You of course know coloring books aren't just for kids anymore. They've become a popular stress-reliever and creative outlet for adults too. But many artists find themselves stumped when it comes to coloring light sources like the sun, moon, or room lighting. Fear not!

We're about to shed some light on this tricky subject.

The Magic of Negative Space

One of the most effective techniques for coloring light is not coloring. It sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out.

Leaving certain areas of your coloring page blank creates the illusion of bright, intense light.

Imagine you're coloring a moonlit scene. Instead of coloring the moon itself, leave it white. Then, color the sky around it in deep blues and purples. The contrast between the dark sky and the white moon will make the moon appear to glow.

Gradients: Your New Best Friend

Gradients are a coloring book artist's under-the-radar advantage when depicting light. They allow you to show how light fades as it moves away from its source.

To create a gradient, start with your lightest color nearest to the light source, then gradually blend into darker shades as you move away.

For instance, if you're coloring sunlight streaming through a window, start with a pale yellow near the window. As you color outward into the room, transition to deeper yellows, oranges, and finally to ambient color.

The Importance of Complementary Colors

Here's a trick that'll make your light sources pop: use complementary colors. These are colors opposite each other on the color wheel, like blue and orange, or purple and yellow.

By placing complementary colors next to each other, you create a vibrant contrast that makes light sources appear brighter.

If you're coloring a sunset, try using deep purples and blues in the sky, then make the sun a bright orange. The contrast will make the sun seem to radiate light.

Highlighting: The Cherry on Top

Once you've colored your primary light source and surrounding areas, it's time for the finishing touch: highlights. These small areas of very light color or white represent the brightest points of reflection.

In a room scene, you might add white highlights to the edges of furniture or the corners of picture frames. For a moonlit landscape, try adding tiny white dots to water surfaces or the edges of leaves.

The Layering Technique

Layering is a powerful method for creating depth and realism in your coloring. Start with a base layer of light color over the entire area affected by your light source.

Then, gradually build up darker colors, leaving the lightest areas with fewer layers.

For a sun-drenched beach scene, you might start with a light yellow over the entire beach, then add layers of tan and brown, leaving more of the yellow showing through near the sun.

Blending: Smooth Transitions

Blending is crucial for creating realistic light effects. You can blend colors using colored pencils by layering them and then using a colorless blender pencil or a paper stump to smooth the transition between colors.

If you're using markers, try using a lighter marker to blend the edges of darker colors. This creates a soft, diffused light effect that's perfect for moonlight or ambient room lighting.

The Burnishing Method

Burnishing is a technique where you apply heavy pressure with your coloring tool to create a smooth, glossy finish. This can be particularly effective for depicting shiny surfaces that reflect light.

To burnish, layer your colors as usual, then go over the area with heavy pressure using a light-colored pencil or a colorless blender. This compresses the pigments and creates a smooth, reflective surface.

Creating Atmosphere with Color Temperature

The temperature of your light source can dramatically affect the mood of your coloring. Warm lights (yellows, oranges) create a cozy, inviting atmosphere, while cool lights (blues, purples) can make a mysterious or calming mood.

Use warm yellows and oranges for a cozy room scene for your light sources. For a mystical moonlit forest, stick to cool blues and purples.

The Starburst Effect

Try creating a starburst effect for particularly bright light sources like the sun or a bright lamp. Draw thin lines radiating out from the light source, then color around them, leaving the lines white or very light.

This creates the illusion of intense, radiating light.

Reflections: Double the Light

Don't forget about reflections! Light bounces off surfaces, creating secondary light sources.

A mirror or shiny surface might reflect your main light source in a room scene.

Color these reflections slightly lighter and less detailed than the original to create depth.

The Importance of White Gel Pens

A white gel pen can be your under-the-radar advantage for adding bright highlights after coloring. Use it to add stars to a night sky, glints of light on water, or brighten up your light sources' centers.

Colored Shadows

Shadows aren't just black or gray. They often take on the complementary color of the light source.

For a sunset scene, try using soft purples for the shadows.

This creates a more vibrant and realistic effect.

