Are you a passionate colorist prepared to explore and advance your work? Would you like to discover the greatest tricks and methods that skilled colorists utilize when coloring for adults? Then you’ll like this educational essay, which has a ton of tips and tactics you should use with your next coloring page.
We tracked out and spoke with actual experts who volunteered their knowledge and offered helpful suggestions to help you improve your coloring abilities. Irena Herman was the subject of an excellent interview in our previous POST. And now, with the assistance of the talented colorists Luca Guidi, Kristen Lambert-Bedelis, and Lilicence H, we have put together one more article. We hope you enjoy it and learn from it.
Choosing Designs and Colors
The first, and sometimes most difficult, step is deciding what to color. It might be difficult to know where to begin because there are so many different coloring sheets available. The simplest designs, according to Luca Guidi, are those that are natural, like flowers. He began with Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden, which had several flowers, leaves, and little creatures. Mandalas and abstract shapes, according to Kristen and Lilicence, would be ideal for novices since “they’re not meant to be realistic, and so there is no pressure to make them look like anything; just add any color anywhere and relax.”
Some people always plan ahead when picking colors, while others make decisions as they go. When Lilicence develops a hankering for a particular hue, “like yellow-orange, I’ll look through my coloring books for a page that’ll suit that hue,” she said. She graciously provided links to two websites where you may choose color schemes: https://www.design-seeds.com/by-color/ and http://colorpalettes.net/. Examining the references or works of art created by other colorists also shows itself to be beneficial and encouraging.
In conclusion, start with something straightforward, like mandalas or abstract forms, that doesn’t have to seem realistic and will let you rely on your creativity. If you’re unsure of what colors to use, simply go online and look at some of the pre-made color schemes that are available.
Choosing the Right Tools
The appropriate tools must be chosen, but when it comes to adult coloring, “right” simply refers to what feels good for YOU. Because of their adaptability, colored pencils are preferred by the majority of colorists we spoke with. Whatever the paper, Lilicence always uses a different brand. Polychromos pencils are her go-to choice. She also suggests alcohol markers and Zig Watercolor brush pens. A foundation layer of a marker can sometimes help speed up the process and color the paper’s teeth so that you don’t see the white specks where the pencil didn’t reach.
Kristen prefers Faber Castell Polychromos, Staedtler Triplus fine liners, and Prismacolor black pencil (for added depth).
In conclusion, we advise beginning with colored pencils. To determine which brands perform best with your preferred paper, try out a few. To expedite the process and avoid white spots where your pencils missed, use watercolors or markers.
Getting Ready and Inspired
In order to be creative, one must be inspired. It’s crucial to identify your source of inspiration. Again, there is neither right nor wrong. Luca advises constantly keeping an open mind and drawing inspiration from everything, including literature, people, nature, music, and other people’s artwork. When Lilicence creates, she is frequently influenced by the surroundings and the colors she sees: “When it’s spring instead of winter, what I’ll be drawn to is different.” Kristen gets inspiration from other colorists and their successes on Facebook and Instagram.
Overall, there is no such thing as an incorrect source of inspiration. Literally, it could be anything. Use this inspiration to produce lovely pieces of art, whether it’s a song, a billboard, or a TV show that gets you in the mood to color.
More Practical Tips for Beginners
Here are some pointers to assist you in learning more about coloring. Luca advises using various mediums and approaches, being creative, and occasionally stepping beyond your comfort zone. He also thinks it’s critical to share information with others and solicit their feedback.
Lilicence stated that looking for examples of what you want to color with a simple Google image search is quite beneficial. Although she spends a lot of time blending colors and working on shadows, she finds that using references makes the process much simpler. In Kristen’s opinion, it’s important to spend money on high-quality pencils that generate more vivid colors than inexpensive ones and to begin by coloring simple designs before moving on to more intricate ones. That will boost your self-assurance.
In conclusion, pick coloring books and pages that speak to you and genuinely spark your creativity. Get as many high-quality coloring supplies as you can. Make color and style decisions using images as references.
Creating Realistic Artworks
While some colorists like abstract designs, others genuinely go for realism. This section is for you if you want to discover some excellent advice for producing realistic artwork!
For those who use pencils to color, Kristen advises using a light hand, coloring in tiny circles (so you can’t see lines), and beginning with light tones of a hue and working your way up to deeper colors. Luca stated that he uses bright and dark contrast to add volume. The key is in the shadows, according to Licence: “not just a hard shadow around every edge, though that is a cool illustrative effect, but soft gradients of shadows to denote where there is less light due to the shape.”
Summing it up: try experimenting with shadows and work on the contrast between light and dark shades.
Working on Hair and Skin Tones
The trickiest sections of a coloring page are often the hair and skin. However, it does not imply that you should give up on them. You’ll be able to master the art of coloring hair and skin with ease if you follow these fantastic ideas from our professionals.
Start by searching the internet for reference photos, as suggested by the license. Making use of references will definitely improve your comprehension of shadows and highlights. Don’t forget to color more delicately when adding a face to your design as opposed to other areas of it. Lilicence concurs that managing hair is quite difficult. She often begins with light or dark strokes. To emphasize shadows, remember to alternate between light and strong pressure. With rhythmic strokes, add layers.
You may also try adding the dark and light colors first, then using mid-tones to fill in the spaces. Use a variety of colored pencils, even just for your skin or hair, without fear.
To create realistic effects, employ as many shades of the same hue as you can in between bright and dark strokes while researching and studying relevant materials.
Background Tips
It’s okay if you don’t want to add a backdrop or just prefer to leave the area white. But if you’re willing to try new things and make your artwork stand out, you’re going to appreciate these fantastic suggestions.
For some colorists, the backdrop serves as the true focal point of the piece. It’s both extremely creative and daunting to color backgrounds. Most individuals just fear doing their task justice. For a change, try starting with a backdrop. Making it hazy is the simplest method. Lilicence particularly likes to combine and merge various colors. Since watercolor pencils dry considerably faster than ordinary pencils, Kristen advises trying them for backgrounds.
For inspiration, you should unquestionably look at the references. As you gain experience, you’ll be able to explore more and maybe even add unique background components like butterflies, flowers, or gel pen dots. Simply fill up the damaged areas of your artwork with black acrylic paint if you feel like you accidentally wrecked it.
To summarize, look for references, start off simply with hazy backgrounds, then try watercolor pencils to speed up the process.
Best Techniques You Need to Try
Expert colorists are knowledgeable about a wide range of methods that enable them to advance their craft. Are you prepared to develop these skills as well?
The fundamentals include layering, shading, and blending. Lilicence blends the edges using softer pencils while stacking tougher pencils. She may occasionally lightly smear a touch of a light watercolor in the same hue on top. For even greater contrast, you may also use a black color on the edges. Use watercolors and various brushes to apply them to huge portions or backdrops if you want to. Try several things and observe which one has the desired outcome. It’s a clever and unique idea to try using a sponge. Kristen said that she enjoys the pointillism approach, in which she gradually layers black dots to create depth.
In conclusion, start with fundamental methods like mixing, sharing, and layering. Once you’ve mastered them, try them with various brushes and paints.
