Tips for Beginners
When you first start to colour, you will be tempted to buy a great big packet of colouring media. Before you do that, try to think about what your favourite colours are or which colours you really dislike. This is because you will end up using your favourite’s way more than the others and should consider getting extra.
Try going to the art store in your area and have a look at what pencils or pens feel comfortable in your hands. By playing with them you get the feel of comfort or pleasure in holding them. This will then translate into your work for a better colouring experience. You wouldn’t use an old chipped pencil that you found in the back of the drawer, you want some lovely new one’s to inspire you.
Shopping for pencils is really addictive and pleasurable. You will be able to buy individual pencils and build up your collection. Over time this will avoid having too many expensive mistakes. Although that will happen also but at least this way you are minimising the risk.
Once you have decided which pens or pencils you are most comfortable with, buy the biggest number of them you can afford. Amazon are usually very competitive and convenient and you can see a selection in the side bar to the right of this post.
You will also find that buying in bulk is always cheaper than buying smaller amounts. In the long run it will end up being much cheaper. However, if it suits you better start out with a smaller box of 12 or 24 and then add some extra singles of your favourite colours later.
It’s a good idea to test your pencils or gel pens on a page in the back of the book first or use the spare back cover page. This is check for ink bleed or show through, particularly if the book has patterns printed on every page.
If you have bought a book like that, you could try slipping a piece of paper behind each pattern page to protect the pages behind from marking or bleed through issues but it is likely you won’t be able to colour the pattern on the back.
Sharpen your pencils often and a lot more than you think you need to. This sounds obvious but you can quickly become so engrossed in your colouring that you hardly notice you are pressing harder and going through the page.
Take your time, there is no rush and you probably aren’t selling your pages, well not yet anyway. Enjoy yourself and you will be much more satisfied with your progress.
Buy books one at a time so you can see which type of patterns you most like to colour in. You will be surprised how easy it is to pick up every colouring book you see. Don’t waste your money yet, find out what rocks your boat or you will end up with a bunch of books you won’t ever get around to colouring.
Go to the biggest art store in town to check which pencils you like the feel of. Playing with pencils is so great and they will usually have them available to buy one at a time. The prices on Amazon or other online stores are usually cheaper but by going into a store you can test them all. I bought a few of each kind and brought them home. Plus you can never have too many pencils, that’s a rule!
Buy the biggest selection of your favourite colours (see previous tip) that you can afford. It ends up being cheaper than buying a small box of 12 or 24 and then filling in with singles.
Print out free to colour pages you find online. Just Google it, there are plenty out there.
Join as many Facebook Colouring Book pages as you can comfortably manage and you will learn lots of techniques and get some great support, there are literally dozens! If you end up joining one that’s too intense, just find another. Some are just trying to sell you something but there are lots more that are genuinely trying to help. Joining the right group will accelerate your learning about adult colouring techniques and give your enjoyment a huge boost.
Another great source of help is YouTube. Just search for colouring tutorials – there are loads and you can learn a lot as you colour along to them.
Look for colouring groups at your local library or art club. You might be lucky and find one, if not why not start your own. I am helping start one in my area, I can’t wait to meet other colouring book addicts!
Finally, just have fun and colour outside the lines, it really is OK.
Happy Colouring
Charlotte
