Making Every Page Count
You've bought a beautiful coloring book. You've opened it up, flipped through the pages, and felt that spark of excitement. But then what? If you've ever felt stuck on which page to start, what colors to use, or how to make your finished pages look their best — you're not alone.
Here are five practical tips that will help you get more enjoyment out of every coloring session.
1. Invest in the Right Tools
The single biggest upgrade you can make to your coloring experience isn't a better book — it's better tools.
For detailed designs: Fine-tip markers (0.4mm) or sharp colored pencils give you the precision you need for intricate patterns. Brands like Staedtler and Prismacolor are popular for good reason.
For large areas: Broad-tip markers or soft colored pencils let you fill space quickly without hand fatigue.
For blending: If you enjoy creating gradients and depth, oil-based colored pencils blend beautifully. You can also use a colorless blender pencil for smoother transitions.
Pro tip: Start with a set of 24-36 colors. You don't need 100+ colors — a curated palette often produces more harmonious results.
2. Test Your Colors First
Before committing to a color scheme on an actual page, test your colors on a scrap piece of paper — or even on the inside back cover of your book. This lets you see how colors look next to each other, how they blend, and how they appear on the specific paper in your book.
Different papers absorb ink differently. What looks vibrant on copy paper might look muted on thicker coloring book paper, and vice versa.
3. Start With the Section That Excites You
There's no rule that says you have to start on page one and work forward. Flip through your book and start with the design that speaks to you most. When you're excited about a page, you're more likely to take your time, experiment, and actually enjoy the process.
Similarly, you don't have to finish every page in one sitting. It's perfectly fine to work on a design across multiple sessions. Some of the most satisfying results come from pages you've returned to several times.
4. Create the Right Environment
Your environment has a bigger impact on your coloring experience than you might think:
5. Don't Compare — Just Color
Social media is full of stunning coloring book completions that look like they were done by professional artists. That's fine to admire, but don't let it set your expectations.
The point of adult coloring isn't to produce gallery-worthy art. It's to relax, focus, and enjoy the process. Your page doesn't need to be Instagram-perfect to serve its purpose.
Color outside the lines. Use unexpected colors. Leave sections blank if you want to. Make it yours.
One More Thing
If you're just getting started with adult coloring, start simple. A book with clear, well-spaced designs and thick paper will give you a much better first experience than a book with paper-thin pages and microscopic details.
Find what feels right, and the rest follows.