Crayon Coloring Tips

• Graffiti art is all about color. Choose vibrant and exciting colors that you like. Red, yellow and blue are the three primary colors and they are a good place to start building your picture. • Don't worry if you go outside the lines when you color, just keep practicing. You can always color in the picture background or draw a thick outline to hide places where you went outside the lines. • Do not use the exact same color on sections beside each other, as it will blend in too much. Instead, try using lighter or darker versions of the same color. For example, use pink next to red, or mint next to green. • Experiment with colors that are complementary. Complementary colors are colors that are opposite from each other on the color wheel. For example, red is the opposite of green, yellow is the opposite of purple, and blue is the opposite of orange. Using complementary colors will give your pictures energy and make them “pop”. • To make your picture more interesting, try mixing colors. First, use one color, and then use a different color on top of it. This will give your picture more dimension and depth. • Or, you can experiment with mixing mediums (magic markers, crayons & colored pencils) and experience how they interact with each other. For example, you can color a shape with a light green marker, and then add small circles with a dark blue pencil on top of the green. The possibilities are limitless when you mix mediums. • Try adding some texture. When coloring, place different types of materials under the coloring page (like leaves) and then rub a crayon back and forth over the top of the material to give the coloring page a textured appearance. Experiment on scrap paper first to see if you like the effect. Rubbing is a great way to add interest and individuality to your picture. • Also, pressing down lightly or harder on your pencils and crayons can give you interesting effects. • Try stippling. Stippling means drawing lots of little dots inside a shape

There is no right or wrong way to color. Be creative and have fun.