Tips and Techniques

Use these Tips and Techniques to experiment with Coloring Pages. Release your Creativity!

Try Different Surfaces

Here are some Tips and Techniques for creating interesting effects by using different materials on which to color. The texture and weight of different types of paper and other surfaces create interesting effects.

For instance there's no reason why you have to print your pages on plain white computer paper. There's nothing wrong with that, but why not try other papers, such as Drawing Paper from an art store. It comes in different weights and has a different texture that is ideal for colored pencils and other dry media. The medium and heavy weights stand up well to markers.

You can also try paper that has a slightly rough surface. Besides creating interesting textured effects with crayon and colored pencil, it is suitable for wet media such as watercolor and colored ink.

You can even transfer a design to canvas board or any other hard surface by tracing over a piece of carbon paper.

Try Different Media

Here are some Tips and Techniques for creating interesting effects by using different media or mixed media.

Colored Pencils are excellent for Coloring Pages that are full of intricate design, such as my Advanced Coloring Pages, Fantasy Coloring Pages, Surrealistic Coloring Pages, Art Nouveau Coloring Pages, Mandala Coloring Pages, Abstract Coloring Pages and Geometric Coloring Pages. The lead is hard enough to maintain a sharp point for finely detailed work.

You can also achieve beautiful and complex colors by lightly layering one on top of the other. If you then apply a final layer of white, cream or use a colorless wax pencil these will blend very nicely. Try this technique on fairy and butterfly wings or to create a nice sunset effect.

My favorite colored pencils are made by Prismacolor. They have a very large assortment of colors.

A word of caution - very young children can be frustrated by colored pencils as they are more difficult to hold in small inexperienced fingers and it takes a long time to fill a space with color. They also require frequent sharpening.

Crayons are not just for kids! Behold the many colors available! I must confess I get a little excited when I see a box of 100+ crayons!

For very small children the Jumbo Crayons and large three-sided crayons are perfect for their little hands. They can even color successfully by holding them in a fist!

Older kids will appreciate the varied colors of the largest boxes of regular crayons. Check out the specialty crayons such as Glitter, Neon and the many different shades of flesh-tone.

An interesting technique is to lay down a rainbow of bright colors in a coloring space, such as a sky or the wing of a bird and then cover it with a layer of very dark color such as deep purple or black. Then use the tip of a rounded toothpick or other stylus-type tool to create a design on the dark layer. As it is scraped away the rainbow colors shine through. This is beautiful with intricate designs such as the feathers of a crow or to create an Aurora effect in a night sky.

Markers are very flexible and satisfy all ages. The fine tip markers are beloved by older kids who love to create intricate patterns and color highly detailed pictures. The wide tip markers fit nicely into little hands and cover large areas quickly and smoothly. A combination of both should be made available.

There is also a wide array of color choices. You can purchase a good selection of thin-line markers at very low prices in pharmacies and 99 Cent stores. That's good because they do tend to run out rather quickly compared to crayons and colored pencils! Art stores have a fantastic array of colors in both thick and thin line.

Always purchase the washable markers because inevitably someone will get a mark on their clothes!

Paint is not a media I would suggest for the younger children as its fluidity makes it more difficult to control. Older children enjoy using opaque paints (such as poster paint and acrylics) on pictures with well-defined borders between coloring spaces. Pop Art Coloring Pages, Pierrot Coloring Pages, Abstract Coloring Pages and Geometric Coloring Pages are suitable for this medium. Heavy duty watercolor paper or canvas board should be used.

Click here for an article on color, including a useful artists' tool, the Coloring Wheel.
Click here for links to Free Art Lessons on the web!

Tips and Techniques for Mixed Media and Unusual Materials

Here are some tips and techniques that are a little out-of-the-ordinary.

Mix wet and dry! Create an interesting effect by mixing watercolor or marker with crayon. As you color wide spaces with crayon don't bother to make the color completely solid. Then go over it with watercolor or a marker in a complimentary color. The waxy surface of the crayon repels the wet color and the wet color fills in the spaces. Try it! (Use an appropriately heavy paper!)

Crushed Rock? Yes, crushed rock! Or colored sand! Bags of these can be purchased at a craft store. Also needed is thin cord, usually black but gold and other colors are available. Try this with a Geometric or Pop Art Coloring Page. Use carbon paper to transfer the design onto a hard surface such as canvas board. Use glue with a thin tip to glue the cord along all of the borders. When dry, fill one of the coloring spaces with a layer of glue. Sprinkle in colored sand or crushed colored rock. Fill each of the other coloring spaces in the same way. Let dry. Lift upright so that the loose particles fall off. Add more if needed.

Digital Coloring! The possibilities to explore with color really expand with digital coloring. You can try as many different color combinations (even textures) as you desire; save the ones you like; delete the ones you don't; and even turn your finished artwork into prints! Here is a great tutorial on how to use a computer as a coloring medium;

Learn how to use Digital Coloring!

That's All For Now!

Well, that's all the Tips and Techniques I have for now! Check back from time to time and I'll add more! Have fun!

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