coloring OUTSIDE the lines

A while back I shared some of my favorite ways to add coloring to a drawing or coloring page and today I am diving into what I like to call "coloring outside the lines". While I think it is really relaxing and meditative to color in the lines, I am an expressive artist and I also LOVE adding color in ways that are messy. Today I am sharing a few of my favorite ways to get super messy with a drawing or coloring page!

P.S.  I've got a video tutorial of this post over on my YouTube channel HERE where I am sharing the paper I use, messy techniques, supplies and my thoughts why it's so much fun to color outside the lines! 

You can also download the coloring page that I am using in this post HERE!

I draw A LOT and I love drawing pattern. My favorite part of the drawing process has always been adding color. There are times when I am precise and I color in the lines but I also really enjoy experimenting and playing with messy techniques over the top of my drawings. 

One of my favorite ways to add color to a drawing or coloring page is to use watercolors to create a messy and colorful wash. I paint right over the top of my coloring page and let the colors blend and bleed together.

TIP: Keep in mind that the thicker your paper is (like card stock, watercolor paper, bristol) the better it will hold up when using wet media.

Once that layer of messy color is dry, I go back into my page with pens, colored pencils or darker paint and fill in some areas with more saturated color. This quickly creates depth and contrast in the pattern. 

I also really enjoy using resist techniques over the top of my coloring pages. A white (or light colored crayon) can be used to color details or even for scribbling over the surface. 

Once you paint over the top (using watercolors) all of the areas that have crayon on surface will resist the paint and remain white. This is a really fun way to get messy will color and quickly create the look of layers.

You can also create a resist with rubber cement. Cover areas of your surface, let it dry and then paint over the top.

The glue will resist the paint. 

Once the paint is dry you can run the glue away and you will be left with areas of that white coloring page showing through the color.

I think my favorite way to add color to a drawing or a coloring page is to use it as the first of many colorful and messy layers. I use a brayer and acrylic paint and go right over the surface of my drawing. 

Once that paint is dry, I continue to add layers to the surface.

After each layer dries, I add little more- sometimes it's writing, sometimes it's making marks and sometimes it's adding more doodles and drawings. The trick is to let some of that coloring page peek out of all those layers. You can even go back into and add even more color here and there.

These types of messy, layered pages often are the background for collage and photos in my art journal!

So there you have it friends! I hope I've inspired you just a little bit to get messy when it comes to adding color to your drawings or coloring pages...don't be afraid to color outside the lines!