Coloring Supplies
The best thing about coloring is that you don't need a lot of supplies! On this page I'll tell you all about the best markers, colored pencils, gel pens, and paint markers that I use for coloring, and discuss the pros and cons of various brands. (Click on any of those links to be taken directly to that section!)
In the past few years my published coloring books have sold over 4 million copies, which has kept me really busy with testing out dozens of different coloring supplies to find the ones that work best in adult coloring books. Below you can see examples of the art from my coloring books that I colored using different media and brands!
As you can see from the artwork above, all you need to get started are markers, colored pencils, gel pens, or pens, which you can get cheaply at almost any store! Art supplies can range in price from economical to pricey, so if you're just starting out and you're on a budget, I'd suggest starting with lower-priced brands and then if you want, add more higher-priced coloring supplies later.
My favorite combo is to use markers, colored pencils and gel pens or paint pens all in the same page, because they each have specific qualities that can be combined to create some really cool effects. Here's a rundown of my favorite brands and how I use them!
Markers
Markers are my favorite coloring supply, because they're so easy to use! Below you can find an overview of some of my favorite brands. I've organized them into two sections: alcohol-based and water-based. For a more detailed look at art markers, such as the difference between water-based markers and alcohol-based markers, be sure to check out my in-depth article - Markers: a buying guide.
Now let’s talk about marker brands!
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Alcohol-Based Markers
Ohuhu Alcohol Brush Markers
They entered the market as a super budget option, but have continued updating their offering to the point that they now compete with Copics! They offer a huge range of 344 colors, are refillable, and the nibs are replaceable. You can even buy them individually!
Read my in-depth review to learn if Ohuhu markers are right for you, plus see several examples of artwork I colored in with these markers!
Here you can see one of my alcohol marker drawings that I made using Ohuhu Markers. You can color this wizard cat along with me and learn the exact alcohol marker blending techniques that I used to create this whimsical illustration in my step-by-step Wizard Cat Alcohol Markers Course! 😍
Arrtx Markers
If you’re on a tight budget you can consider are Arrtx Markers. The markers from their Alp series are also double-sided with a chisel tip on one end but instead of a brush tip on the other end, they have a fine point tip. They come in a beautiful range of colors so they’re great for beginners who aren’t sure whether they prefer a brush tip or fine point tip. Check out my in-depth review for more info, along with several examples of artwork that I colored in with Arrtx Alp Markers!
Copic
If you're after the very best, there's still nothing better than Copic Sketch markers! They've been the industry standard for decades, and although the competition has closed the gap, Copics are still what the professionals prefer.
This page was colored with Copic Markers. Click to enlarge.
Copic markers pioneered many of the features we now look for in markers: they’re refillable, the nibs are replaceable, and they have a huge color range (368 colors!). Copic Sketch markers come with a brush tip and a chisel tip, but I mostly use the brush tip, which comes to such a fine point that it can fill in tiny details. They're also great for filling in large areas with color.
I own all 368 colors and love how you can get just about any color of the rainbow. You can achieve colors that range from soft and subtle to bold and vibrant to deep and dark. The colors can be blended together which is another reason I generally prefer alcohol-based markers over water-based markers (such as Crayola).
Because Copics can be purchased individually, you can grow your collection over time by starting with your favorite colors, or you can invest in a set. The only downside of Copics is the price, but since Copics are considered professional-quality markers, they come with a price tag to match.
To learn more, check out my in-depth review of Copic Markers. I compare the different types on offer – Classic, Sketch, and Ciao – and discuss tip shapes, color range, lightfastness, and more! I’ve also written a page of Tips for Using Alcohol Markers in Coloring Books.
Sharpies
Sharpie colors are bold and vibrant. You can buy them individually or in limited edition sets (such as the Glam Pop or the Electro Pop sets). They also come in Neon, which is wonderful for eye-popping color! Of the different types available, I mostly use Sharpie Fine Point Markers.
A coloring page done entirely with Sharpies! Click to enlarge.
I like that I can get good, smooth coverage with Sharpies. They're also inexpensive and easy to find in stores, so they're a great addition to any coloring supplies collection.
I only wish that Sharpies offered a range of truly soft and subtle colors, for instance, a light pastel blue, green or pink. They do offer a few colors that are labelled “pastel” but they are actually much darker than the pastel colors offered by Copic (or any of the other above-mentioned brands), for example.
Because they lack those subtle pastel colors, I rarely use only Sharpies to color in a page - I typically use them in combination with other brands and/or media.
However as you can see from this page from my Groovy Abstract Coloring Book, you certainly can use only Sharpies to color an entire page with eye-catching results!
Bic Intensity Markers
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Bic Intensity Markers are very similar to Sharpies so they also deserve a special mention. Like Sharpies, you can buy them in affordable sets that include a diverse range of vibrant colors. I like the “Fine Point” Pens because the tip really is fine which makes it great for coloring in tight spaces, and the marker can be used at an angle to fill in larger spaces.
