Coloring books designed specifically for adults have become very popular in recent years. Unlike children’s coloring books, adult coloring books contain intricate patterns, mandalas, nature scenes, and other complex designs meant to engage and relax the mind. Coloring is a creative outlet that allows adults to de-stress, focus, and tap into their inner artist. But what do adults use to color these intricate books? There are a few main options when it comes to coloring tools for adult coloring books.
Colored Pencils
Colored pencils are one of the most popular tools for adult coloring. They come in a wide range of hues, tints, and shades to allow for subtle blending and gradient effects. Colored pencils can range from student grade to professional artist grade. Some key advantages of colored pencils include:
- Control – Pencils allow you to sharpen to a fine point for detail work or use a duller point for broader filling and blending.
- Layering – You can layer and blend colors by applying light to heavy pressure.
- Portability – Pencils and a small sharpener are easy to take on the go.
Higher quality pencils offer smooth application, rich pigments, and waxes that help the colors glide across the paper. Popular colored pencil brands used by adult coloring enthusiasts include Prismacolor, Faber-Castell, and Derwent. Sets are available in a wide range of sizes from 12 to 150+ pencils. Some people prefer certain colors for specific effects like greens for leaves or pinks for flowers. Ultimately the pencil colors you choose may depend on your subject matter preferences.
Colored Pens
For bolder lines and solid areas of color, many adult colorists use colored pens. These contain vivid ink pigments that don’t require pressure for opacity. Popular styles of pens include:
- Markers – Broad tip markers allow you to fill larger areas quickly. Fine tip markers are great for details.
- Gel pens – Gel ink flows smoothly and dries quickly. Gel pens come in metallic, glitter, neon, pastel, and standard colors.
- Brush pens – The flexible tip allows effects similar to a paint brush.
Markers and gel pens typically come in sets with a range of colors. Alcohol-based markers like Copics allow you to layer and blend colors for gradient effects. Colored pens offer vibrant results but less control than pencils for shading and blending.
Watercolor Pencils
Watercolor pencils combine the control of regular colored pencils with the soft, flowing effects of watercolors. They can be used dry for sharper lines or wet for painterly results. Some tips for using watercolor pencils:
- Lightly sketch out your design in regular graphite pencil first.
- Apply watercolor pencil colors dry first, then use a wet brush to activate and blend the pigments.
- Use textured paper like cold press watercolor paper to allow colors to pool in the grooves.
The amount of water you apply affects the intensity and spread of the colors. Popular brands include Faber-Castell, Derwent, and Caran d’Ache. Watercolor pencils allow you to start lightly and build up deeper shades for a luminous look.
Gel Pens vs. Colored Pencils
How do gel pens compare to colored pencils for adult coloring? Here is an overview of the pros and cons:
| Gel Pens | Colored Pencils |
|---|---|
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Overall, gel pens deliver striking and uniform color with less effort, while colored pencils allow for nuanced effects and painterly texture through layering. Heavy-handed colorists or those seeking bold comic book style colors may favor gel pens, while delicate shaders and blender will appreciate colored pencils. Some colorists even use both!
Fine Tip vs. Ultra Fine Tip Markers
Markers come in a range of tip sizes for different effects. Fine tip and ultra fine tip markers are commonly used for adult coloring books. Here’s how they compare:
| Fine Tip Markers | Ultra Fine Tip Markers |
|---|---|
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Fine tips offer more control than broad tips and allow decent detail capabilities. Ultra fine tips are extremely precise for tiny areas or line art, but may take longer to fill spaces. Try starting with fine tips and supplementing with ultra fines for the tiniest details.
Paper Quality
The paper you choose for your coloring books can have a big impact on the end result. High quality paper allows for smoother application and better blending. Here are some key factors to consider:
- Texture – Smooth paper is good for markers, while textured paper allows pencils to layer in grooves.
- Tooth – More tooth or roughness allows pencils and pastels to grab onto the paper.
- Weight – Heavier paper around 100-140 lbs is best to prevent bleeding and allow for erasing.
- Coating – Uncoated paper soaks up more pigment, while coated resists moisture.
Ideally, look for acid free paper made from good quality wood pulp or cotton. Strathmore, Canson, and Artist’s Loft make excellent coloring papers and pads for adults. You can also find books printed on deluxe paper. Consider paper suited to your coloring
medium whether markers, gel pens, or colored pencils.
Ergonomic Coloring Tools
For comfortable and easy coloring, look for these ergonomic features:
- Pencils – Try large diameter or triangle pencils which reduce grip fatigue.
- Pens – Look for padded, contoured grips on gel pens for comfort and control.
- Pencil Sharpeners – Electric or battery operated sharpeners are fast with less strain on the wrist.
- Blenders – Colorless blenders allow you to seamlessly mix colored pencil pigments.
- Erasers – Soft, kneaded erasers gently lift graphite and color from the paper’s surface.
Using good posture and taking breaks can also prevent discomfort. Coloring tools designed to fit the hand comfortably can help reduce pain or cramps during longer coloring sessions.
