Coloring isn’t just about staying in the lines anymore—it’s about making your pictures pop with smooth, beautiful colors that mix together like magic. If you’re an advanced colorist who wants to take your adult coloring book pages to the next level, blending is the trick to learn. It’s all about combining colors so they flow, not just sit there, turning a flat flower into one that looks real or a sky into a dreamy sunset. This guide will show you Simple ways to blend with colored pencils and markers, give you a peek at how it changes your work, and suggest fun pages to practice on. Let’s get started and blend like pros!
How to blend like a pro
Why Blending Makes a Difference
Blending is when you mix colors so they fade into each other—like a petal going from light pink to dark red. It makes your coloring look deeper and more exciting, not just plain. For folks who’ve been coloring a while, it’s a way to show off your skills and make every page look amazing. Whether you’re using pencils or markers, blending turns your work into something special, and we’ll show you how to do it step by step.
How to Blend Colors Like a Pro
Blending might sound fancy, but it’s really just about putting colors together in a smart way. You can use colored pencils or markers—both work great, just in different styles. Below, we’ll walk you through how to use each one to make your pages look smooth and professional, no matter what you’re coloring.
Blending with Colored Pencils
Colored pencils are awesome for blending because you can stack colors on top of each other. Here’s how to do it easy: Start with a few colors—like light pink, medium pink, and dark red for a flower. Use the lightest one first and color the whole area softly—don’t press hard yet, it keeps the paper ready for more colors. Next, put the medium pink where you want it a little darker, like near the flower’s center, pressing a bit harder. Then add the dark red in the shadowy spots, like the edges, pressing firmly. Finally, grab your light pink again (or a special blender pencil with no color) and go over everything lightly to smooth out where the colors meet so it looks like one big flow. You can also use a blending stump—a little paper stick—or a tiny bit of baby oil on a cotton swab to make it super smooth (test it on scrap paper first!). Quick Tip: Nicer pencils like Prismacolor work best—they’re soft and blend easier than cheap, waxy ones.
Blending with Markers
Markers can blend too, especially if you use the right kind, and they make colors super bright. Here’s the simple way: Get alcohol-based ones like Copics—they stay wet long enough to mix—and pick colors that go together, like light blue, medium blue, and dark blue. Color the lightest blue over the whole area while it’s still wet, then quick, add the medium blue where you want a change—like the middle of a leaf—and the dark blue in the shadows; the wet colors will start mixing on their own. Use the light blue again or a colorless blender marker (it’s like a marker with no color) to go over the edges and blend them so there’s no harsh lines. Want it to look watery? Dab it with a wet paintbrush right away!
Quick Tip: Use thick paper (80lb or more) so the marker doesn’t bleed through—our explains more! You can learn more at our Coloring Supplies article
Practice on Tricky Designs
To get really good at blending, try it on detailed pages like mandalas—they’re full of little shapes and patterns that test your skills. Start with the easy parts—like blending from light in the middle to dark at the edges—then move to the tiny bits. You can also practice on spring flowers from our spring coloring pages, making petals fade from soft to bright. The more you try tricky stuff, the better you’ll get!
Get the Right Stuff
You don’t need a lot, but good tools help. Our Choosing Supplies article has all the details, but here’s the short version: use soft pencils like Prismacolor, alcohol markers like Copics, and thick paper. A blending stump or colorless marker can make it even easier. With these, you’re ready to blend like a champ!
A Fun Twist: Mix Pencils and Markers
Want to try something cool? Use pencils first for a soft start, then add markers for bright color, and finish with pencils again to smooth it out. It’s like making a colorful sandwich—each part adds something awesome. Test it on an extra page—it’s a neat way to make your pictures stand out!
Start Blending Now
Blending colors is how you go from good to great in adult coloring. With pencils, stack light to dark and smooth it; with markers, mix wet colors fast. Try it on mandalas or spring designs, and your pages will look amazing.
Grab our detailed designs at Trending Coloring and start blending like a pro today!