Patricia Mok

Colouring brings out another side of me.

I’m known to many as being constantly active and always on-the-go, looking for things to do, looking for new things to try. So one day, I came across my niece’s colouring book, and that piqued my interest. In June 2015, I discovered adult colouring books and was hooked ever since.

By nature, I’m a very colourful person. I’m bubbly, loud, bright and outgoing. Colouring brings out another side of me. It brings out my quieter side; I sit patiently and I’m in my calm zone to do my colouring. This is one side of me that the general public wouldn’t be used to. A quiet Pat Mok!

That’s not to say my colouring is quiet and sombre though. My colouring is representative of my personality. I’m not a very moody person; during the rare times that I feel sad or unhappy, I can control my emotions well. When people see me, I’m usually a very happy person. I like bringing cheer to a room.

Colouring is so fun to me. I get to use all sorts of colours and combinations and create my own crazy final drawing. Colouring brings out the best in me; it brings me to a state where I’m focused and serious. When I’m colouring, I’m very detailed. I even remove my contact lenses and go up really closely to the book – almost with my face to the page! You know about some others, when they colour, they leave small little white empty spaces – I really can’t stand that. I’m a perfectionist; I will not leave any white mark or let any colours go out of line. Colouring brings out that level of finesse in me.

As with doing other things, when I am colouring, I will get bored easily. That’s why my colouring book is not completed. I seldom complete one page in one day. Usually I colour for awhile, then I’ll move on to something else. However, when I want to complete something, I put my heart and soul to it and I will finish it. For instance, I recently finished one page of my colouring book in one sitting, because I told myself I must finish it. Colouring allows me to show myself that when I set goals for myself, I know I am able to attain them, regardless of how difficult they are.

Whenever I love something, I always like to tell others that I love it. So many people know that I’m very passionate about colouring, because I share photos of my colouring everywhere – on Instagram, on Facebook. When people ask me about colouring, I always ask them to try colouring out for themselves. They always tell me, ““Huh? Buy the book – don’t know how to colour!”

My answer to them is “Just colour lor. Seriously, you don’t need talent to colour.” Honestly, you don’t need much talent when it comes to colouring. For drawing, maybe you need talent and skills, but colouring can be for everyone. But they tell me, “I don’t know how to make this colour!” And I always have to tell them that you are what you colour. After trying out colouring for awhile, after you colour for a few more pages, you will start to learn, you will start to play with it. If not there’s always Youtube to help you learn!

This is why I love colouring so much. Colouring really helps you to express yourself and your creativity. Colouring is free, colouring is fun, colouring creates something for me to show at the end of the day, and it makes me really happy. The vibrant swirls and bright hues bring me through a journey, and at the end of it, I am left feeling the better for it. So why not try colouring? It might spark something in you as well, just like it did for me.
Patricia Mok