13 Coloring Supplies To Get Started With Coloring

Here are the best coloring supplies ideas. If you love coloring, having the right coloring supplies can make a big difference in how your pages turn out. From smooth markers to soft colored pencils and fun gel pens, there are so many great options out there.

In this post, I’m sharing the best coloring supplies for adults, including must-have coloring accessories and art supplies for coloring pages. So if you’re just getting started or looking to upgrade your adult coloring supplies, this list will help you build your perfect set.

I’ve tested a lot of adult coloring books and supplies over the years, and have found some favorites I always go back to. As someone who colors almost every day, I love finding coloring art supplies that are fun to use and give a polished finish. I’m excited to share what’s worked for me and what I think are some of the best coloring supplies out there.

best coloring supplies list

1. Alcohol Markers

Alcohol markers are one of the most popular tools for adult coloring because of their smooth, streak-free coverage and bold colors. Brands like Ohuhu, Copic, and Caliart offer sets with a wide range of shades. These markers are especially great for blending, and using a colorless blender can help soften edges or fix small mistakes.

Just make sure to use thick paper designed for markers so the ink doesn’t bleed through. If you don’t have thick paper, you can insert a blank page in between.

See my other article about the best alcohol markers for this year.

2. Colored Pencils

A good set of colored pencils is a must for shading and layering. Soft core pencils, like Prismacolor Premier or Arteza, are easy to blend and give you smooth color transitions. They’re for adding depth to your coloring pages, especially on more detailed areas like hair or flowers. Try layering light to dark and using a blending pencil or tool for blending.

I used colored pencils for this tutorial on how to color a guinea pig. I really like how colored pencils are easy to use for hair and layering. Also see this guide on how to erase colored pencils from paper.

3. Gel Pens for coloring

Gel pens are perfect for adding fun details like shimmer, shine, or metallic accents. You can find sets that include glitter, pastel, neon, and metallic finishes. They work well over alcohol markers or colored pencil layers and are great for outlining or tiny areas that need sparkle. Let each section dry before touching it so you don’t smudge the ink.

See my article about the best gel pen sets for coloring. One of my favorite ways to use gel pens is for adding accents, like I did to this nail polish bottle on the Coco Wyo coloring book.

4. Blender Markers

Blender markers are a clear, alcohol-based tool made for blending two colors together. They can soften harsh lines, fix mistakes, or help fade one color into another for a seamless look. They’re especially useful if you’re working with markers and want smoother transitions. Practice on a scrap piece of paper first to get a feel for how much pressure and ink you need.

I use blenders quite a lot on my YouTube channel. Keep checking because there will be a video on how to use blending markers coming up soon. One way to use these is to make wallpaper texture. The full video of this coloring page is below and you can see exactly how this is made.

5. Fine liner Pens

Fine liner pens are good for adding outlines, doodles, or tiny patterns to your coloring pages. Brands like Micron or Staedtler give you lots of different tip sizes so you can choose how thick or thin you want your lines. They’re great for mixed media work too, since they dry quickly and don’t usually smudge. Use them after you finish coloring to sharpen details.

6. Metallic Colored Pencils

Metallic colored pencils are a fun way to add a soft shimmer to your work without the shine of gel pens. They’re great for magical, fantasy-themed pages or just adding sparkle to borders and accessories. Try them out on these free Rapunzel coloring printables.

They show up best on darker paper, but they can also be layered over regular pencil colors for subtle highlights. Use them on stars, jewelry, or magical elements like wings.

7. White Gel Pens

White gel pens are great for highlights and fixing tiny coloring errors. You can use them to draw light reflections on eyes, add shine to lips, or create sparkle effects on clothes. They also work well for adding patterns over marker or pencil coloring.

Make sure your base layer is fully dry before adding white so the gel ink goes on smoothly. Keep in mind that they come in different sizes of tips. The set below from Gelly Roll have sized from .05 to 1.

8. Soft Pastels or Chalks

Soft pastels are wonderful for backgrounds and large areas where you want a soft, dreamy look. You can apply them with your fingers, cotton swabs, or blending tools. They’re messy but blend beautifully and give a gentle glow to skies, fields, or shadows.

Just be sure to spray your finished work with a fixative or hairspray so it doesn’t smudge.

9. Adult Coloring Books

If you’re looking to build your coloring supply stash, don’t forget about the coloring books themselves! Some of the top sellers right now include Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden and Coco Wyo. These books offer a mix of intricate patterns, relaxing floral themes, and fun designs that work great with alcohol markers, colored pencils, or gel pens.

A helpful tip: choose books with single sided pages to prevent bleed through if using alcohol markers, and look for perforated pages if you like to display your finished art.

10. printable coloring pages

One of the best parts about building your coloring supply collection is having access to pages you can start right away. There are tons of free printable coloring pages right here on the blog. From cute animals to fun seasonal designs, these pages are great for testing out new coloring supplies like alcohol markers, gel pens, or colored pencils.

This page here is from cottagecore coloring pages to print.

11. Etsy coloring pages

If you’re looking for unique and high quality designs, printable coloring pages on Etsy are a great place to shop. There are thousands of creators offering everything from detailed mandalas to cute characters, all in digital format you can print at home.

I like buying from Etsy when I want something specific or themed. Plus it’s a great way to support small artists.

12. Washi Tape

One of my favorite little tricks is using washi tape to hold my coloring pages in place. It keeps the paper from sliding around while I work, and it also looks cute on the edges. Plus, washi tape usually peels off without tearing the page, which is perfect for finished pieces I want to save.

13. embellishments

Embellishments like stickers and small gems can add a fun, creative touch to finished coloring pages. Nail art stickers work especially well because they’re tiny, detailed, and easy to place. These extra elements are great for giving pages a unique look or adding sparkle to certain sections.

Thanks for reading! I hope you found some fun coloring ideas to try. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for even more tips, reviews, and coloring inspiration!