When I was in the states, I dragged my friend into a toy store in my hometown simply for the novelty. I thought maybe I would find something to pick up for my nephews. While we were walking around, my friend found something right up my street and bought it for me on the spot.
I know this is sort of an unpopular opinion, but I don’t really like the adult coloring book trend. It checks a lot of boxes for what I like in a hobby – you produce something, it’s a solo activity, you can do it while watching TV. However, I have no idea why but it just isn’t my favorite thing.
Enter Paint by Sticker, a line of books that allow you to do exactly that – create a piece of art one sticker at a time. Each book comes with 12 pieces of art that you can create as well as 24 sheets of stickers (2 for each poster, give or take). Much like a paint by number, each picture is divided into shapes and labeled. There’s one sticker which matches each shape. As you put the stickers down, it’s sort of like a Magic Eye where little by little it starts to come together.
I have two of these books and have produced 3 pieces of art so far. The books are themed – travel posters, masterpieces, animals etc. You can choose which one is the most in line with your interests and aesthetics. They also have different books for kids and adults which presumably have differences in facility.
While this checks all the same boxes as adult coloring or even just regular paint by number there are a number of reasons I prefer it. You don’t need any extra materials to complete these posters – everything is right there in the book. Similarly, they aren’t messy and you can stop and pick up again at any point. The way the posters come out is to my taste in general. And finally – you get to use stickers (duh).
This is my new semi-mindless hobby. I can be as meticulous as I want but even if I make a mistake or leave a gap, it’s pretty hard to see from far away. I like how user friendly these books are. Each book has 12 posters to work on – so not as many as a typical coloring book but they do take a while to complete. Once I finish the two books I have, I absolutely plan to pick up another one – they are just that satisfying.
So – if you like the same sorts of things as I do in hobbies – I really think picking one of these books up could be for you. Grab them at local toy stores (apparently) but also on Amazon.
The Minimalist Abroad 