Coloring pages are a form of artwork that includes coloring in pictures with different colors.

There are a number of reasons why coloring pages or coloring books can be used as a relaxation tool. One reason is that they provide a way to focus on a task that is relaxing and calming. Another reason is that they can help to distract people from stressors in their lives. Additionally, coloring pages can help to promote mindfulness, which can lead to a sense of relaxation.

Are you looking for ways to make your colored pages stand out? Here are seven background coloring ideas  that can help! These techniques will add interest and depth to your artwork, making it look more polished and professional.

So why not give them a try? You may be surprised at how much of a difference they make.

Black background

The black background is classic and dramatic. It will make all sorts of colors stand out a little. Whether the design is a bit dull now that you have finished it or you simply find it boring, the black background will make those colors pop.

You are free to use whatever you want for the background, be it a pencil, marker, or gel pen. If it works, why not?

According to The Coloring Inn, a black pencil and a few pens will help you add more density. When it comes to the pens, get one with a fat brush nib and another one with a thin one. Start with the pencil, use the thin one to make sure you do not cover the lines and finish with the thick one.

You are not limited to plain black though. You can use a white pen or a yellow one and come up with all kinds of designs, from tribal designs and galaxies to skies and random shades.

Pastel

Chalk pastels are simple and represent one of the easiest ways to get a background for your coloring pages. Basically, you have some pigments and sticks, as well as a bit of chalk to stick everything together.

The best part about chalk pastels is that colors are quite vibrant, so you are less likely to need anything else.  Forget about solvents or different techniques to make colors pop.

There are four different types out there – oil, soft, hard and pencils. Different options come with different application methods. Generally speaking, you have to add some light strokes before blending them in with the tip of your finger.

Make sure you clean the fingertip before moving on to another color or you risk ruining it. Simply use tap water or some cotton pads.

Bokeh

If you have not used coloring pages for too long, you probably ask yourself – what is bokeh and what does it mean? It may sound a bit sophisticated, but it is relatively simple to understand – it is modern and quite effective.

The bokeh effect is more common in photos, but you can also bring it into coloring pages. Imagine the portrait mode on your smartphone. The main thing in the middle is super sharp, while the rest is unfocused and foggy.

Get a sheet of vellum and come up with some circle stencils – more sizes for more variety. Apply the ink with a pad or sponge based on these stencils. It looks dodgy at first, but keep overlapping one circle after another until you are happy with the result.

Remember to change the stencil and add circles of different sizes. It is worth noting that too much white ink is likely to get messy and dirty with time, so you could mess everything up.

Pencil blending

Pencil blending is easy and straightforward. You will need to merge a bunch of different colors and ensure a smooth transition between them. You can achieve different effects, based on the colors you choose – dramatic, happy, soft and so on.

If you are new to this technique, start with a couple of colors only. As you gain experience, you can keep adding one color at a time. Start with light shades before moving on to darker shades – apply from the inside and move out.

The darker shades are meant to go towards the end. You can also rely on colorless blending techniques to help with the layers. Hard edges are then softened before completion, but leave this technique for later on, as you gain more experience.

You can replace colorless blenders with white pencils. Once you are done with the blended shades, a bit of white will reduce the intensity. It will also make deep colors look less intense, which brings in the exact same effect.

Geometric patterns

Geometric waves are often seen in the form of a trellis, which can be used for ornamental or structural purposes. It’s an example that seamlessly weaves together thin lines to create an abstract background.

There are many ways to draw seamless patterns. I’ll show you how to do it with a few simple steps.

First, choose the colors you want to use for your pattern. Then, draw a simple shape (a square, for example) in one of the colors.

Next, use the same color to draw another shape overlapping the first one. Keep drawing shapes in this way until you’ve filled up the entire area you want to cover with your pattern.

Finally, if needed, you can add some details to your pattern by drawing smaller shapes inside of the larger ones. And that’s it! You’ve now created a beautiful and seamless pattern.

Stippling

Stippling is fairly simple to understand and likely to become your favorite technique as you master it. The technique implies using dots – dozens of them, maybe even hundreds. The idea is to come up with a shade featuring different intensities, based on nothing but dots.

Place dots together and the area will look dark. Leave some space between them and it will look lighter. You need a very sharp pencil, but a sharp marker will also do.

The technique itself seems relatively simple. However, your hand is used to strokes – stippling implies making dots. You need a better control of your muscles and chances are you will feel tired much faster.

Lose your concentration for a minute and you will accidentally end up with large marks. Stippling is similar to pointillism, but the techniques are totally different though. Pointillism allows dots in multiple colors overlapping each other, while stippling implies a dog pattern of the same color.

There is a very fine line between enhancing a coloring page and ruining it. You can try this technique on other parts too and not just the background – however, it is not a good idea until you know for a fact that you master it.

Acrylic paint

Acrylic paint is an incredible option when looking for background solutions. Choose the color you want, mix it with water and apply it with a pad or a sponge. Dab the page with slight moves, then add some extra paint.

The paint dries up in no time, so you need to move fast. Once a layer is dry, you can apply another one – whether lighter or darker. Experiment, as different ideas will give you different results.

Acrylics come in different price ranges and quality standards. There are a few things you need to look after and the quality is the most important one. Then, you need to know how quickly they dry and how long they last.

If you are just starting with this technique, opt for student quality – not bad, but not as good as artist quality. You do not want to mess with expensive acrylics when not even sure whether or not you like the technique.

Finally, it is worth noting the necessity of using a sponge for more control. It adds an appealing texture to your background – try out different materials for more diversity too.

Conclusion

Anybody who has ever colored in a book or piece of coloring paper as an adult can understand that there are some things you are just afraid to do.

Sometimes, you avoid drawing backgrounds because you fear messing up the entire picture.

But if your comfort zone needs to be pushed past its breaking point, this article will help guide how best to accomplish such goals by giving tips on various types of colorings techniques from simple outlines to more complicated patterns like swirly designs -allowing artists no matter their skill level create works worthy enough display them proudly without worrying about hiding anything behind blank space.