Don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom of the post to get a video of my tips for using colored pencils. I think they’ll come in hardy for you.

I’ve been coloring for nearly a year now! Adult coloring has been the rage for a while and I’m still in love with it. On any regular day you can find me coloring some free coloring pages or using my adult coloring books. It’s a really relaxing hobby, and I am so glad it’s one I picked up again.

Given that I’m so obsessed, I get asked some questions about it pretty frequently – and one of them is, “what are the best colored pencils?” Well, I’m here to help you!

Here are my top five picks for good colored pencils that are going to give you the results that you want. By “results” I mean great colors, easy to hold, easy to use, and don’t crumble on the page.

The great news? I’m picking them based on actual testing that I have done myself! None of these brands paid me or sent me anything for free. This is my 100% honest opinion.

Best Adult Coloring Pencils

I own all of these sets of pencils (and many more) and have tested them all. Out of the colored pencils I tried, these were the top five that I chose. Note that I prefer pencils that are wax based as opposed to oil based, so that’s what’s on the list.

These are my thoughts, and here is my ranking below from 1 – 5.

1. Crayola Twistables

(starts at $6 for a pack of 12) – my set was purchased online and has 30 colors included.

Pros: These pencils have a great color palette; no sharpening is required, you just twist! The color goes on smoothly and wax-like, somewhere in between a crayon and a pencil. I love the feel.

Cons: There are no labels on the colors! You don’t think labeling colors is important until you don’t have them – some of the colors look the same so it was hard for me to remember what I had used.

Overall: I’m pretty much in love with these pencils. I’m going to be honest – I love two big things about them: 1) how the color applies to the page and how smooth it is; and 2) you don’t have to sharpen them.

Now having said that, sometimes it’s hard to get a sharp tip on them for detail areas. But to me, if you want a nice set for a reasonable price, this is a great option.

2. Pentel Arts Color Pencils

(around $3 to start) – this set includes 24 colored pencils; I believe this is the only size set you can buy from them.

Pros: The pencil tubes are hexagons which make them easy to hold; the colors go on smoothly and waxy just like I love; they are easy to blend.

Cons: The only bad thing I can say is that there aren’t enough colors! I wish Pentel would have made some larger sets too.

Overall: LOVE this set! The price is right. Your only limitation is going to be the colors available. So whether or not I’d recommend it depends on your color needs.

I like it better than the more inexpensive sets I’ve tried – I’m just sad I can’t get it in a larger range of colors or this would be my go-to set!

3. Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils

(starting at around $19.99) – Prismacolor are artist grade pencils so they are not cheap – but I opted for the 72-count set anyway. These come in a variety of sizes.

Pros: What can I say about Prismacolors except that they are amazing? High quality, easy to layer, go on smoothly, lays down vibrant color . . . they go over markers well and markers go over the top of them well.

Cons: To me Prismacolors are like the Posca paint markers of the pencil world. They are expensive. Having said that, the quality is there! I did feel like I had to buy a pretty large set to get all of the colors I wanted.

Overall: It’s hard to complain about Prismacolors – they are truly the best colored pencils especially when it comes to adult coloring. The price is really the only thing that is daunting.

In terms of pencils, these are the best quality as far as I’m concerned. I have a price limit on what I’m willing to spend for pencils regularly, so I do have a set of these, but I don’t use them all the time!

4. Koh-I-Noor Tri-Tone

($15.59 and up) – what is a Tri-Tone pencil? I didn’t have any idea when I purchased a set of 12! You can also purchase these adult colored pencils in a set of 24.

Pros: Makes VERY cool colors – so fun to experiment with! Includes a blending pencil.

Cons: You’ll still need a basic set with basic colors other than this set because these are all literally as they are described – three colors in each pencil tip.

Overall: Man, I really love these. If you get seriously into adult coloring and have a birthday or other holiday coming up, ask for the Tri-Tones. They are THAT fun. Color effects like no other . . . but they can’t be your only set (unless you’re just crazy with your coloring!).

5. Sargent Art Colored Pencils

($6.99 for 12 and up) – my colored pencils set included 24 pencils for a great price!

Pros: The colors are vibrant; the pencils are easy to hold; great value for number of pencils.

Cons: Hardly any! There’s a bit of dust that comes off the pencil but unlike some of the others, it was easy to wipe away without getting any smears.

Overall: In terms of the wood type that you have to sharpen, these pencils were my favorite! They were actually recommended to me by someone on Instagram who said she had arthritis and these were comfortable for her, so I had to purchase. I agree; they are easy to hold. You can’t go wrong with the Sargent adult coloring pencils.

So these are my picks for the best pencils for adult coloring books. Have you tried any of them? What are your faves? I’d love to know in the comments!

Ready for a video with my tips for using color pencils? Just press “play” in the center of the video in this post! Also don’t forget to check out my other articles about adult coloring:

• The Best Adult Coloring Apps (Including Free!)
• Easy Shrinky Dink Keychain with Coloring Pages

The post The Best Colored Pencils for Adult Coloring: Tested and Reviewed appeared first on DIY Candy.

Adult coloring has become an incredibly popular trend, and for good reason! It’s a relaxing, creative activity that anyone can enjoy. If you haven’t given it a try yet, I highly recommend it—it’s both fun and therapeutic.

However, like puzzles, I often find myself wondering what to do with my finished creations. After all that time and effort, it would be a shame to just leave them in a drawer or on the bookshelf.

That’s when inspiration struck! Why not turn these pages into something practical and fun? So I made these DIY Shrinky Dink keychains! They’re a perfect way to repurpose your coloring pages and turn them into a functional, decorative item you can use every day.

These keychains also make fantastic gifts. I’m planning to make a few for Mother’s Day, but they’d also work well as housewarming gifts or even as party favors.

The best part? You can customize them with any coloring pages you like, making each keychain completely unique and personal.

They’re simple, fun to make, and a delightful way to turn your art into something meaningful. Ready to get started? Here’s what you’re going to need.

Gather These Supplies

• Inkjet printable shrink film (Shrinky Dinks)
• Colored pencils
• Finished coloring page – I used some free printable coloring pages found here, but you can also use any pages from your favorite coloring book. You can find more free coloring pages here.
• Scanner and printer
• Parchment paper
• Acrylic sealer (optional)
• Mod Podge Dimensional Magic (optional)
• Ball chain and connector

It’s fun to look at the pretty design that I colored and have a little reminder on my keys that “Today is going to be awesome!”

I love my Shrinky Dink keychains, and am already thinking about how I could make more with additional designs. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Get the printable how to below:

Print

DIY Shrinky Dink Keychain

Learn to make keychains with Shrinky Dinks and finished coloring pages! This is easy enough for kids, and fun for adults.

