What is grayscale coloring? And how can you start coloring this lovely art today?
Both are excellent questions I’m going to explore now in the studio! First I’ll quickly review what grayscale coloring is – with examples of course.
Then we’re going to jump on into 4 easy hacks you can use to start coloring grayscale right now! So grab your colored pencils and let’s get started!
**Also, stick around to the end for some FANTASTIC tools you can use to become a grayscale coloring master!
[Don’t want to read all these words? Watch the VIDEO showing you the 4 hacks to grayscale coloring HERE]
What is grayscale coloring?
Simply put – grayscale coloring is an art that’s made of shades of gray, ranging from black to white with all the levels of gray in between. Even more simply, you can say grayscale includes dark, medium, and light shading in the art. Some people think they look similar to black and white photographs.
Grayscale not only includes different levels of grey. They can include different outline work. Some have no dark outlines. While others have beautiful thick silhouette lines. Both are fantastic for achieving a different style or look when you’re coloring.
Also, some grayscale can go VERY dark in the darkest shadows. That can intimidate some beginners. But don’t worry – I’ll show you how to play with that darkness while coloring to make lovely art.
There is one major benefit to grayscale – how it helps you create a realistic-looking work of art! That grayscale shading is just waiting for you to add color to bring an image to life. And you don’t have to worry about being a master artist or studying shading techniques – that part has been done for you. You just need to add color! (Not to mention, coloring in general is fantastic for stress relief and fun!)
You can use MANY different mediums on grayscale coloring pages. Markers, paints, inks…lots of choices. But today I will be focusing on colored pencils since they are one of the most popular coloring mediums.
And that leads us nicely to the next part of this introduction to grayscale coloring – 4 Easy Hacks To Coloring Grayscale.
*But before I get to that and get all distracted – I want to hear from you! Leave a comment and let me know what you think of grayscale coloring pages! And hit that like button for this video!
Alright, the first hack to grayscale coloring is…
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1, 2, 3!
Before you start coloring your grayscale page, you need to choose some colors. And picking colors for grayscale is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Choose 1 dark, 1 medium, and 1 light version of a particular color you want to use. For example, if you want brown on your coloring page, then choose 1 dark, 1 medium, and 1 light brown. You can always expand your color palette from there. But this is a great starting point.
You put the darkest color over the darkest gray. The medium color over the medium gray. And the lightest color over the lightest areas which often are white without any gray.
To expand on that beginning palette – add white for super-white highlights. You can also add one more color to make this palette more diverse and fun.
Sticking with that brown theme. We have dark, medium, and light brown. Now add a white pencil. THEN add a dark red pencil. A red hue that blends nicely with the browns you chose and will have some lovely variation to the palette.
OR add a complementary color to the darkest color. Complimentary colors are opposite on the color wheel. The opposite of brown is blue. Add a touch of blue to the darkest shadows for an extremely rich color combination!
There are SO MANY color options you can build off those first three colors!
2. Be gentle at first!
The first bit of color you put on grayscale coloring pages should be applied gently. Don’t press down hard with your colored pencil. This is just the first layer of color. It will help you map out where your colors will go. You can always go back and put more layers of color on this. In fact, layering your colors slowly will help achieve lovely, rich tones that will really help your coloring art stand out!
*Not really sure how to layer colored pencils? I have a video ALL ABOUT that shows you this technique step by step. You can check it out HERE!
But here’s a quick recap: First, gently color in the shadow. Then add mid-tone and lighter colors. Next, add another layer of shadow color. Then add another layer of mid-tone and lighter colors. Keep layering colors until it’s all colored in. Finally, add white for bright highlights and push your shadows darker.
I strongly recommend you go check out the full video on layering pencils for a much more detailed tutorial.
3. Embrace the darkness!
Yeah, you want to put color right over those super-dark shadows. In fact, you need to! When you add color over the dark shadows you give them additional depth and richness. Without color, those super dark greys will be SUPER bland and flat looking. Also, a dark shadow full of color provides a magnificent contrast to the lighter areas where there is more white. This difference between the brighter and darker areas will help make your coloring page more striking.
Just don’t go too dark too fast. Remember step 2 and be gentle at first. You can always layer your colors to slowly build up a lovely deep shadow.
4. Practice!
This might seem obvious, but you wouldn’t believe how many colorists have told me they tried a grayscale page once, couldn’t do it, and gave up. When you were a toddler could you hold a crayon perfectly the first time? No! But you didn’t give up. You kept practicing. And it’s the same for grayscale coloring. Also, remember this is coloring. It’s not about being flawless. Coloring pages are for you to relax, have fun, get creative, and slowly develop your artistic skills at your own pace.
*OK, so I promised you some tools to help with your grayscale coloring journey, first up:
The Beginner’s Grayscale Coloring Guide! This printable PDF includes grayscale coloring lessons with links to free video tutorials, 5 helpful practice pages, AND 10 lovely full-size grayscale coloring pages. The link to download this guide is in the video description. 
Next, the YouTube playlist: How To Color Like A Pro! This playlist is full of videos all about coloring grayscale coloring pages in a variety of mediums. And new videos are constantly being added to this playlist. And yes, the link will be in the video description for you.
And finally, if you really want to go next level in your artistic journey and get even MORE inspiration then sign up for my monthly newsletter! This newsletter includes FREE grayscale art just for you! Also, it will feature the latest grayscale coloring tutorials AND give you early access to sales in my coloring shop – featuring all hand-drawn grayscale coloring pages and books!
OK, this was just a quick article covering some tips for coloring grayscale. But there’s so much more! If you’re looking for the next step in your coloring journey then hop over to the playlist How To Color Like A Pro now to become a coloring master!
And as always, stay creative!
About Me:
Hi everyone I’m Lisa Marie from Artistry by Lisa Marie. For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been a professional artist for over a decade. When I was 15 years old I apprenticed in an artist’s studio for several years then earned a Masters in Art History in Florence, Italy while studying the techniques of the Renaissance masters. Today I create custom portraits and coloring books and pages.
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