Your colored pencils are painted with a color that is very close to the color of the lead inside the pencil. But the color on paper looks much different from the paint on the body of the pencil. You will never get that thick, hard, shiny paint color on your coloring paper.
Before you can choose the perfect color of pencil, you need to know what it will actually look like on paper. This is where the swatch pages come into play. Once you have colored them, the swatch pages will act as a palette. You will be able to see at a glance what each colored pencil looks like on paper.
Color Swatch Page
Refer to Coloring Techniques and color each box on this page with one colored pencil. Begin by coloring each box lightly. Slowly add more layers of the same color. Increase the pressure of the pencil on the paper, so that the color in the box is shaded from dark to light.
Record the pencil information—the brand of the pencil and the color number—on the line below the swatch box.
Print as many pages as needed so that you have a color swatch for each of your colored pencils. Keep these pages to use as a reference as you color.
Blending Swatch Page
Refer to Coloring Techniques and color each box on this page with two or more different colored pencils.
Begin by coloring each box lightly with your base color, then add more layers of the same or different colors. Increase the pressure of the pencil on the paper, so that the color in the box is shaded from dark to light.
Record the pencil information—the brand of the pencil and the color number—on the line below the swatch box. You can also add the order in which you used the different colors and any other notes that you think will be helpful later on.
Print several pages and always have at least one on hand while you are coloring so that you can mix up a new color as needed. Keep these pages to use as a reference as you color.
Pattern Swatch Page
You do not have to color every space with a solid color. Whether the area is large, like a background, or small, like a bird wing, you are free to fill it with stripes, dots, hearts, or crosshatches. The possibilities are unlimited!
Coloring the pattern swatch page is a whole lot like doodling, but with purpose. You can spend many happy hours filling each box with different combinations of color, line, and pattern. You’ll find that one idea leads to another.
Swatch pages are an excellent tool for organizing and planning your coloring projects, allowing you to experiment with different color combinations before committing to your final design. Whether you’re working on Fashion Coloring Pages or Butterfly Coloring Pages, using swatch pages can help you achieve the perfect palette. For more tips on color theory and design, check out Adobe’s color theory guide.