Course Crafts

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Dry Time 12 hours hours

Total Time 12 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 2 keychains

Cost $5

Equipment

• Scanner and printer
• Hole punch
• Scissors

Ingredients

• Inkjet printable shrink film Shrinky Dinks
• Colored pencil(s)
• Finished coloring pages
• Parchment paper
• Clear acrylic sealer optional
• Mod Podge Dimensional Magic optional
• Ball chain and connector

Instructions

• Scan a finished coloring page into your computer in full color.
  
• Either resize the image to approximately 3 – 4 inches wide using a photo editing program, or save it as a JPEG and print to the correct size.
  
• Cut around the outside of the design, leaving a small part on top to punch a hole.
  
• Punch a hole in the top of the design. When it shrinks, the hole won’t be large enough for the chain to go through. Make it larger by punching partial holes around the original hole.
  
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and put the design on top of it. Put another piece of parchment paper on top of the design. Preheat the oven and bake according to the package instructions.
  
• Use a spatula to make sure the shape stays flat until it cools a little.
  
• Now, you can be done at this point with the design, but I decided to add a coat of Dimensional Magic to it. Seal the ink with a spray acrylic sealer first and let it dry.
  
• Squeeze a coat of Dimensional Magic all over the top of the design, avoiding the hole. Let dry 12 hours or until completely clear.
  
• Cut a piece of ball chain and thread it through the hole to finish off the keychain.
  

If you love coloring, I write about it a lot! Check out some of my favorite posts:

• Best FREE Adult Coloring Pages: My Favorites!
• The Best Adult Coloring Apps (Including Free!)

The post Make DIY Shrinky Dink Keychains from Your Artwork appeared first on DIY Candy.

Scroll down to the bottom of the post to get a video of something you can make with your coloring pages once they’re complete! It’s a fun craft idea so I’ll let you check it out.

I’m totally obsessed with adult coloring! And free adult coloring pages so that I can practice my craft.

Not so very long ago, I wrote a guide on how to do it – because let me be honest, as an adult I need to be told how to relax. In that guide, I also reviewed various coloring tools and which ones were my favorites.

I’ve been to each of these links personally and have either printed and colored them (or they are on my list). There’s a ton and it’s going to take me awhile to work through of them . . . but that’s what I love!

This list should keep you busy for, well, forever! Visit the links below to download your favorite free coloring pages.

What Paper Should I Use for Printing my Pages?

Standard printer paper is typically 20 – 40 lb. I like to use 60 or 80 lb. paper to print my pages (which is typically at most stores where you’d buy printer paper).

When the paper is a bit thicker, it makes the colors more vibrant. Standard printer paper is very thin!

The 60 or 80 lb. paper is also easier to use in crafts. If I know I’m going to Mod Podge the pages, I might even print them on white cardstock!

What Colored Pencils Should I Use?

It’s funny you should ask, because I’ve tested a bunch of colored pencils myself and found the best colored pencils for adult coloring books (and they work for printables too).

To give you an idea of what to expect, I found the Pentel Arts set of 24 colored pencils to be the best cheap colored pencils. You need to see my other picks though – there are some fun options!

Now onto the pages! NOTE: You don’t need to pay for any of these pages, however – you might need to sign up for some mailing lists depending on the blog (most are just straight download with no sign up).

There are plenty of options if you don’t feel comfortable signing up for a list, although you can unsubscribe after you get your page. If that doesn’t appeal, you’ll still find something you like I’m sure. You can also check Etsy for some paid, inexpensive options.

Enjoy your freebies!

CELEBRATIONS Printable Adult Coloring Pages

1

Amber Kemp-Gerstel

Printable Coloring Cards

Get three different all occasion cards: Happy Birthday, You're Too Sweet, and Hey Girl Hey. Color them in then send them off!

Get the Printable

2

pitterandglink.com

Happy Birthday Gift Tags

If you're looking for something quick and easy to color, a Happy Birthday gift tag is where it's at.

Get the Printable

3

freecoloring-pages.com

It’s Your Birthday

Get a Happy Birthday design with butterflies as well as flourishes and border designs. There are other designs offered here as well.

Get the Printable

4

donteatthepaste.com

Thank You Card

I'm a big fan of knit sweaters, and this thank you card has that vibe. It's a perfect thank you for the holidays!

Get the Printable

5

Jen Goode

Delicious Doughnuts

Coloring doughnuts would make me so hungry! This is a fun page that anyone would love.

Get the Printable

6

www.muminthemadhouse.com

Thank You So Much

Choose between two full page options – rainbow with flowers and sunshine, or a completely floral motif.

Get the Printable

GENERAL & ALL-OCCASION Free Coloring Pages

7

www.coloringpagesforadult.com

Many Mandalas

This mandala provides some larger areas and some smaller areas for coloring, which gives you the best of both worlds. I love using my metallic and glitter pens on smaller areas of a larger design.

Get the Printable

8

edupics.com

Paint Brushes

I love the idea of coloring in craft supplies – WITH my craft supplies! This is cute enough to hang when you're done.

Get the Printable

9

www.woojr.com

Never Stop

If you need some motivation, this is a great page for coloring! It features the words "never stop" with several leaves and flourishes.

Get the Printable

10

trailofcolors.com

Abstract Shapes

Abstract designs are fun for coloring because you can use a ton of colors and really zone out as you scribble and fill in the various areas.

Get the Printable

11

www.donteatthepaste.com

Crayon Mandala

If you love mandalas like I do, you'll enjoy this intricate mandala of crayons to print and color.

Get the Printable

12

Kelly Rowe

Plant Lovers

For those who love plants, have a green thumb or enjoy a little coloring. This succulent coloring sheet is adorable and fun!

Get the Printable

13

balancinghome.com

Binder Cover

This is a coloring page binder cover that you can use for school, or for your own planner.

PS – get more Happy Planner printables here.

Get the Printable

14

Lindsay Ponta

Glittering Gemstones

It's fun practicing shading with these geometric gemstones! This page is perfect for beginners.

Get the Printable

15

www.justcolor.net

Geometric Lines

This page is a great collection of triangles made of up long rectangles! It's perfect for when you're on a long conference call. Very soothing.

Get the Printable

16

www.donteatthepaste.com

Knot and Rings

If you're not ready to go "full mandala" but want to color something similar, this is a great knot and ring design that won't take too long to fill in.

Get the Printable

17

www.justcolor.net

Modern Mask

This image was inspired by a Mayan mask! It also reminds me of totem poles you might find where I live in the Pacific Northwest US.

Get the Printable

18

dabblesandbabbles.com

Rows of Houses

Who are the people in your neighborhood? Play with different color schemes on the homes of your dreams with this page.

