I was surprised by the response to the printable adult coloring page I posted last week. So far thousands of avid coloring fans have downloaded it and are coloring their way to happiness without stress. what I didn’t expect was all the follow-up questions about how to color the page and what tools to use.
I love to color, so I’ve put together some coloring tips, whether you’re using a coloring book or a free printable page. This guide covers helpful ideas for coloring, shading, and even embellishing your adult coloring projects.
You are reading: How to color coloring books
basic coloring tips
- turn your coloring book as you complete the page so that the direction of your pen or pencil strokes is at a comfortable angle for your wrist.
- change the angle of your stroke regularly. . this will prevent visible lines from appearing when you’re coloring in the same direction.
- It can be fun to color around the outside of designs with black lines on a coloring page so you have some elements. that aren’t just outlined in black.
- white space is your friend! try leaving a small circle of white space uncolored for the shiny look of eyes or other round objects.
- if you’re feeling more creative, use a black felt-tip pen to add your own designs on a coloring page and then color them too.
mixing tips
- if you use colored pencils, you can mix colors to create the perfect shade for what you are working on. start with a base by coloring the area lightly with one color, then use the same color to go over it again, pressing a little harder. now you can add different colors on it. experiment on a test page until you get a color you like.
- When mixing colors, remember to start with the lightest color as a base and gradually layer darker colors on top, with the darkest shade being the top coat.
- If you want your color to have a softer texture, you can use a special dry blending tool or fold a paper towel and rub it over a colored area to blend it out.
shading tips
- To make a shape look full and round, color the edges darker than the center by pressing harder on the pencil.
- It might be your instinct to use black to add shadows in a object, but no, it will look too hard. instead, use a darker version of the object you’re shading or a complementary color.
- For shadows on the ground below an object, blur some gray under the object.
- for overlapping design elements, shade the bottom shape darker to draw attention to the layering effect.
- to create reflections when using colored pencils, you can use an eraser to pick up some of the pigment and fade color.
beautification
See Also: 22 Must-Have Yoga Books for Teaching Yoga to Kids : Kumarah
You can add all kinds of things to your coloring book! Get creative and add drops of acrylic paint in metallic shades, add a layer of glitter over your art, glue on sequins, rhinestones or other flat embellishments. add absolutely anything you want. After all, this is your coloring page and no one is telling you to stay within the lines.
While you’re at it, here are more resources for coloring fans like you and me. of course all of these are inspired by my love of gardening. from organic shapes to woodland creatures, there is so much inspiration! oh, and there are also many gardens to color. These books will take you to the garden even when it’s under a blanket of snow, or when it’s blooming and buzzing and it’s the perfect place to sit and color.
Do you want more coloring? yes, you do!
See Also: Best 10 Emotional Romance Books That Will Make You Cry – A. M. Kusi Novels
get the garden therapy coloring book here! created by a gardener for lovers of gardening and nature!
Head here for more ideas on how to reuse and display your finished coloring pages, including this coaster project.
Hey, I’ve also created a free coloring page for you! you can download it here. would make a great coaster!
If your addiction is out of control, you’ll need books (see some great ones here) and more free coloring pages to download and print.
want to rock book club or girls night out? Come on, get crafty – throw an adult coloring party!
and don’t forget the essential list of coloring supplies.
See Also: Why You Should Read Lord of the Rings (Even Though it&039s a Bit of a Chore) – The Literary Phoenix