How to Get BETTER at COLORING! 7 Easy Tips you NEED to Try

Today I’ll give you 7 simple tips you may apply to make YOUR coloring pages better.

It’s not about the brand of pencils you use, and these techniques can work for ANY budget.

Check out the video below to see these tips in action and then keep scrolling to read how your coloring pages can get an instant boost.

Learn How to Blend and Shade with Colored Pencils

I really enjoy sketching gradients, as you may have seen if you’ve been following my videos and blog for a while. Gradients are something I draw A LOT, and all this experience has made me feel quite confident when I approach my coloring pages. When you’re just starting out, learning to mix colored pencils or add simple shading might seem like a fairly frightening process, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.

So let’s start with a rather easy approach that you can implement.

To color something green, use two green pencils rather than just one. Look for two shades of green, one darker or lighter than the other, but comparable in tone. We want them both to have the same fundamental hue, so they match extremely nicely; we don’t want a green that is more yellow or a green that is more blue. 

Later on, you can get adventurous with mixing some different colors, but for now, let’s start with the basics! And don’t panic if you can’t find the perfect match, the important thing is to have a go and get a feel for how it looks. With practice, this process will give you the confidence to go with what feels and looks right.

Once you’ve selected your colors, we’ll layer them to create a blending effect. A sharp pencil will always be simpler to work with, and this is true for any brand of pencil, wax, or oil.

Overland your colors with light pressure where they need to blend together, releasing pressure as one color approaches another. When you believe you have a smooth blend, add more layers and apply a bit more pressure. Because this will vary depending on your pencils, your technique, and your paper, there is no ideal number of layers. Find what works for you by experimenting as long as necessary.

This is the fundamental technique I employ for all of my gradients, shadows, and coloring page areas where I don’t want a single, flat color. The quickest and simplest approach to improve your coloring is to just add a second color, which instantly gives your coloring page extra dimension.

I have a ton of videos that can help you with this. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, you can progress to more complex shading methods. Here are some links to blending-related articles and videos that might aid in your skill development.

The foundation for practically everything you can envision with pencils is simple blending and shading. from sophisticated lighting to skin tones, shadows, and even 3D effects. Learning the fundamentals of shading and how to combine two colors in a straightforward gradient is the first step in the entire process.

So, if there’s one thing you should practice nonstop, it’s this. Which, with my second advice, is considerably simpler to do.

Learn How to Hold & Use your Pencils

So, what’s the right way to hold a pencil?

There is no RIGHT method, that much is true! You can alter the pressure, movement angle, and more by using different pencil grips. The best grip for light layers of color will be different than a grip for drawing straight lines or precise line details.

Pencils are a tool, therefore use them as you choose to make art with them. Let’s go through several strategies that can help you produce greater outcomes without suffering long-term harm because there are certain fundamental pencil-holding techniques that are simpler than others.

You’ll have greater control and pressure for little details if you hold your pencil closer to the tip. Holding it upright will enable the pencil to enter the paper’s grooves and scrape off the white. However, keep in mind that this won’t mix or color vast backgrounds as effectively.

It is considerably simpler to apply lighter layers of pressure by holding your pencil farther back. By holding it at an angle, you may avoid drawing sharp lines by using the pencil’s side rather than its point. Although it provides less control, this works well for painting huge areas and mixing colors.

Between these two extremes, there are a plethora of ways to hold a pencil; explore and discover the one that suits you best. Depending on the project I’m working on, I frequently alter my strategy.

Another tip to reduce the lines is to work in small circles rather than in straight lines. I do this in most of my coloring, although sometimes my circles are so small that you can’t even tell. And if you’ve already colored an area with straight lines, try changing the direction of your lines on your next layer, something you can see me demonstrate in the video above.

Mix your Media

Try using pencils and markers together rather than just one at a time! This is optional, but it’s a great way to exercise your imagination.

I enjoy using pencils, although it may take a while to fill in huge spaces, particularly if you are attempting to cover every last trace of the white from the paper underneath. Beginning with a layer of marker, pastel, or even watercolor will hasten the process, get rid of all the white, and even make your colors seem brighter overall.