Alcohol-Based vs. Water-Based Markers
Markers for adult coloring come in two main types – alcohol-based and water-based. Here’s how they compare:
| Alcohol-Based Markers | Water-Based Markers |
|---|---|
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Alcohol markers create vivid effects, but give off some fumes. Water-based markers are safer and gentle, but have less intense hues. For blending and mixing colors on the page, alcohol-based markers tend to work best. But water-based markers are a good option for kids or use in spaces where fumes are a concern.
Solvent-Based vs. Water-Based Colored Pencils
Within colored pencils, there are also solvent-based and water-based types.
| Solvent-Based Pencils | Water-Based Pencils |
|---|---|
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Solvent pencils use an oil-based binder that allows colors to glide on and lift for blending. Water-based pencil pigments are bound with gum arabic or cellulose. They create drier, papery effects perfect for botanical and nature illustrations. Solvent pencils offer vibrant blendability while water-pencils provide stability.
Metallic, Glitter, and Iridescent Tools
For special coloring effects, look for:
- Metallic – Gold, silver, bronze, and more
- Glitter – Multi-faceted bits of plastic for sparkling color
- Iridescent – Shifts color based on light and angle
- Neon – Vibrant, intense fluorescent colors
These finishes can be found among most coloring tool types – colored pencils, pens, and markers. Metallics and iridescents create shine, while glitter offers a dazzling, dimensional effect. Neon colors pop and seem to glow on the page. Use accents of these colors strategically rather than all over for best results.
Choosing a Color Palette
With so many coloring tools and hues available, it helps to narrow down a color palette before starting a new coloring book page. Here are some tips:
- Analyze the existing colors – Does the original drawing suggest a cool vs. warm scheme?
- Limit your palette – Pick 3-5 core colors to focus the overall effect.
- Choose a dominant color – Use 60-70% of this color for impact.
- Add complementaries – These are colors opposite on the color wheel that heighten contrast.
- Include neutrals – Blacks, browns, greys, and whites to ground brighter tones.
You don’t need every pencil or marker under the sun. Carefully choosing a color strategy will make your efforts more focused and designs more cohesive. Always start with lighter colors first and slowly build to darker shades.
Blending Tools and Techniques
Blending allows you to create smooth transitions between colored sections. Here are some tools and methods for beautiful blends:
- Colorless blender pencils – These push around and mix colored pencil pigments.
- Blending stumps – Stiff paper blenders shaped for grip and control.
- Q-tips – The soft cotton tidily blends pencil, pen or marker colors.
- Baby oil – Dab on colored pencils to instantly dissolve colors for blending effects.
- Solvents – Alcohol-based markers and solvent pencils can be gently swiped with a brush for soft blends.
Always blend colors while they are still wet for the best effects. Take your time and work in small sections, fully layering and merging colors before moving on. Mastering blending makes colored sections appear more lifelike and seamless.
Incorporating Metallics and Glitter
For an extra pop of shine and shimmer, add metallics and glitter:
- Use metallic colored pencils or pens for highlights on objects like jewelry, mirrors, chrome, gold accents, etc.
- Choose glitter gel pens to make objects seem illuminated – like stars, lightbulbs, glowing screens, etc.
- Apply glitter paint with a small brush for sparkling textures like water, glass, snow, fairy dust, unicorn horns, etc.
- Lightly run clear glue over areas then sprinkle color glitter for dimensional sparkle.
Use metallics and glitters thoughtfully as accents. For example, add some glitter to a Christmas tree ornament or make a night sky sparkle with touches of glitter pen. Don’t overdo it, as pages can become visually busy and non-cohesive. Careful metallic and glitter details provide the perfect finishing touch.
Clear Gesso Paint Primer
For coloring books printed on dark paper, clear gesso paint provides a smooth primer:
- Brush thin layers of clear gesso over the area to build a prep layer.
- Let each coat fully dry before adding the next. Lightly sand between coats.
- 3-5 coats usually provides good coverage and even texture.
- Once dried, colored pencils and other mediums take beautifully to the primed surface.
Clear gesso creates tooth and prevents colors from looking dull on black paper. Any watered down acrylic medium can be used in place of actual gesso paint. This opens up dark paper to vivid, true coloring results.
Color Palette Inspiration
Stuck deciding what colors to use in a new coloring project? Here are some quick color palette ideas:
| Color Scheme | Primary Colors |
|---|---|
| Sunset | Oranges, reds, yellows, pinks, purples |
| Forest | Greens, browns, blues |
| Ocean | Blues, greens, turquoise |
| Night Sky | Blues, purples, blacks, glitter |
| Jewel Tones | Rich teals, wines, rubies, emeralds |
| Pastels | Soft pinks, yellows, sky blues |
Browse color palettes online or in nature photos for more ideas. A thoughtfully planned palette results in cohesive pages that pop!
Directional Shading
To give colored objects shape and dimension, add shading:
- Determine the direction of the light source – top left, lower right, etc.
- Use your lightest main color as a base layer across the object.
- Add slightly darker shades in the areas opposite the light direction.
- Continue building color depth toward the shadows.
- Use hard pencils for sharp transitions or soft pencils to smoothly blend the layers.
Pay attention to shadows and highlights on reference photos when applying directional shading. Color while thinking about the angles that light would hit the object to give it realistic depth and form.
1-inch Landscape Sections
Coloring intricate landscapes can seem overwhelming. Try this strategy:
- Lightly