The Halo Effect

Try creating a halo effect to make your light sources appear even brighter. Color a ring of very light color around your light source, then gradually transition to darker colors.

This mimics the way our eyes perceive bright lights in real life.

Directional Coloring

Pay attention to the direction of your light source and color accordingly. If light comes from the upper left, the upper left portions of objects should be lighter, with shadows falling to the lower right.

The Importance of Contrast

Light is all about contrast. The darker the surrounding areas, the brighter your light source will appear.

Don't be afraid to go dark in some areas to make your light sources really shine.

Experiment with Different Mediums

Different coloring tools can create different light effects. Colored pencils are great for subtle gradients, while markers can create bold, vibrant light.

Gel pens can add sparkle and shine.

Don't be afraid to mix mediums for unique effects.

Practice Makes Perfect

Like any art form, coloring light takes practice. Don't get discouraged if your first tries don't look exactly as you imagined. Keep experimenting; you'll soon create stunning light effects in your coloring books. There's no "right" way to color light. These techniques are tools in your artistic toolbox, but the most important thing is to have fun and express your creativity.

So grab your coloring books and let your imagination shine!

Illuminating Your Art: Mastering Light in Coloring Books

Coloring books aren't just for kids anymore. They've become a popular stress-reliever and creative outlet for adults too.

But many artists find themselves stumped when it comes to coloring light sources like the sun, moon, or room lighting. Let's explore some techniques to help you master the art of coloring light in your favorite coloring books.

The Magic of Negative Space

One of the most effective techniques for coloring light is not coloring at all. It sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out.

Leaving certain areas of your coloring page blank creates the illusion of bright, intense light.

Creating Luminous Celestial Bodies

Imagine you're coloring a moonlit scene. Instead of coloring the moon itself, leave it white.

Then, color the sky around it in deep blues and purples.

The contrast between the dark sky and the white moon will make the moon appear to glow.

This technique isn't limited to celestial bodies. You can use it for any bright light source in your coloring pages.

For example, in a scene with a bright lamp, leave the bulb and immediate surrounding area white while coloring the rest of the room.

This will create a striking effect of light emanating from the source.

Gradients: Your New Best Friend

Gradients are a coloring book artist's under-the-radar advantage when it comes to depicting light. They allow you to show how light fades as it moves away from its source, creating depth and realism in your work.

Becoming Better at the Art of Color Transition

To create a gradient, start with your lightest color nearest to the light source, then gradually blend into darker shades as you move away. For instance, if you're coloring sunlight streaming through a window, start with a pale yellow near the window.

As you color outward into the room, transition to deeper yellows, then oranges, and finally to the room's ambient color.

This technique works particularly well for outdoor scenes. In a sunset landscape, begin with bright yellows and oranges at the horizon, then blend into pinks, purples, and finally deep blues as you move upward in the sky.

This creates a realistic and visually stunning depiction of the fading light.

Directional Coloring

Pay attention to the direction of your light source and color accordingly. This technique helps create a sense of depth and realism in your coloring by accurately representing how light falls on objects.

Following the Light

If light is coming from the upper left, the upper left portions of objects should be lighter, with shadows falling to the lower right. This principle applies to all objects in your scene, from large landscape features to small details.

Consistently applying this principle across your entire coloring will create a cohesive, realistic lighting effect. It can help turn a flat coloring into a dynamic, three-dimensional scene.

The Importance of Contrast

Light is all about contrast. The darker the surrounding areas, the brighter your light source will appear.

Don't be afraid to go dark in some areas to make your light sources really shine.

Making Light Pop

In a night scene, for example, coloring the sky a deep, rich blue or purple will make stars and the moon appear brighter by contrast. In an indoor scene, darkening the corners and edges of the room can make a central light source appear more intense.

Contrast isn't about light and dark. Color contrast can also enhance the effect of light in your coloring.

Using complementary colors, as discussed earlier, is one way to create strong contrast.

Experiment with Different Mediums

Different coloring tools can create different light effects. Don't be afraid to mix mediums for unique effects.

Each medium has its strengths, and combining them can lead to interesting and beautiful results.

Here is a good video made by Colour with Claire