Choosing Your Coloring Tools
From crayons to brush pens, every tool marks the page in a different way. Here’s a quick guide to the basic types. Mix it up and have some fun.
Brush Pens
Marker-like pens with flexible brush-shaped tips, often used for hand lettering and watercolor-style effects.
Pros: Great for expressive strokes and blending. Fun for adults who want a paint-like look.
Cons: Wet formulas often bleed through pages, and control can be tricky for beginners or young kids.
Colored Pencils
These are my favorite coloring tools. There are lots of types of colored pencils out there – student to artist grade, soft or hard varieties, wax-based to oil-based, watercolor, pastel, or even tinted graphite.
Pros: Great for layering, shading, and detail work. Easy to control and don’t bleed.
Cons: Light colors may not show up well on some papers; need frequent sharpening; might be harder for very young kids or those with limited hand strength.
Crayons
Wax-based coloring sticks are loved by kids and nostalgic grown-ups alike.
Pros: Easy to hold, vibrant colors, won’t bleed through paper, great for bold shapes and little hands.
Cons: Hard to blend or shade, can be waxy or streaky on smooth paper.
Gel Pens
Ink pens with smooth-flowing, opaque ink, often available in metallics, neons, and glitters. I love adding finishing touches with gel pens, and the white opaque ones are great for adding highlights.
Pros: Amazing for small details, accents, and shine. No pressure needed to color.
Cons: Can smudge easily and may bleed through thinner paper. Takes longer to dry.
Markers
Markers with water- or alcohol-based ink are great for smooth blending and vibrant color and are great for layering.
Pros: Bright, bold colors with smooth fills. Fun and satisfying to use and ideal for layering and shading. Water-based ink pens are softer than alcohol markers, and often more kid-friendly.
Cons: Can be messy and bleed through paper, so always use a bleed sheet. Some markers dry out fast or get streaky on large areas.
