“So the polish and the coloring both involve repetitive motion and limited space in which to work, creating a locus point around which thoughts can revolve. And here’s where the patterns are important (have I mentioned I like the patterns?), because I think there’s a comfort in the concentration detail demands, something that coloring in the vast expanse of Butterbeer Cornichon’s head doesn’t offer.”
“The patterns also remind me of labyrinths, which some people use as a sort of therapy—a calming walk through a winding path. (Labyrinths aren’t mazes; there are no dead ends, and it’s easy enough to get in and out.) Coloring in a pattern is a lot like walking a paper labyrinth. There’s nothing to trap you, there’s nothing to solve. You just wander down the path until you’re done. It feels simultaneously like repetition and progression.”