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19

Jen Goode

Mason Jars

Play with various mason jar designs on a coloring page! Use your markers or crayons to creating shading or different color combinations.

Get the Printable

20

www.crafterhoursblog.com

Sewing Machines

Once you're done filling in these adorable sewing machines, you can hang this page in your craft room or sewing studio.

Get the Printable

21

www.crafterhoursblog.com

Sewing Notions

If you downloaded the sewing machine page above, you'll definitely want to grab the cute notions pages that goes with it.

Get the Printable

22

www.doverpublications.com

Stained Glass Window

Stained glass windows are always beautiful, and sometimes very intricate! This one is no exception. You'll have fun filling in all the areas.

Get the Printable

23

www.doverpublications.com

Steampunk Lady

I love the steampunk woman! She's got a cool dress and hat; don't forget the goggles. I can see using a lot of silver and other metallics on this design.

Get the Printable

24

www.donteatthepaste.com

Sun Mandala

What I love about this design is you can fill in a few areas – or more areas – or all the areas! What I'm saying is that no matter how much white space you leave, this beautiful design is going to look great.

Get the Printable

25

www.sketchite.com

Curse Words

These pages aren't for everyone, but if you don't mind curse words, there are A LOT of pages here for you! And trust me, all the words are covered. Click the "View template" button on the top of each image to download.

Get the Printable

26

www.woojr.com

Create Your Own Sunshine

Sometimes you have to, right? If you're needing a little sunshine in your life, this is definitely one to print out and color.

Get the Printable

27

Colleen Jorgensen

Tea Party

I love these cute hand drawn tea cups, pots, and more to use for paint patterns, crafting, embroidery, and coloring pages.

Get the Printable

28

justpaintitblog.com

Hydrangea and Peonies

Colleen drew two clusters of my favorite flowers to use as coloring pages or patterns. Color them and then cut them out to attach to other projects.

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NATURE & FANTASY Adult Coloring Pages

29

www.doverpublications.com

Beautiful Butterfly

Butterflies are always fun to color! Pick a bright and cheery coloring palette for this design (that also includes flowers).

Get the Printable

30

www.easypeasyandfun.com

Birds and Giraffes

If you're ready for some designs with lots of detail, these are perfect! Both the birds and the giraffes are darling.

Get the Printable

31

www.doverpublications.com

Boy and Girl Owls

Grab your colored pencils and get to work on this boy and girl owl! They are sitting on a branch looking down at a village early in the morning.

Get the Printable

32

www.craftsonsea.co.uk

Gorgeous Butterflies

There are a lot of opportunities to do detail shading with these intricate butterflies. You also get a background of lovely flowers.

Get the Printable

33

www.topkleurplaat.nl

Chameleon

Chameleons are very interesting, and when you add a mandala design to an already unusual animal – it makes for a cool coloring page.

Get the Printable

34

www.easypeasyandfun.com

Free Elephant Coloring Pages for Adults

Elephants are a very calming animal to me! Both of these are just screaming to get a splash of vivid colors.

Get the Printable

35

coloringhome.com

Printable Adult Coloring Pages Fairy

I love this cute little fairy girl! The flowers she's tending to are pretty as well. I think I'd definitely use some glitter pens on this page!

Get the Printable

36

doverpublications.com

Floral Designs

Flowers are one of my favorite things to color! This page is a great beginner's page if you also love pretty florals.

Get the Printable

37

doverpublications.com

Flower Fashion

I would love to see what you come up with as you add beautiful color to this woman's floral and leaf dress! The detail is pretty amazing.

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38

easypeasyandfun.com

3 Flower Swirl Coloring Pages for Adults

I love swirls, and these florals are perfect! There are tons of opportunities to play with various shades of your pencils, and a rainbow theme looks great too.

Get the Printable

39

Jen Goode

Hearts and Flowers

For the beginning colorist, this free coloring page is the perfect place to start. It also looks great with watercolor markers, and you can make some pretty interesting backgrounds.

Get the Printable

40

redtedart.com

Pretty Mermaids

These mermaids are simply magical and beautiful, and they will let you lose yourself in the world of coloring.

Get the Printable

41

redtedart.com

Mindful Flowers

Pick lots of colors in bright shades for this set of flower mandalas. Let your mind wander as you get creative.

Get the Printable

42

doverpublications.com

Magical Mushrooms

Mushrooms are fun to color, especially when they have a patchwork effect! You'll also get butterflies, vines, and leaves.

Get the Printable

43

koteko.ru

Openwork Cats

You'll get a ton of cat pages from this post! Some are more detailed with intricate areas to color in. Others are very simple and perfect for beginners.

Get the Printable

44

blackflowercreative.wordpress.com

Owl and Butterflies in Zentangle

Zentangle is one of my favorites, and looks great with coloring! There are both owl and butterfly pages available in this post.

Get the Printable

45

www.easypeasyandfun.com

Peacock Coloring Page for Adults

Peacocks are so pretty! This coloring page is meant to be colored with bright shades of blue, green, and yellow.

Get the Printable

46

www.doverpublications.com

Rooster and Hen

I know so many people with urban hen houses! If you are one of my chicken friends, you'll love this rooster and hen coloring page.

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47

theguardian.com

Secret Garden

The pages available at this post are from the magical coloring book Secret Garden! It contains pen-and-ink illustrations of flowers, insects, birds and small animals. All it needs to come to life is a bit of spare time and some pens or pencils.

Get the Printable

48

www.donteatthepaste.com

Strawberry Mandala

A regular mandala becomes twice as nice with the addition of strawberries and leaves!

Get the Printable

49

www.easypeasyandfun.com

Under The Sea

If you've already done some basic coloring pages and are looking for something a bit more intricate, you're going to love these unique ocean designs.

Get the Printable

50

trailofcolors.com

Whimsical Florals

This trail of flowers is great for a beginner or someone who is wants to practice a little bit of shading.

Get the Printable

51

www.redtedart.com

Woodland Deer

If you love woodland animals, these deer pages are going to be your favorite! You'll want to print both. One is more of a regular coloring page and the other is zentangle inspired.

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INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES Coloring Pages for Adults

52

Vanessa Brady

Doing This For Me

Color this "doing it for me" quote and put it anywhere you need a little bit of extra inspiration or motivation!

Get the Printable

53

Don’t Put Off Your Happy Life

Don't put off your happy life, because there's no reason to! Get started now.

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54

Angie Holden

Dr. Seuss Coloring Pages Free Printables

Dr. Seuss quotes might sometimes feel a little silly, but they certainly ring true, don't you think?

