Kids Corner: How to make your own coloring pages

Surely by now, your kids are sick of the same old coloring books. Maybe you want to try the adult coloring book trend but don’t feel like buying one or heading to the store if it’s not an absolute necessity. Plus, wouldn’t it be cool to be able to turn your favorite photos into coloring book pages? Here are three ways to make your own coloring pages.

Print some.

From a simple Google search, you can find thousands of free, printable coloring pages. Crayola has both adult and kids’ options. Browse by category and maybe pick some science and social studies artworks to add an extra dose of education when the kids aren’t doing their at-home school work. Crayola also has plenty featuring your kids’ favorite characters from “Star Wars, “Trollz” and “Finding Nemo.” Or pick out one of the more complicated adult designs. Topcoloringpages.net also has a similar browse by category option, including ones of celebrities, athletes and musicians. Some of the quality isn’t as consistent as Crayola, but still, coloring in Freddie Mercury sounds like fun to us.

Use the Colorscape app.

Have a favorite family photo from vacation? Turn it into a coloring page with the Colorscape app for iPhone. Of the options that popped up in the Apple App Store, this one yields the highest quality image from saved photos on the camera roll. I tested with a landscape photo and a meme of Bill Clinton holding several Death Cab for Cutie vinyls, and both looked great. From the app, you can edit outlines and resolution and detail, meaning you can customize your lines and create the highest quality coloring pages possible, but these options are paid premiums. You can color inside the app, or email, text and share the image and print in the free version.

Draw your own.

Have an artist friend or family member? Have them draw a coloring page no one else will have. Start with a pencil outline, and go over everything in black Sharpie. For a super professional piece, use a thicker Sharpie for broad outlines and a thinner one for details. Make copies of the original, or if that’s not available, download the Adobe Capture app, snap a picture of the drawing with the Shapes tool, and edit the outline before printing. The free Adobe Capture app is powerful and a really great tool for any artist or graphic designer, so have fun playing with it outside of making coloring pages. Be sure to use water-based markers (Crayola and similar kids’ brands usually are) or non-ink-based media like crayons: Sharpies are alcohol-based and mixing them with other alcohol-based markers means the outline will bleed and the drawing will be ruined.