If you’re using inexpensive paper, markers can be a terrific shortcut, but they can bleed through the page. If you do decide to try watercolors, be sure to pick paper that can withstand the added wetness.

Upgrade your Paper

The realization that improving my paper had a greater impact than improving my pencils is perhaps the lesson from the last year that startled me the most. In fact, I’m rather certain that I have previously claimed that paper was irrelevant.

I take it back

Although employing the appropriate equipment can give you an advantage and make your creative journey smoother and more fun as you grow, using inexpensive resources won’t necessarily hold you back. They can help you focus more on the skills and less on the tools, alleviating some of the difficulties you might be experiencing as a beginner. It’s like chopping down a tree with a dull axe; you’ll get there eventually, but it won’t be enjoyable! If you have the money to buy the necessary tools, don’t add additional labor to your plate.

An excellent artist can make art from ANYTHING. After I completed my 50k Crayola Cheap Pencil Challenge, I was forced to respond to several comments that claimed my film demonstrated how excellent Crayola pencils were when, in reality, I spent the majority of the movie discussing how challenging the process was in comparison to so many other brands I’ve used!

And sure, I enjoy spending money on a quality pair of pencils, but these days there are so many excellent budget-friendly options that you don’t need to wait until you can purchase Prismacolor or Polychromos pencils to start creating art. Since I now know what I know, though, I would really update my paper before my pencils, not the other way around.

You don’t have to buy a particularly expensive brand of paper. There are various more reasonably priced papers that may be printed on that work well with colored pencils. For the majority of my printed coloring sheets, I personally prefer Neenah Bristol Vellum, while Springhill Bristol Vellum is also a common choice.

And if you’re coloring in a book instead of with printables, just work with what you’ve got. It’s not a dealbreaker.

If you’re ever interested in the pencils I like, the paper I use, or even the tech equipment I use in our videos, it’s all HERE. I’ve also established a new page on my website where you can view all my current favorite materials and suggestions in one location.

Add Highlights to Your Coloring Pages

This trick is one that I use all the time, and it’s one of my favorite parts of coloring.

A white paint pen or gel pen is a necessity for any colorist. They are ideal for adding finishing touches to coloring pages, such as glitter or reflections on water, patterns, eyes, and just about everywhere else.

And previously, I primarily used gel pens. But more recently, I’ve discovered that a fine-point acrylic paint pen is more reliable and easier to use. They don’t skip like gel pens, and as long as you don’t load the barrel with an excessive amount of paint, they should not cause a mess. Not to add, I adore the fact that you can get them in a variety of colors, however I adore my white the most.

Practice!

The practice has been the main factor in my art’s improvement over the past 12 months.

Imagination is a muscle. It gets bigger the more you use it. Even if you don’t sketch every day, developing a routine might help you improve your abilities far more quickly than simply following tutorials.

But don’t just do the same thing over and over. Instead, take every opportunity you can to challenge yourself and try something new. 

This is my seventh tip because it is so crucial to the creative process.

Take Risks

My biggest growth has happened when I’ve taken the biggest risks with my art.

And we’re not talking about life or death here; the worst-case scenario is usually that you finish up with an awful coloring sheet and a new skill. I rate that as a victory!

Don’t be scared to use your expensive materials or mutilate your prized books. Take a chance and try them. Only then will your imagination have a chance to truly take off, and you never know what you’ll surprise yourself with in a few months or a year.

I wish I had developed my ability to take chances earlier in life. I was prevented from doing a lot of things by my fear of failing, and as a result, my work has progressed more recently than it has during the previous ten years. 

In the following video, which is a must-watch for all artists, I discuss this and some of the other things I wish I had known as a beginning artist. I do hope you like it!

These 7 suggestions are a great place to start your creative practice, whether you’re new to coloring or searching for ways to enhance your coloring methods. Make sure to follow me on YouTube and sign up for my newsletter if you’re seeking additional tips and tricks to help you. You won’t ever miss a chance to accompany me on my artistic path that way!