Which are the best coloring supplies for adults who love coloring?
I’ve been coloring adult coloring books since I had something traumatic happen to me a few years ago.
And as you can imagine, I color A LOT because I make coloring content, coloring pages, and books.
Discovering your favorite art supplies can take some time.
Everything costs money! (duh, Kristi!)
And no one wants to waste money on something they won’t like.
Or won’t use.
Here’s my best advice:
If you’re not sure what to get, buy the cheap version of what you like first.
This is exactly what I did.
>As an example, don’t buy Copic markers right off the hop, try cheap alcohol markers first to make sure you like this medium.
>Don’t buy Prismacolor first, buy cheap pencils first, then upgrade when you’re sure you like the medium.
This will also give you an appreciation for the quality. You don’t get an appreciation like that if you start with the expensive stuff first.
So, let’s get into it!
*This post contains affiliate links. This means I will get a commission if you buy something from one of my links at no extra cost to you. I don’t recommend anything I wouldn’t buy for myself.
1. Alcohol markers (Best markers for coloring)
Alcohol-based markers are my #1, absolute favorite because of the deep saturation.
And quick coverage.
When I have to color large spaces or want to color fast, alcohol markers get the job done.
Why alcohol markers over regular markers?
Alcohol markers are great for coloring, but a lot of artists use them as art markers as well. They are very versatile.
Alcohol markers saturate the paper evenly, leave a nice consistent color, and blend well with one another.
>You won’t get them all over your hands and if you do they wash off easy
>They saturate the paper thoroughly
>They blend nicely
>They offer a lot of options for blending and adding details
You can do a wet-on-wet look that offers softer lines and a smoother look like this:
Coloring page from “Wonky Doodles” coloring book.
Or
You can do wet on dry, which produces a harder line.
Like this:
Coloring page from “Wonky Doodles” coloring book.
When I’m working with images with a more natural look, like flowers and leaves that vary in color and are often unpredictable, it’s fun to play with alcohol markers and get a little creative.
Like this leaf. 👇
I added a little dark while it was still wet and let it drench the paper however it wanted. I didn’t blend it because I wanted it to have a more natural, unfinished look.
This coloring page is from my “Wonky Doodles” coloring book
Alcohol markers are also available as brush pens like these.
You can create special effects when blending different colors together like giving more depth, or changing the mood of a coloring page.
Coloring page from “Wonky Doodles” coloring book.
Use your colorless blender markers to make beautiful blends.
(The colorless blender helps you by priming the paper and helping the colors blend together without drying too fast)
These markers are great for beginners or intermediate colorists who love coloring with vibrant colors.
The more expensive ones are great for artists or those who take coloring very seriously.
These are the ones I like for beginners (I use them as well).
They are:
- dual sided – wide tip and fine tip
- thick
- inexpensive
- easily accessible
- easy to wash off
- easy to blend
- easy to rewet if they dry out
They also come with a colorless blender and a variety of shading markers.
If you’re looking for a more expensive, higher-quality set, try some Copic markers.
Some alcohol markers have a nice brush tip as well.
The brush tip alcohol markers are nice for lettering or when you want a more flexible end.
2. Glitter gel pens
I looooooooove glitter gel pens.
They add so much extra fun to coloring.
When I was a teen, I had a massive distaste for anything sparkly, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve fallen in love with glitter, sparkle, and shine.
I use my glitter gel pens almost daily.
They have a little roller ball tip, much like ballpoint pens.
Something I didn’t expect when I started using glitter gel pens was…
… how much I would enjoy how satisfying it is to fill a large space or intricate designs with a tiny glitter gel pen.
My hand sometimes gets tired when I do this for long periods, but the mental health benefits I get from this type of coloring meditation are so satisfying.
“Should I walk away from this post right now to go color a Mandala?
Nah… The people need to know about coloring supplies!”
Coloring page from “Many Mandalas” coloring book.
Here are some ways I like to use glitter gel pens and different techniques I like to use.
Adding little gorgeous glittery details
When I have a page that’s mostly alcohol markers, I like to add a little detail that pops with glitter gel pens.
Coloring page from “Wonky Doodles” coloring book.
Mandalas with intricate glittery designs
Detailed Mandalas are nice when using glitter gel pens of various colors.
I sometimes like to do them in several sittings, one color at a time.
This is my “Many Mandalas” coloring book that I color often. (You saw the image of one of my intricate colorings higher up in this post).
The whole shebang!
I also like to color an entire page with glitter gel pens, and I sometimes like to give the characters names or relate them to a celebrity for fun.
Celebrities in glitter
This isn’t really a tip, but it makes me giggle. This is my coloring version of Dylan Mulvaney colored in with alcohol markers first, then little details. 🙂
This coloring page is from my “Wonky Doodles” coloring book
I posted it on my Tiktok and she actually responded. Yeeee!
3. Colored pencils
When I first started coloring, I bought a cheap set of colored pencils from the dollar store. These will always be where I got my start and carry some nostalgia for me.
Colored pencils satisfy my inner child and remind me of being a kid in kindergarten.
You can get oil-based pencils and wax-based pencils in all sorts of bright colors.
They also cover differently than markers and gel pens, making them a good choice for specific types of coloring.
Add a little texture
You can add texture to a design that’s colored with a different medium first.
In this coloring page from my “Wonky Doodles” coloring book, I added a light brown colored pencil over gray alcohol marker to the front of this building to give it a brick texture.
This coloring page is from my “Wonky Doodles” coloring book
Blend, blend, blend
And something I love, love, love about colored pencils is how you can blend, blend, blend colors gently to make a new color.
In this coloring page from my “Wonky Doodles” coloring book, I started with a light layer of green, then added yellow at the top and blue at the bottom. I then added glitter gel pen to the tongue and eyes.
Colored pencils are light and easily portable
A bonus is they are easily portable in a case and less bulky than alcohol markers or gel pens.
You don’t run the risk of them leaking, and they aren’t as sensitive to hot and cold as markers. Although I would still be careful not to keep them in extreme temperatures.
There are a lot of nice pencil cases available.
Here is the pencil case I like to use.
Pro tip: Get yourself an electric pencil sharpener. If you plan to color a lot, you’ll get annoyed fast if you’re forced to use a handheld sharpener. Electric sharpeners will make your coloring life much easier.
What will you use?
There are lots of different mediums you can use.
- Expensive Ohuhu alcohol markers
- Cheap Amazon regular markers like this set of 60
- Cheap Amazon alcohol markers
- Copic alcohol markers
- Glitter gel pens
- Metallic pens
- Regular gel pens
- Inexpensive colored pencils
- Expensive colored pencils
- Crayons (Crayola crayons are just fine)
It’s more important that you enjoy the process and the coloring tool you’re using than it is to make it perfect. Go outside the lines, be messy, but always make sure you’re having fun.
Happy coloring!