Get the Printable

55

Kelly Rowe

Dream Create Inspire

Grab your colored pencils or markers to customize this fun inspirational coloring page! Dream, create, and inspire is perfect for your craft room.

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56

livelaughrowe.com

Find Joy in the Little Things

Sometimes we think that we have to do something extravagant, irrational or cRaZy to make life exciting. When, in fact, we can have by finding joy in the little things!

Get the Printable

57

Vanessa Brady

Just Let It Go

It's definitely hard for me to let this go personally – but this printable page is a good reminder!

Get the Printable

58

coloring.rocks

Make Today So Awesome Yesterday Gets Jealous

This printable coloring page made me smile! Print this out if you want to make today better than yesterday.

Get the Printable

59

www.thescrapshoppeblog.com

Floral Shine

This "shine" page with detailed florals is a great way to wind down and let your mind relax.

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60

www.shrimpsaladcircus.com

Shine on You Crazy Diamond

There's a Pink Floyd song by this name, and I love this sentiment!

Get the Printable

61

www.pitterandglink.com

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

For those who like Bible verses, this is a great one. You can color just the quote, or the entire page too.

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62

Vanessa Brady

The Nights Are Long The Years Are Short

If you're a parent, this quote will definitely ring true. As Vanessa (who made the printable) says, "this parenting gig sure can be rough sometimes, we all need reminders!"

Get the Printable

63

club.chicacircle.com

Today is a New Day

Whatever happened yesterday, you can leave behind. Remind yourself to move forward as you sit down and color this cute page.

Get the Printable

64

intheplayroom.co.uk

Today is Going to Be Awesome

Will today be awesome? I say let's make it so! I love the intricate details of the flowers for this quote coloring page.

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HOLIDAYS AND SEASONS Free Adult Coloring Pages

65

Jen Goode

4th of July Stars

Stars and stripes are the most recognizable for the 4th of July! This is a cute page that you can frame once you're done for a little holiday decor.

Get the Printable

66

www.u-createcrafts.com

4th of July Quilted Flag

For a unique version of the American flag, grab this cute page with some fun details.

Get the Printable

67

www.doverpublications.com

Christmas Candy Cane Stained Glass

I love this combination of holly and candy canes as a stained glass window! Lots of fun details to color.

Get the Printable

68

www.doverpublications.com

Christmas Candles

This peaceful page reminds me of Christmas carols playing in the background, which you should definitely do as you color in the design.

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69

www.craftsonsea.co.uk

Christmas Gingerbread House

This free gingerbread house page is the perfect Christmas coloring activity for beginners. You can make it simple, or you can add more details if you like.

Get the Printable

70

Jen Goode

Christmas Gingerbread Man

Instead of snacking on Christmas treats, grab this page and your colored pencils! I know, I know. You can eat a cookie and color at the same time – me too.

Get the Printable

71

www.coloring-book.info

Christmas Gumdrop House

This gumdrop house is a step up from the gingerbread house I shared earlier! A little bit more detail and opportunities for shading.

Get the Printable

72

www.donteatthepaste.com

Christmas Joy

The reason for the season is joy! Pick your favorite holiday colors and get started on this fun and easy page.

Get the Printable

73

www.doverpublications.com

Christmas Lights

When I was little my brothers and I loved Christmas lights, and it hasn't changed in my adulthood. Grab this page and some metallic or glitter pens to get started.

Get the Printable

74

printablecrush.com

Christmas Noel Mason Jar

Not only does Erin show you how to create your own Christmas coloring pages easily, but she shares her NOEL mason jar and Merry Christmas bird pages for free.

Get the Printable

75

www.doverpublications.com

Christmas Presents

Tons and tons of packages with tons and tons of details to color! This is perfect if you're looking for a more intricate Christmas coloring page.

Get the Printable

76

eighteen25.com

Christmas Presents from Above

Who wouldn't gifts raining on their head? I know I'm not going to say no to that!

Get the Printable

77

www.educationalinsights.com

Holiday Symbols

This collection of pages allows you to do some playing with shading and doodling. You'll get options for a bell, candle, ornament, star, stocking, and snowy tree.

Get the Printable

78

www.easypeasyandfun.com

Christmas Santa Dropping Presents

It's hard to catch Santa as he makes his drive bys dropping gifts, but this page captures the scene perfectly.

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79

sarahrenaeclark.com

Christmas Stocking Printable Card

If you're looking for a coloring page that you can add to a gift, choose this cute Merry Christmas stocking themed card.

Get the Printable

80

printablecrush.com

Winter Florals

Get cozy and relax with this winter florals page. There are so many ways you can get creative with this hand drawn design.

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81

Jen Goode

Dia De Los Muertos Sugar Skull

I'm a huge fan of sugar skulls! If you love Dia de Los Muertos as much as I do, you're going to want to print out and color this page.

Get the Printable

82

printablecrush.com

Easter is Here

Make your holiday more colorful with this gorgeous Happy Easter page with some fun details. This would be the perfect activity for your (both kid and adult) guests!

Get the Printable

83

Alisa Burke

Fall Florals, Leaves, and Acorns

Fall is my favorite season! Get a little bit of all the seasonal elements in this printable such as leaves, flowers, and acorns.

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84

Jen Goode

Fall Leaves

I love this seasonal coloring page because it's so simple! You can color as is if you're a beginner, or if you feel like doodling and adding more details, you can do that too.

Get the Printable

85

balancinghome.com

Fall Pumpkin Doodle

Unwind with this pretty pumpkin page with lots of intricate details! This printable allows you to use a lot of colors, which I love.

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86

Vanessa Brady

Fall Pumpkin Spice

I mean, it's hard to love anything more than pumpkin spice. But I guess it's possible, right?

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87

intheplayroom.co.uk

Fall Squirrel

This squirrel screams earth tones to me! I love the woodland design with all of the unique leaf and fern details.

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88

lizoncall.com

Halloween Characters

Ghosts, bats, candy corn, and skulls – oh my! Pick your favorite colored pencils and color in this Halloween sheet easily.

Get the Printable

89

www.thepinningmama.com

Happy Halloween

Halloween is my favorite holiday, and this basic page is actually not that basic! Look closely and you'll see a lot of details to color in and shade.

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90

mrprintables.com

Halloween Haunted House

What's awesome about this haunted house is that you need to print it on multiple sheets to build the whole thing! I love the DAYS of coloring, plus you can hang the finished poster as decor.

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91

eighteen25.com

Halloween Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus is definitely a movie favorite during Halloween time! This page is for all the fans.

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92

www.doverpublications.com

Halloween Pumpkin Patch

We all have great memories of going to the pumpkin patch when we were little. This patch is filled with lots of fun details to color in, plus a few jack o' lanterns.

