Dragons, fairies and mermaids are some of the most rewarding subjects to color. Because they do not exist in real life, there is no "correct" palette to worry about, which makes fantasy pages both freeing and deeply relaxing. Here is how to bring them to life.
Embrace having no wrong colours
This is the whole appeal of fantasy. A dragon can be emerald, sunset orange or deep violet. Mermaid tails shine in teal, rose gold or opal. Give yourself permission to experiment, and even invent a little story for each creature as you color, which is part of the escapism people love about the theme.
Use bold and iridescent palettes
Fantasy is the perfect place for jewel tones and shimmer. Try analogous blends (teal to blue to purple for a mermaid tail) or a warm-to-cool gradient across dragon scales. A touch of metallic or pearlescent pen on wings and scales adds that magical, otherworldly glow.
Start from a grayscale base for instant depth
Grayscale fantasy pages are printed in shades of grey that already map out the light and shadow, so when you layer colour on top you get realistic scales, wings and water with barely any shading skill. Our Fairies and Dragons, Fairies and Dragons 2 and Enchanting Mermaid Dreams sets are ideal for this. Explore more in our fantasy world and grayscale collections.
Choose tools for the details
Fantasy pages are often intricate, so fine-tip colored pencils and gel pens give you the control to blend scales, feathers and tiny sparkles. Build colour in gentle layers rather than pressing hard, and save your brightest highlights and metallics for the very last step so they truly pop.