Coloring…there are so many different ways to color something. From pencils to paints and everything in between. Here are some of my favorite ways to color in my craft room.
Copic Markers
Copic Markers are my “go to” when I want to color stamped images. However, they are pricey and there are a LOT of different colors. You need 2-3 of each color to shade well and it can take time to build up a collection because of the cost. I started out years ago, getting them 2-3 at a time and now I have about 230-240. They start out at $7.99 but you can get them for as little as $5.24 online or sometimes even less in Michael’s with a 40% off coupon.
Note: You need to make sure you are using Copic Quality Cardstock when coloring with Copics. There are several good brands and you can see more about that on my “Kat’s Favorite Cardstock 2018 blog post“.
It can be overwhelming and confusing when first starting out with Copic Markers, so I recommend doing some research before you invest. I have some blog posts on getting started with Copics which you can see here. I also recommend trying out a couple before buying a lot. Just to make sure you like them.
Shading doesn’t just come easy to most, it takes a little practice. I highly recommend this online class which I took a few years ago. It is a great place to start! It’s $35.00 and worth every penny.
Distress Markers
Distress Markers are a dual tip, water based marker that you can use to color, stamp, watercolor, journal and more. They are very easy to use and give a soft, subtle color to your projects. There are 61 colors and you can buy the entire set at once if you’d like. They are about $125 a set, but if you are on a budget, don’t worry, you can buy them as singles as well. Retail price is about $3.99 each, but if you check Joann.com, when they are having a sale, you can get them for about $2.09 each. I’m sure you can find them at other retailers online as well, just search for “Tim Holtz Distress Markers”.
*Please remember to store distress markers horizontally. (Recommended by Ranger)
Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens
Whew! That name is a mouth full right? These are watercolor pens that are really fun to use. You can easily blend and shade with these markers and they come in 80 shades! (more info on these markers here).
You can buy the individually or in sets. They come in the following sets:
It matters what paper you use to color with these. I highly recommend Bristol Smooth Paper. It is a great paper for these pens, as well as stamping and coloring, etc. You can find more information on this paper in the post titled “Kat’s Favorite Cardstocks 2018“.
Colored Pencils
I have two favorites when it comes to Colored Pencils. I’ll start with my newest favorite first and that is Chameleon Colored Pencils. I love these because they color smooth and aren’t waxy and blend easily with Gamsol or a blender pencil. They are dual tipped, meaning a lighter shade of a color on one end and a darker shade of the same color on the other end. This makes blending SUPER EASY because the colors are picked out for you already. These are great for beginners who aren’t sure what colors to use to get a good shade/blend. They are also very affordable. (about $30 for a set of 25 which is 50 colors!)
My other favorite colored pencil are my Prismacolor pencils. I have the 72 pack but you can get them in other sizes as well. One thing I will say about Prismacolor pencils is that they break easily. The led will break inside the pencil if you aren’t careful with them (or if you drop one). You also need to use a really good pencil sharpener. This is the one I use and recommend.
This isn’t really a “coloring medium” but it is what I put on top of my colored images sometimes just to give it some sparkle.
Clear Overlay Sparkle Markers by Spectrum Noir – 3pc
These pens have so much glimmer in them. It’s spectacular 🙂 They come in a pack of three so you can split them with friends, or stock up so you will never run out (lol). Anytime I want to add shimmer to something that I’m coloring, I use this pen.
Kuretake Gansai Tambi Waterolors 
I like the Gansi Tambi Watercolors because they are creamy and wonderful. They come in a larger set of 36, but I have the set of 24 and it’s plenty for me. Again, these are so fun to work with, very high quality in my opinion.
Kuretake also makes two more sets of watercolors that I really enjoy using. They are the Starry Colors and the Pearl Colors. They are just luscious.
Peerless Watercolors
These are the most vibrant and striking watercolors I’ve ever used. I used to them a few years ago and I stopped for awhile and rediscovered them this year. The heavily concentrated color is coated on one side of a special paper and when it comes in contact with water, voila! COLOR! You can use a paintbrush or a waterbrush. I prefer the latter. I have a blog post and video showing how I store my Peerless Watercolors which you can see here.
All of the (available) products mentioned in this post are listed and linked below for your convenience.
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