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93

www.u-createcrafts.com

Halloween Quilting Spiders

This spider sure has been busy! His (her?) web has so much detail for you to print and color. You can also use this as a cute embroidery pattern.

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94

doverpublications.com

Halloween Spooky Village

For those who like a spookier touch to their holiday pages, this is for you! I highly encourage you to use black metallic and glitter pens!

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95

coloring.info

New Year Hats and Horns

Start off the year with a little bit of coloring and relaxation! This features party hats, horns, a balloon, and streamers.

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96

Capturing Joy

Happy New Year Clock

This clock face is simple and perfect for kids and their parents to color together. It's great for beginning colorists.

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97

printablecrush.com

Happy New Year Totally 80s

I'm inspired to use neons in this cute coloring page that features a happy new year message and lots of geometric and other 80s inspired shapes.

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98

www.doodle-art-alley.com

New Years Party Hat

It's time to party! Print out this hat, grab your gel pens, and get creative with this cute, festive page.

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99

catholicsprouts.com

St. Patrick’s Day Coloring Cards

Do you like to pass out little gifts or candy on St. Patrick's Day? These coloring cards are perfect to add to them.

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100

www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com

St. Patrick’s Day Luck of the Irish

These two fun and free printable St. Patrick's Day pages are fantastic for family fun. Great for doing together with your kids!

Get the Printable

101

Vanessa Brady

Lucky to Know You

Is there someone you feel lucky to know? Share that message with them with this printable color page!

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102

overthebigmoon.com

Spring is Here

Is spring here? Celebrate with this cute sentiment surrounded by a small collection of florals.

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103

shrimpsaladcircus.com

Spring Under My Umbrellas

I live in the Pacific Northwest US, so rain is very familiar to me! Color in these cute umbrellas with the design(s) of your choice.

Get the Printable

104

printablecrush.com

Summer Ocean Air

Download this Hand Lettered summer page to color over and over again. This fun design is great for adults or kids on a summer trip!

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105

ideas.hallmark.com

Summer Sunshine

There are balloons — and then there are balloons with zentangle details that are fun to color! You can get over ten pages here perfect for summer.

Get the Printable

106

makeandtakes.com

Thanksgiving Symbols

This collection of pages allows you to do some playing with shading and doodling. You'll get options for a turkey, cornucopia, leaves, and a squirrel.

Get the Printable

107

www.u-createcrafts.com

Give Thanks Turkey

Grab your colored pencils to play with this cute printable! Have fun shading the feathers and coloring over the lines with your pencils.

Get the Printable

108

Jen Goode

Thankful for You

What are you thankful for this holiday season? Share this sentiment with your friends or family, or anyone else that needs to hear it.

Get the Printable

109

www.papertraildesign.com

Valentine’s Day Hearts

If you're looking at these pages, then you believe in both love and coloring. Grab these sheets with hearts, arrows, and cute holiday messages.

Get the Printable

110

Jen Goode

Valentine’s Day Love You

When you're little, it's easy to doodle hearts. In fact, it's one of the first things I learned to draw! I love this page because you have plenty of opportunities to color in hearts of all different shapes and sizes.

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111

Vanessa Brady

Love Everything About You

Give your partner a sweet message while relaxing through coloring at the same time.

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112

Vanessa Brady

Valentine’s Day Love You Forever

Print and color this adorable "Love You Forever" free coloring page for Valentine's Day and beyond! Perfect for coloring for your kids.

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113

www.donteatthepaste.com

Rainbow Love

Love is a many splendored thing, and so is this coloring pages! This is a perfect page if you have already been coloring and want to advance your skills a bit.

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114

Vanessa Brady

You’re Always in My Heart

This is a great page for either Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. Great to give to grandma too!

Get the Printable

Where do you find your favorite pages? Let me know your favorite source in the comments!

Are you ready to get the bonus idea I mentioned at the top of the post? Learn how to make a cute cell phone case with your pages in the video in this post. Just press “PLAY”!

The post Free Adult Coloring Pages You’ll Love (Over 100+!) appeared first on DIY Candy.

So you want to start adult coloring, do you? Perhaps you remember doing it as a child and loving it . . . or you’re just looking for a little hand drawn stress relief.

Well, I want you to know that I’m here to support you! I’ve recently jumped on the bandwagon too, and I’m excited to share everything I know about coloring for adults.

Adult Coloring

This guide includes where to start, supplies, basic techniques, coloring book recommendations, and more!

I’ve also developed two other posts in case you are interested: top adult coloring books and 100+ free coloring pages. But before you do that, keep reading to get the skinny.

Where to Start with Coloring for Adults

If you want to get into adult coloring, you’re going to need two things:

1. Something to color
2. Something to color with

Let’s start with the easy part first: something to color.

Adult Coloring Pages

You’ll quickly see that finding free coloring pages is simple. First of all, I’ve pulled together a collection of over 100 free coloring pages that you’ll definitely want to check out. There’s a little something for everyone in every category!

Other options? Click here to get access to umpteen million coloring pages on Pinterest, 99% of them for free. You’ll have to do a little clicking-through on various posts to find your favorites, but it’s well worth it if you don’t want to spend any money.

Note: If you want to print the pages, use a heavy weight, quality paper.

Adult Coloring Books

You can stick with free pages if you choose, but the next natural step for me was to move into coloring books. This includes both printed books and e-books that you would purchase online and print yourself.

I obviously haven’t tried every coloring book under the sun, but I wanted to share with you some of my favorites.

These have all been purchased personally by me, and though I have not colored every page, I’ve tried them enough to know if they are fun or not, and if I like the art. I can say “yes” for all of these books. Here are my recommendations:

1. Stress Relieving Patterns by Blue Star Coloring
2. Enchanted Forest by Johanna Basford
3. Detailed Designs and Beautiful Patterns
4. Fantastic Cities by Steve McDonald
5. Flower Nook by Patricia Zapata

I LOVE pretty much all of the Just Add Color series and the Design Originals. I feel like you can’t go wrong.

Now that you’ve picked your coloring pages and/or books, the next obvious step is to find something to color with. And this is where I have you completely covered.

Adult Coloring Tools

When I first started adult coloring recently after about 30 years, I had no idea what pens, markers, pencils, or crayons to purchase.

I was sure there had been some technology changes in this time frame, so I decided to take the plunge and do a favor for myself and everyone reading. I chose a bunch of pens, markers, pencils, and crayons and decided to test them.

My reviews are below, but let me say up front that if you are going to just do basic coloring and don’t want to get too crazy, I’d go with pencils.

If you are wanting to play with some advanced techniques or detail work, I’d go with one set of pencils AND one set of markers. Then of course you can throw in pens, crayons, lead pencils, and more.

