What you need
- Alcohol markers (ideally brush tip).
- Smooth, marker-friendly paper (or a printable page on thicker paper).
- A backing sheet if you're coloring in a book.
- Three colors in the same family: light, mid, dark.
The easiest blend: light -> mid -> dark -> light
- Lay down your light color as a base.
- Add midtone where the shadow will be.
- Add a small amount of dark at the deepest shadow.
- Go back with the midtone to soften the edge.
- Finish with the light color to smooth the transition.
Timing matters
Blending works best while the ink is still wet. Work in small sections so you can soften edges before they dry.
How to avoid streaks
- Use smoother paper; rough paper causes texture and fuzzy edges.
- Overlap strokes while the ink is wet (avoid leaving gaps).
- Use lighter pressure; scrubbing damages paper and makes streaks worse.
- Do fewer passes. More layers can mean more bleed-through on thin paper.
Practice on bold regions first
Bold & easy pages are perfect practice: big shapes give you time to control transitions. If you're using Kolorio AI, snap a photo of a bold page, colorize it, and practice 3-step blends on one shape at a time using the guide.
Top YouTube Videos
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Colorize any page in seconds
Take a photo of your coloring book page and get a clean color guide + marker-friendly palette to follow. Save palettes, keep your look consistent, and color with more confidence.
FAQ
Do I need a colorless blender?
Not required. Most beginners get better results blending with the lightest color and using better paper.
Why are my blends patchy?
Patchiness usually comes from paper texture, letting edges dry before softening, or using colors that are too far apart in value.
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