The trend of adult coloring is growing in popularity as it’s a great way to de-stress while letting off some steam. The right materials will bring your coloring experience up a level, delivering vibrant results and easy use. In this guide, you’ll find information on the necessary and optional materials needed while adult coloring.

1. Coloring Pages or Books

Your coloring surface is the foundation of your coloring experience.

Pre-Made Coloring Books: From the themes mandalas, nature scenes, animals and abstract designs. Choose thick paper books with high quality, so they won’t bleed as much of the ink.

Printable Pages: For more customization, download and print designs from online resource. For a better result, use high quality printer paper.

DIY Designs: You can then color your own patterns and shapes, so your artwork becomes a bit more personal.

2. Pencils

Adult coloring with colored pencils is a versatile, beginner friendly medium.

Wax-Based Pencils: Blends to a powder, soft and blendable. Brands like Prismacolor and Crayola are all popular.

Oil-Based Pencils: Offer vibrant smooth coverage and outlast fine print for good measure. Fabercastell Polychromos or Lyra Rembrandt are try brands.

Watercolor Pencils: Along the lines of combining coloring with painting, use water and a brush to activate the pencil strokes.

Accessories for Pencils:
Adjustable pencil sharpeners, preferably without sacrificing the graphite to breaking in the sharpened eraser.
They include kneaded erasers for making precise corrections and standard polyscope eraser.

3. Markers

Markers bring beautiful, bold and smooth application.

Alcohol-Based Markers: Famous for its vibrant hues, and how easily they blend together. Some of the examples are Copic, Ohuhu and Spectrum Noir. Bleed through is more than you want to deal with; put a sheet under your page.

Water-Based Markers: It’s great for layering without bleeding heavily. See if items like the Tombow Dual Brush Pens or Staedtler Triplus.

Fineliners: Great for intricate and detail outlines. On autosuggestion I bought brands like Micron, Stabilo and Sakura Pigma Micron which are highly recommended by everyone.

4. Gel Pens

For detailed weaving, thin detail with unique effects, gel pens are good.

Metallic Gel Pens: A shiny, reflective finish, good for accents, or embellishments.

Glitter Gel Pens: Sprinkle them to bring some sparkle to your designs.

Pastel Gel Pens: Increase the radical organic beauties for a softer look.

Neon Gel Pens: These offer perfect bold, bright pops of color.

5. Crayons

Crayons, have traditionally been a kids thing, but now crayons are a fun and nostalgic thing for adults.

Artist-Grade Crayons: Crayola or Caran d’Ache Neocolor II more brands offer smoother textures and more vibrant colors.

Blending Tools: Then you can make the softest crayon lines where you dip various blenders stumps or fingers to create a blended finish.

6. Pastels

Supplemental pastels supply a soft, elegant contact to your coloring initiatives.

Soft Pastels: They blend easily and create a dreamy effect, but you have to use a fixative to keep them from smudging.

Oil Pastels: They offer richer smoother coverage and are more durable than soft pastels.

Chalk Pastels: Perfect for backgrounds and make shadows subtle.

Accessories for Pastels:

Such blending tools as tortillons, blending brushes or cotton swabs.

Sealing sprays can be used to fix your work.

7. Paints

If you enjoy any of the mixed media then the paints are an exciting option.

Watercolors: Great for wisps of color. Detealo is applying detailed use with high quality brushes.

Acrylic Paints: This gives bold opaque coverage, but has a tendency to need more skill to control when doing intricate designs.

Gouache: Vibrant matte finishes—combinations of properties of watercolors and acrylics.

8. Specialty Pens and Tools

Among these are advanced tools that give depth and dimension to your coloring projects.

White Gel Pens: Helpful to add highlights or fix mistakes. Sakura Gelly Roll and Uniball Signo will be your popular pens.

Metallic Markers: Shimmer and shine especially on dark paper.

Blender Pens: Remove the marker lines and the gradient becomes smooth.

9. Paper Options

Your paper is all that matters so much.

Heavyweight Paper: For not bleeding and buckling, choose paper of at least 120 gsm weight.

Textured Paper: It adds a beautiful art touch and also works well with pencils and pastels.

Watercolor Paper: Required for water based media to stop warping and blend smoothly.

Marker Paper: Finished with anti bleed coating to help minimize bleeding and to optimize color output.

10. Blending and Detailing tools

In most cases, getting professional results takes some extra work.

Blending Stumps and Tortillons: For either softening pencil or pastel lines.

Brushes: For blending watercolor pencils, or using water based media.

Solvents: To join colored pencil layers without leaving a seam of color, use odorless mineral spirits or maybe even a bit of alcohol.

11. Storage Solutions

Coloring stress free is exactly what organized materials will provide.

Pencil Cases: Roll up cases or zippered pouches for pencils and pens.

Storage Boxes: Markers, paints, and other tools are store on stackable boxes.

Portable Bags: Perfect for packing your coloring supplies.

12. Lighting

With proper lighting, you won’t get any eye strain and be able to view the colors you want.

Natural Light: Whenever possible, do the coloring in a well lit area and preferably with a decent overflow of natural light.

Daylight Lamps: Provide uniform, illumination without changing color.

Advanced Project Extras

Stencils: It will add patterns and textures to your design.
Stamps: Once ink stamps become part of our materials, they can be used for all kinds of creative embellishments.
Spray Fixatives: With pastels or mixed media, it’s worth sealing your artwork unless you’re using something non-toxic.
Digital Tools: If you’re doing digital coloring (like me), stylus pens or tablets like an iPad with Procreate might be worth a look.

Tips for final materials selection

Start Simple: Start with simple tools, like coloured pencils and gel pens, and to some degree of success, move forward with more advanced tools.
Experiment: Change the media that resonates with you the most.
Invest in Quality: Generally, the better the quality, the better the results and usually more fun to use.
Care for Your Supplies: Prolong use of your materials by properly storing and maintaining them.

The beauty of adult coloring is that with the right materials, it’s an enjoyable and creative escape that relaxed and creative. Happy coloring!