What do I do? I use a few sets of pencils/pens and one set of markers. Here are my top recommendations to summarize the list below.

• Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils – for basic, all around coloring
• Copic Markers – I’m using what I recommend in the list below, which is to purchase a few in my favorite colors and use them for accents
• Prismacolor Premier Pencils – for basic coloring and detail work where I need a sharp tip (I used a coupon to purchase)
• Sakura Gelly Roll (I bought the set) – for small areas and advanced techniques
• Koh-I-Noor Tri-Tones – for small areas and advanced techniques

So without further ado and in alphabetical order (with some generic retail pricing too, which may vary depending on where you shop).

This list is divided into four sections – Crayons, Markers, Colored Pencils, and Pens.

Crayons

Here are the crayons I reviewed in order of my preference.

115

Crayola Twistables

No sharpening or peeling required, just twist up these drawing pencils to keep them sharp. Comes in a variety of set sizes.

Pros: Great color palette; no sharpening required, you just twist! The color goes on smoothly and wax-like, somewhere in between a crayon and a pencil. I love the feel.

Cons: There are no labels on the colors! You don't think labeling colors is important until you don't have them – some of the colors look the same so it was hard for me to remember what I had used.

Overall: I'm pretty much in love with these pencils. I'm going to be honest – I love two big things about them: 1) how the color applies to the page and how smooth it is and 2) how you don't have to sharpen them. Now having said that, sometimes it's hard to get a sharp tip on them for detail areas. But to me, if you want a nice set for a reasonable price, this is a great option.

Find Them Here

116

Crayola Crayons

These classic crayons are extra durable, wrapped for extra strength. I got a set of 8 for just a few bucks . . . and they go up to sets with hundreds of crayons in a metal container. It hasn't been that long since you've purchased them, has it? It's been years for me!

Pros: I just love the boldness of the crayon colors and the smooth waxy feel on the page. They are so easy to apply and are inexpensive. Who doesn't love crayons from their childhood?

Cons: Well, it's basically a waxy stick of color without a precise tip, so you aren't going to be able to do much detail work. AND they break. AND you can use them up quickly. AND they are hard to sharpen (unless you get the Twistables).

Overall: Here are my thoughts on basic crayons . . . these could actually be good to have in your arsenal for coloring in large areas. You don't have to use up your precious pencils or markers, and let's face it – you probably already have them in the house. I recommend having a set on hand just for the large areas.

Find Them Here

Colored Pencils

Here are the adult color pencils I reviewed in order of my preference. I also have another post about the best colored pencils for coloring books.

117

Pentel Arts Colored Pencils

Pros: The pencils tubes are hexagons which make them easy to hold; the colors go on smoothly and waxy just like I love; they are easy to blend.

Cons: The only bad thing I can say is that there aren't enough colors! I wish Pentel would have made some larger sets too.

Overall: LOVE this set! Your only limitation is going to be the colors available. So whether or not I'd recommend it depends on your color needs. I like it better than the more inexpensive sets I've also enjoyed (Artist's Loft, Faber-Castell, Sargents) – I'm just sad I can't get it in a larger range of colors or this would be my go-to set!

Find Them Here

118

Prismacolor Premier

Soft core is perfect for shading and shadows. Thick, robust leads resist cracking and chipping, making them perfect for adult coloring books.

Pros: What can I say about Prismacolors except that they are amazing? Easy to layer, go on smoothly . . . they go over markers well and markers go over the top of them well.

Cons: To me Prismacolors are like the Copic markers of the pencil world. They are expensive. Having said that, the quality is there! I did feel like I had to buy a pretty large set to get all of the colors I wanted.

Overall: It's hard to complain about Prismacolors – the price is really the only thing that is daunting. In terms of pencils, these are the best quality as far as I'm concerned.

Find Them Here

119

Koh-I-Noor Tri-Tone

Each pencil contains three complementary shades and draws a multi-colored line. Make dimensional style effects you can't make with other pencils.

Pros: Makes VERY cool colors – so fun to experiment with! Includes a blending pencil.

Cons: You’ll still need a basic set with basic colors; these are all literally as they are described – three colors in each pencil tip.

Overall: Man, I really love these. If you get seriously into adult coloring and have a birthday or other holiday coming up, ask for the Tri-Tones. They are THAT fun. Color effects like no other . . . but they can't be your only set (unless you're just crazy with your coloring!).

Find Them Here

120

Sargent Art Premium Pencils

The Sargent Art premium coloring pencils is a well-priced option for beginners who want a wide selection of colors.

Pros: Colors are vibrant; pencils are easy to hold; great value for number of pencils.

Cons: Hardly any! There's a bit of dust that comes off the pencil but unlike some of the others, it was easy to wipe away without getting any smears.

Overall: In terms of the wood pencils that you have to sharpen, these were my favorite – even above the Artist's Loft, which I also think are quite good! They were actually recommended to me by someone on Instagram who said she had arthritis and these were comfortable for her, so I had to purchase. I agree; they are easy to hold. You can't go wrong with the Sargent pencils.

Find Them Here

121

Studio Series Colored Pencil Set

Premium colored pencils have soft-core leads for superb color laydown and smooth and easy shading and blending.

Pros: Love how smoothly the colors go on and how well they fill in; I'm also impressed with the color selection in this set – I feel like they have every color I could want in a set of 30.

Cons: The eraser doesn't completely erase the pencil marks (don't know if it's meant to?); however, you can color over the top after you've erased (though you can still see the old color beneath). The dust smears so I recommend blowing it away instead of brushing with your hand.

Overall: If you've graduated from the basic colored pencils and want to spend a little bit more money for a larger set, you'll do well here – and it's not even that much more expensive!

Find Them Here

122

FaberCastell Polychromous

These pencils feature unsurpassed lightfast pigments, vibrant colors, break-resistant tips, waterproof, non-smudge, and color matching to all other brand color lines.

Pros: Love the art grip handle and triangular shape; smooth going on; easy to build up, easy to sharpen.

Cons: You only get 5 pencils in this kit – and I couldn't really find Faber-Castell pencils in a larger set in stores. BUT you can purchase larger kits of their pencils online.

Overall: If you want to learn basic techniques of using colored pencils (more artistically I mean) then this kit is a great starter. You could use these techniques in your coloring. I also LOVE the Faber-Castell pencils themselves, so if you want to purchase a kit of them alone, I think you'd be happy.

Find Them Here

123

Artist’s Loft Fundamentals

These colored pencils are perfect for the beginning artist or the seasoned veteran who is interested in drawing and illustration. Easy to blend, they lay down smooth on your chosen art surface.

