There are many basic programs available online that will aid you in venturing into the world of digital coloring. To color online, you do not need to be versed in programs like Photoshop. Rather, these intuitive coloring programs available online allow you to simply point and click to apply color to pre-created drawings ready for your artistic eye.
The basic tips related to coloring digitally are similar to what you’d consider when coloring with physical objects on real paper. You’ll want to consider how much of a 3D effect you’re striving for, and the layering and color schemes were chosen, to get the most visually appealing result from your coloring endeavors. However, all you’ll have to do is touch or click the areas you want to be colored, and voila! You’re well on your way to a wonderful artistic creation.
Coloring on a screen can be even more fun than analog coloring using paper and pencils. That’s because the coloring can follow you wherever you can take your phone, computer, or tablet, while still giving you the relaxing and meditative release of art creation without the fuss of supplies. Consider the suggestions below before diving into your first digital coloring masterpiece, but remember, the end game is to have fun so don’t overthink it!
Color Schemes Aid Color Choice
You’ll find in most coloring programs that there is an ability to stick with certain related color palettes to create a piece of coloring art that has complementary colors. While it is possible to fly solo and pick your colors out of the myriad possibilities presented by coloring technology, sticking to a color scheme will aid you in creating a cohesive work saturated with colors that make sense together.
Monochromatic color schemes are based on one specific color, and the monochromatic palette shows the chosen color and all of its variations. For example, if you pick red, there will be color choices that are almost white with just a kiss of the brightness to reds that seem black. All of the colors available to you will be red-tinted.
Analogous color schemes provide not just one base color and all of its variations, it also provide colors that are complementary to the main color chosen. The red above may have yellow variations in the palette which allows you to add pops of brightness and more contrast between the different elements on the digital page. This is a great choice for folks looking to branch out and add more tonalities to their page but who aren’t ready to make their own color choices just yet.
Complimentary color schemes pair opposite colors together, which can seem a little confusing since analogous schemes pair complementary colors together. The word “complementary” here merely refers to the fact that the colors are appealing together, when in fact the colors are on the opposite side of the color wheel from each other. Because of the stark contrast in colors in a complementary color scheme palette, it is best to use this option sparingly and only with parts of the coloring book page that you truly want to stand out from the rest.
Triadic color schemes are one of the more advanced coloring palettes available because they provide 3 colors that are proportionately separated on the color wheel. In other words, you get hues from 3 opposing colors that are meant to work in harmony when placed together.
Layering and Dimension
Almost all basic coloring programs will provide you with layers. Beginning programs generally provide three layers, however, as you progress in technique and learn new programs, endless color layers are possible.
The first layer will be the basic colors that define the picture, such as coloring an elephant gray. The second layer will be the darker shading needed to bring dimension to the image, while the final layer will be the application of lighter shades which provides the highlights needed to fully define the three-dimensionality of your coloring project.
You’ll want to lay the first basic color layer first so that you’re able to choose a pleasing color for shading that makes sense. Highlights need to be last since they’re easily hidden below layers of darker colors.
Types of Shading
When you first decide to venture into the world of online coloring books, it’s important to consider shading. Most people, on their first few drawings, will choose to use flat colors. This means that the colors you use will not have any shading added to them. This is great for cartoon-themed coloring book pages and is the simplest form of coloring possible. A simple point and click get the job done.
If you’re looking for a more comic book style, where there’s some definition but the concern is not realism, cel-shading is a great choice. This entails the application of flat shades, meaning that a uniform layer of shading is added to the image to give it a little more oomph without providing realistic detail. It’s flat colors layered on flat colors. This is a great technique for artists who have grown tired of dimensionless coloring and those individuals who have grown comfortable with the program they are using to color.
Soft shading is pretty advanced, but the results are the most realistic out of all of the shading choices. With soft shading, you use a gradient of shading color to make the image pop. This provides a more photorealistic feel to your image as if the coloring page is popping off the screen. The image will appear to exist in three-dimensional space even though it is just displayed on a computer screen.
How to Shade
Start your shading adventures by considering where to place lowlights. Lowlights require that you decide where in the piece the light is coming from and shade the opposite side of the image with tones that are darkest on the color palette. As the colors approach the light source, they will lighten up. This helps provide a framework for universal depth throughout the piece. If you shade without considering your light source, the piece will end up looking muddled and amateurish.
If you’re using a more advanced color scheme that has more than one color selection, give shading with an opposite and darker color a shot. The contrast between the base colors and the opposing color will provide more depth to your coloring book page.
Check out our list of the best coloring apps HERE.
Highlights After Shading
Once you’ve applied your shading, it’s time to consider highlights. The trick to highlight is to choose a light and translucent color that is opposite of the color you chose to shade. You can choose cooler hues, like pastel blues, or you can choose brighter and more classic highlighting colors, like canary yellow.
A good rule of thumb when applying highlights is to use the zoom feature on the program you’re using. This allows you to zone in on the area that you want to be highlighted so that you can perfectly place the pops of color that will bring the lighting you’ve chosen for your piece to life. Since this can’t be done on physical paper, the results you can get from digital coloring can be much more precise than that which can be produced in a physical coloring book.
The Eraser
The most appealing aspect of coloring on a digital platform is the ease of color removal. If you apply a layer of color that you find distasteful, it’s so simple to erase what you’ve laid down and experiment with other color choices until you get it just right. This ability to swap colors on a whim is revolutionary to the coloring world, and a bad color choice won’t ruin an entire page because it can easily be deleted.
Consider digital coloring if committing to color choices is difficult for you as the margin of error is greatly reduced by the user’s ability to change anything about the image without leaving residual marks on the page.
Digital coloring is versatile, and it opens the therapeutic effects of adult coloring to audiences that may otherwise not have the ability to partake in decorating a coloring book. Almost everyone these days has some form of technology available to them and downloading coloring programs is generally free! There’s no need to invest in expensive coloring supplies, which makes coloring more obtainable.
Don’t let the various programs overwhelm you. Read the descriptions of the program you’re going to download and select a program that works in conjunction with your artistic ability. While it’s possible to fall a major rabbit hole related to digital art creation, keep in mind that basic coloring in and of itself is a valiant form of artistic expression.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the color wheel work?
Color wheels are tools that help you choose colors. A wheel is divided into basic colors, and complimentary colors are found next to each other. Opposing colors on the opposite side are the exact opposite, but still, look good together. If you choose colors that have no spatial relationship, things may seem mismatched.
What’s the difference between the pen, the paintbrush, and the paint bucket in coloring programs?
The pen emulates the fine tip of a pen or pencil and is used to draw lines on the page. The paintbrush provides thicker, less well-defined strokes, and while it’s named after a paintbrush, its digital effects resemble spray paint. A paint bucket will fill the selected area.
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