Chameleon Markers
Chameleon Markers can be fun to work with because they're designed to simplify the blending process. They have a unique system that's different from other markers. Basically, by touching the "clear" end of the marker to the "colored" end of the same marker for a few seconds, the clear alcohol ink soaks into the colored part. Then you start coloring with it on paper and it starts out clear (or almost clear) and after a few seconds the color starts to return to the marker tip, creating a nice gradation of color. If that sounds confusing, don't worry - the markers come with an illustrated instruction pamphlet.
Below is a page from my Flower Mandalas Coloring Book that I colored with Chameleon Markers!
A page from my Flower Mandalas Coloring Book that I colored with Chameleon Markers.
Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers
Learn how to make the most of your alcohol markers in my comprehensive online art class: Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers!
We'll start right at the beginning with basic blending techniques and blending theory, and work our way up to more intermediate and advanced alcohol marker techniques. With 11+ hours of detailed video divided into 65 bite-sized lessons, you can follow along at home at your own pace, with over 50 pages of downloadable resources to help you along!
Water-Based Markers
Ohuhu
These Ohuhu Water-Based Markers are an excellent choice for beginners. You can get a huge 160-set for around $45! The quality is good (as we now come to expect from Ohuhu), but unlike their alcohol markers, these aren't refillable and the nibs can't be replaced. But that's the norm with water-based markers, which aren't as fully-featured as alcohol-markers.
Tombow
Tombow markers are actually called "brush pens" but to me they feel more like markers rather than what you'd traditionally think of as "pens". They have dual tips - a pointy brush tip and a hard fine-point tip. I typically use the brush tip to color in fine details and the hard tip to draw in extra details. I don't use Tombows to fill in large spaces because I've found that they can create lines where the marker overlaps (unlike Copics, for example).
Crayola
Yes, Crayola makes my list! Even though Crayolas are meant for kids, they are cheap and vibrant and come in a nice range of colors. They're best for filling in smaller areas rather than large areas, because they leave lines where the marker overlaps. Of the many different types of Crayola markers, I prefer the Crayola Super Tips Markers. The biggest downside of Crayola markers is that the colors do fade relatively quickly (some colors, within days or weeks), as opposed to the other markers I mentioned in this list, whose colors last longer. It's another example of how you get what you pay for. If you don't mind that the colors will fade, then Crayola markers are a wonderfully affordable option for "in the moment" coloring. Then, if you scan or photograph your finished masterpiece, it'll be preserved for posterity even if the marker colors fade!
Colored Pencils
Colored pencils are wonderfully versatile tools for coloring. They're lightweight, portable, don't require any preparation other than sharpening, involve minimal clean-up, and the best brands offer rich colors that blend beautifully. They can be used to fill both large and tiny spaces.
For a more in-depth look at colored pencils, check out my Complete Beginners Guide to the Best Colored Pencils.
Prismacolors
My favorite brand of colored pencils is Prismacolor Premier Soft-Core Colored Pencils. I’ve been using them since the 1990s when my high school art teacher recommended them.
Want to see how I colored in this rainbow rose using Prismacolor colored pencils? Learn the best techniques for drawing realism with colored pencils and watch a video of my process!
The colors in Prismacolor Colored Pencils are so rich and vibrant that if you create enough layers and burnish them, the finished artwork can look as rich and vibrant as a painting, like you see here with my rainbow rose! Prismacolors come in a wide range of colors that can be easily layered and blended to create new colors and/or to create shading effects. Shading is a fantastic way to add dimension and interest to a coloring page, to make the artwork really pop. In addition to layering colored pencils on top of colored pencils, I often layer colored pencils on top of markers to create shading.
Prismacolor have a few different types of colored pencil. I use and recommend the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (see below), which are professional quality, so they're a little on the expensive side. You can buy them individually (around $1.13 each at the time of this writing), which is handy when you want to try them out or re-stock certain colors. You can also save some money by purchasing a set. If you like doing super-detailed coloring, Prismacolor also offer "Verithin" pencils which are designed to be sharpened to a very fine point.
A coloring page from my Power of Love Coloring Book colored entirely with Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils
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If you purchase the set of 150 Prismacolor colored pencils, then you’ll need a way to keep your colors organized. Download my free blank Prismacolor color chart, print it out and fill it in! 😍
Faber-Castell Polychromos
Another professional-level brand of colored pencils are Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils. They’re offered in a huge range of colors that, like Prismacolors, can be purchased open stock (individually) or in sets. The colors are beautifully vibrant and blend well. Although I have more experience with Prismacolors (having used them since high school), over ten years ago I purchased a set of Polychromos colored pencils and I do love them a lot.
Gel Pens
Gel pens are fun to work with because they come in a variety of styles that can add special effects to a coloring page, such as metallic or glitter. They're also perfect for filling in tiny spaces and adding extra details on top of markers!