Pros: 36 pencils for a low price! It's hard to find that many pencils for only five bucks. I like the smooth, waxy feel on the page; they are easy to layer.

Cons: Not great for those who really like to fill in the area like I do – I like to color hard and make the color pretty solid, and these were just okay. Why? The pencils need to be sharpened frequently. Another complaint I've seen about this set – no blue/green shades (like teal) and too many basic greens. I agree with that assessment.

Overall: If you just want to get started for a low investment to see if you even like coloring and are going to stick with it as a hobby, these are your pencils to start with. However, the quality isn't really there for me. I'm personally willing to spend a little bit more to get a better looking result.

Find Them Here

124

Derwent Coloursoft

This is an exciting range of pencils. The soft, velvety strip allows you to quickly add lots of bold, vibrant color to your drawing and they're great for coloring in!

Pros: The Coloursoft pencils go on smoothly; they are easy to blend if you want to try doing that.

Cons: leaves behind dust used for blending which sucks if you don’t want to blend.

Overall: I don't love the Derwent pencils, but I don't hate them either. I like the presentation, but coloring is what this is about . . . and though they go on smoothly, I need something a little more. I'm going to put these in the category of "artist" rather than "adult colorer" like myself. If you just want to color, put your money elsewhere.

Find Them Here

125

Prang Thick Core

Pros: You'll get a basic set of colors, and they are vibrant and easy to color.

Cons: If you brush away the dust, the pencil smears.

Overall: These are not at the top of my list for the lower priced, wood colored pencils – I'm going to go with the Sargents or the Artist's Loft pencils if I only have a few bucks to spend. They aren't bad, but they aren't as high of quality as some of the others. You won't be crying if you purchase these, but I just happen to think there are better options.

Find Them Here

126

Crayola Colored Pencils

Soft cores won't break easily, and pre sharpened tips are ready for use right out of the box. These pencils create brightly colored lines that are great for school projects and detailed artwork.

Pros: In typical Crayola fashion I love the color palette; they also have some fun options like metallics, etc; you can layer them easily.

Cons: These just don't go on as nicely as other colored pencils. It's funny, but you can actually hear it while you are coloring. They sound different (isn't that weird?).

Overall: I feel neutral about the Crayola colored pencils. I prefer the Artist's Loft colored pencils to these, and then I prefer the more expensive colored pencils that I've reviewed in this post even more. If these are what's available when you go shopping for supplies I don't think you'll be miserable; however, I do think that at some point (if you keep coloring) you're going to want to upgrade.

Find Them Here

127

Faber-Castell Watercolor Pencils

Pros: These pencils go on smoothly, easier to color than the Michaels brand watercolor pencils (which I didn't like at all). They have a grip and a triangular shape which makes them easy to hold.

Cons: The dust left behind on your page can’t be swept away, over $1 per pencil.

Overall: This is another set that I obligated myself to try because it was available on the rack. My mind hasn't changed writing this over any other watercolor pencil . . . if you are looking for a great coloring pencil basic, this isn't your set. However if you get to the point where you want to have some watercolor fun on your pages, these could be incorporated.

Find Them Here

128

Kimberly Watercolor Pencils

Pros: These colors on smoothly, and are easier to color than the Artist’s Loft Watercolor Pencils.

Cons: You might get a dust left behind can’t be swept away; they cost over $1 per pencil which seems hefty to me.

Overall: I don't love these – I think they are just okay. Now that we've explored the gamut of watercolor pencils, I'm going to choose the Faber-Castell over these. At least for adult coloring.

Find Them Here

Markers

Here are the adult coloring markers I reviewed in order of my preference!

129

Copic Markers

Copic is a brand of professional quality markers founded in 1987 in Tokyo, Japan. These durable graphic markers are alcohol-based, refillable. and available in various designs and in 358 colors to suit individual needs.

Pros: These are VERY easy to apply to the page – and Copic has an amazing color range! I love the fact that you can easily use a colored pencil on top or under them; they have a dual tip.

Cons: We all know how expensive Copic markers are. They just aren't cheap – you're making an investment! They bleed through but not enough to go to the next page. The longer tip is harder to control and stay within the lines but that expertise will come with time.

Overall: I mean, if you can afford it, Copics are the granddaddy of markers and perfect for coloring and using in concert with pencils. I can see using Copics about 10 – 20% of the time and pencils most of the time and making some pretty coloring pictures without breaking the bank.

A workaround could be to just purchase a handful of colors you use frequently. You can also ask Santa for a set OR save up your coupons. Whatever you do, if you get your hands on some Copics. you won't be disappointed!

Find Them Here

130

Tombow Dual Brush Pen

While these are called "pens" – they are markers. Ideal for fine art, brush lettering, faux calligraphy, illustrations, watercolor illustrations, journaling and more! Durable nylon brush tip can create fine, medium or bold strokes.

Pros: Beautiful colors; easy to apply; dual tip.

Cons: I had no idea how to use the blender pen even though I gave it a try, though I'm sure that's user error.

Overall: If you can't afford Copics but you have about $2 – $2.50 per marker to spend, these are great. Copics are Copics, but these come close. If you want a selection of beautiful and easy-to-use markers for those detail areas, these are your markers.

Find Them Here

131

Sargent Art Classic Markers

High quality markers of brilliant color; they are well constructed, durable and long lasting. These markers will not bleed through most papers, they have superior coverage and are consistent from box to box.

Pros: I really love the color palette; you can color over the same color a few times without tearing up the page.

Cons: As far as I'm concerned, these aren't fine tip . . . they are a little bit more broad than that. They refer to it as a conical tip online, yet still call them fine tip.

Overall: I actually really like these for coloring in larger areas – the broader tip actually makes them great for that. I find that for most "fine tip" markers, I'd rather shove bamboo sticks under my fingernails than use really fine tip markers to color in large areas! These are perfect for that, actually.

Find Them Here

132

Pentel Color Pens

These fiber-tipped pens create radiant fine lines and intense water-based colors. Snap fit caps help keep color pens lasting longer and prevent from dry-outs.

Pros: The fine point is great for detail; the colors are very vibrant; you get a good color range for 36 markers.

Cons: These are too fine point and dark for me to use anywhere other than in detail areas. I wouldn't want to color a very large area with them. Color back over what you just colored and you'll get page tear/bleed.

Overall: On Amazon.com this is the #1 best seller in "Drawing Markers" and I can see why. I can definitely imagine that they would be better used for drawing and artist's work rather than coloring – but if you want to add some fun details to your coloring pages, these would work just fine.

Find Them Here

133

Faber-Castell Connector Pen Bucket

These markers are bright, washable and made from food grade vegetable dyes. Plus rehydratable ink! Connector Pens are made with water-based ink that allows you to rejuvenate your markers by just dipping the nib into water.

