’m completely being influenced by colortok (on youtube Reels because i’m ancient (36 and kind of embarassed about this hobby). It’s making me feel I would have more fun or variety if I had more colors to pick from. But i’ve only had the ohuhu markers for 4 weeks so I don’t know if it’s worth investing in more, whether they last long or dry out quickly, and whether having more will really let me have more fun?
Please tell me whether or not I should expand and if so, with what set? If I expand, I want to minimize duplicates and maximize color range. I was eyeing the 48 mid tone set Honolulu B). I also hate how much more value for money you get with the bigger sets because it makes me think I should just get a big one? But do I really need it?
I bet i’m not the only one here with this problem/temptation! Please help me navigate, thank you?
Update: I cant stop laughing at these posts, y’all are a terrible influence. Literally zero of you are like ‘calm down, you’re not an artist, 60 markers is plenty’ haha. I’ve checked out the 104 set (thanks to www.ohuhu.info ) and it would give me 157 colors (actually more than if I got the 120, because fewer duplicates). It looks really good, it gives me more yellows as well as more light blues and light greens, which I’m really missing now. I don’t know about the 320, it feels so gluttonous (and perhaps overwhelming? Thats a lot of colors to pick from!). I’ll consider both and get something at the anniversary sale for my mid summer birthday! Thanks y’all for feeding my hobby hording issues 😋