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Sakura
Sakura gel pens are my favorite. The ink glides smoothly and they have a fun range of colors and styles, such as Metallic, sparkly Stardust, pastel Souffle and vibrant Moonlight. I love the glittery appearance of the Sakura Stardust gel pens, which is great for adding eye-catching accents to a coloring page. I like to color in areas with marker and then add details on top using a white Sakura gel pen or Souffle gel pens. The ink in the Souffle and Moonlight gel pens are so opaque that they can be used to color over the black lines in a coloring page, which can create some cool effects.
Here's a page from my Detailed Mandala Coloring Pages that I colored using Sakura Gelly Roll Pens. Notice how the opaque ink was able to cover the black line art of the coloring page.
Fiskars
Fiskars is another good brand of gel pens that are quite affordable when you purchase them in a 48-piece set. The colors are bright and include varieties such as neon, glitter, metallic, and swirl. They don't color as smoothly as Sakura, and they tend to skip a bit more, but they're good value.
Pentel SparklePop
If you love glitter, Pentel SparklePop gel pens are the best! The glitter is really vibrant and sparkly, adding something special to your coloring pages. In Australia I noticed the same gel pens are sold as "Hybrid Dual Metallic" so keep that in mind if you're outside the US and you want to find these pens.
Pens
Pens are ideal for filling in small spaces as well as adding extra details and pattering on top of areas that you've already colored in with markers.
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Staedtler Triplus Fineliner
Staedtler Triplus Fineliner pens have super-fine tips so they're excellent for filling in tiny areas of detail with color. They're also great for adding details to a coloring page. They can be purchased individually or in sets.
Paper Mate Flair Guard Pens
While these Paper Mate pens don't glide as smoothly as the other pens and markers I've mentioned in this list, they do have nice vibrant colors and the tips are small so they can be used to fill in tight spaces or to doodle extra details onto a coloring page. Plus, they're inexpensive - always a plus!
Paint Pens
Paint pens (also referred to as “paint markers”) are fantastic for adding extra details to a coloring page, especially if you want to add dots and other decorations on top of areas that you’ve already colored in with markers.
Uni-Posca Paint Pens
Also called “Posca pens” or “Posca markers”, Uni-Posca is an awesome brand of paint markers. You can buy them individually or in sets and they come in a variety of nib sizes. They come in a lovely range of colors and also offer glitter and metallic paint markers. I only wish they were refillable and came with more colors! If you’re new to paint pens, I recommend you start with a set of Poscas (though if they're too pricey for your budget, check out my recommendation for Arrtx Acrylic Paint Markers, below).
To learn more, see my dedicated review of Posca Markers!
Montana Acrylic Markers
Montana is my other favorite brand of paint markers. While Poscas are great for beginners, Montana offers artists the benefits of refillable markers and replaceable nibs. They even offer empty markers so you can mix different colors to make your own unique colors! The barrels are see-through so you can easily see when you’re getting low. The color range is great and they also come in various nib sizes.
Arrtx Acrylic Paint Pens
Another brand of paint markers that I really like are these Arrtx Acrylic Paint Pens. They come in a pack of 32 colors, with a brush tip on one end and a felt tip on the other. For coloring in paper, I much prefer the brush tip, because I've found the felt tip can pill the paper a little. All in all, these Arrtx Acrylic Paint Pens are an affordable entry into paint markers, with a variety of fun colors!
Embellishments
Embellishments are a great way to add extra pizazz to your coloring pages! I like to add embellishments to my coloring pages last, after I’ve finished coloring it in with markers, for example.
3-D Paint
Ever since I discovered 3-D paint designed for papercrafting, I’ve loved adding small 3-D dots to my finished coloring pages. My favorite brands are Nuvo Crystal Drops and Ranger Stickles Glitter Glue. You can also often find inexpensive sets of puffy paint at Target or Walmart which can be used on paper.
Gems
Another way to add some 3-D flair to your coloring pages is to decorate them with gems! Self-adhesive gems are the most convenient, and these days you can usually a set of over a thousand for less than $10. If you use non-stick gems, a handy way to stick on the gems is to use a glue pen. I’ve been using the ZIG 2-Way Glue Pen and it’s been perfect for gluing gems onto my coloring pages!
Here’s an example of how I used gems to embellish a coloring page from my Detailed Mandala Coloring Pages. Click to enlarge the images.
Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers
Learn how to take your coloring to the next level with my Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers!
This fun online art class is designed to take you step-by-step from a complete beginner level to an advanced level.
With over 11 hours of detailed instructional video, you’ll learn a variety of alcohol marker blending techniques with lots of practice printables to help you hone your new skills. Then, I’ll show you step-by-step how to create the colorful artworks you see below! Printable line art is included, so you can follow along at your own pace!
Click below to watch the course trailer and see everything you’ll get in this online alcohol marker class!
Below is another example of one of the whimsical practice printables included in my Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers!
These are currently my go-to art supplies for coloring in the art from my coloring books. I love to experiment with new coloring supplies so I'll be sure to update this list when I discover more cool supplies!
Return to the Coloring page.
Check out my Printable Coloring Pages and my Published Coloring Books.