Pros: You get a lot of colors and the range is pretty good. You can color over them with colored pencils.

Cons: These are the same to me as the Artist's Loft Triangle Markers that I reviewed at the very beginning. You can color with them, but you can't really color over the same place too many times or the page will start to tear; also it's hard to get the markers back into the container unless you pull them all out. No color names.

Overall: I don't really get why the lids snap together, however on the inside there is brochure showing the markers being made into a helicopter and the outside says "6+" for the age. So I'm thinking the packaging at least is geared towards children – but hey, I'm a big kid. Personally based on the price, if I need a basic marker, I'm going to go with the Artist's Loft Triangle. They are so close to me that I'd rather pay $4.99.

Find Them Here

134

michaels.com

Artist’s Loft Triangle Markers

Let your colors fly with these vibrant markers. With dozens of colors to choose from, these easy-to grip markers have fine precision tips that are perfect for detailing, drawing, illustrating, and coloring for beginning artists and veterans alike.

Pros: They are easy to hold because of the triangular shape; bright vibrant colors in a wide variety of shades; precision tips; look great with pencils.

Cons: “okay” at layering – you can overdo it easily and get bleed through. Not easy to use under colored pencils in solid blocks . . . the page starts tearing and peeling (however, doodling under pencils is fine). No labels on the colors and hard to keep organized in the container.

Overall: Great quality for the price! A perfect basic marker if you aren't looking for anything too fancy or expensive to start. You'll just have to make sure the pages of your coloring book aren't too thin (and I wouldn't use them on any printed pages because they will definitely bleed!).

Find Them Here

135

michaels.com

Artist’s Loft Watercolor Markers

These markers contain water-based ink that is suitable for use with water or watercolor paints. With a fine tip on one end and a brush tip on the other, you can create fine lines or thick strokes with equal ease.

Pros: The color applies very nicely to the page, and the dual tip gives you two choices of sizes.

Cons: I found the long tip harder to control. If you are a messy colorer like I am, you might have a problem staying in the lines. The colors were too dark for me.

Overall: This set was made to give you the watercolor effect already built into a marker. So now you have to ask yourself – do I want the watercolor effect in a marker? Could I use watercolor pencils instead?

My suggestion would be to wait and color for a while before purchasing this set. I can imagine that if it becomes a pretty regular hobby and you'd like to experiment, this set could be really fun for adding unique details. I wouldn't buy them right away.

Find Them Here

Pens

Here are the adult coloring pens I reviewed in order of my preference.

136

Sakura Gelly Roll

Gel-ink rollerball is ice cream smooth. Contains metallic, classic, moonlight, stardust, and stardust shadow dual color.

Pros: Mine have GLITTER in them (because they are the Stardust ones) which is so cool! They go on nicely under pencils and over markers. They are perfect for shading in small areas.

Cons: You can see from the number I got and the price that they aren't cheap. But they are just SO COOL.

Overall: I'm going to put them in the same category as the Koh-I-Noor Tri-Tones that I review below. These are specialty pens . . . and by that I mean, I'd get them if this is your regular hobby and you want to invest some money for some cool effects.

I love the glitter and I love using these to fill in small areas. As a result of reviewing the Stardust pens, I actually ended up buying the entire Artist's Set with 74 pens (includes the Metallic, Classic, Moonlight, Stardust, and Shadow varieties). I LOVE IT!

Find Them Here

137

Sakura Souffle

A roller ball pen set that is easy and comfortable to write with. Use on dark or light backgrounds; raised effect best on non-porous, clean, smooth surfaces.

Pros: Love the fact that you can draw on dark surfaces with them (in addition to white or light surfaces). They do draw over colored pencils. A lot of ink comes out so you get a bit of a 3-D effect with them.

Cons: They take a longer time to dry than other pens and markers (which must be because of the 3-D effect). They can be a bit messy.

Overall: A fine addition to your collection if you're looking for something specialty, but I'm going to go with the Sakura Gelly Roll over these for basic coloring.

Find Them Here

138

Fiskars Gel Pens

Offers a full spectrum of distinctive inks that can add flair to your craft projects with the simple stroke of a pen. The free-flowing (sometimes?), acid-free ink shows up well on light and dark paper.

Pros: You get a variety of pens in this set: glitter, metallic, neon, pastel, etc. So if you're looking for a great deal for a wide variety of styles of pens, this is your set.

Cons: The ink doesn't apply evenly for some of the styles and it takes a long time to dry.

Overall: UGH – I have mixed feelings on these. I LOVED the glitter colors but I couldn't stand the neons. Random colors were blotchy on the page for me, but then some colors I really liked. Personally? I'm going to spring for the Sakuras.

Find Them Here

Starting to Color

For your first foray into coloring for adults, unless you are really creative/bold/have an art background and are ready to jump in, I recommend just blocking in your design.

That means picking something from the tools list above and doing some simple coloring between the lines.

Above you’ll see a sample of simple coloring with basic colored pencils – with one layer, two layers, and three layers. Start there – trust me.

Picking a Color Palette

Picking color palettes for anything is not easy – I’ve watched professionals spend hours doing it. Therefore I recommend making it easier on yourself and just using Design Seeds. You can search based on the colors you like.

Coloring Tips

Practice. Do it frequently because it’s like anything else – the more you do it, the better you’ll get.

Work from the outside, in. I find if I color around the edges first, I stay in the lines a bit better. If I go wild in the middle I’m more than likely to cross the lines.

Don’t press too hard – instead, build up color. You’re just going to break the tips of your pencils or crayons if you press too hard. It’s not a race!

Keep your pencils and crayons sharp/keep the caps on your markers. Take care of your tools so they last longer . . . and keep them sharp for detail areas.

If you use ink, test it first. Have a separate piece of paper for this purpose. Why should you test it? For bleeding . . . layering . . . and to make sure it’s the color you really want. I’m constantly testing markers (and pencils, for that matter) on a separate piece of paper.

Don’t follow the rules. The whole point of coloring for adults is to have fun, to relax, and even to start a new hobby. So why would you follow rules? Now is your chance to cut loose! You really can’t mess up – and if you feel like you did . . . just turn the page.

Don’t Forget!

I just want to remind you of one thing when it comes to coloring for adults – it’s supposed to be fun!

There are so many health benefits of adult coloring . . . but I find as adults (and I’m guilty of this) sometimes we’re good at turning things that are supposed to be fun into chores.

I encourage you to give yourself time to have fun with it . . . allow yourself to get creative . . . and don’t worry about what you are doing. Just do it and let loose. Let coloring be your calm and have a great time!

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