One of the most enjoyable parts of being a coloring book author is seeing colorists put so much talent into coloring the pages I publish.  It truly adds meaning to the work I do and I wanted to share some of this wonderful work I see, so I will be featuring colorists on this blog on a regular basis in my Colorist Showcase series.  Today’s featured colorist is Shawn Hallenbeck.  She is an amazing colorist who is equally talented with line art and grayscale coloring pages.  She makes magic with Spectrum Noir markers – her shading and palette choices are simply amazing!  Seeing her work always lifts my spirits.  I was very happy when she agreed to share about her coloring journey with us.

How did you get into adult coloring books?
I’ve been coloring since I could hold a crayon. I really couldn’t find any good “adult” coloring books until the early 80’s. I really appreciated when the coloring craze hit, because now there’s a plethora of “adult” coloring books!  As far as how I got into the Coloring Groups on Facebook, my goddaughter gave me an Adult Sweary Coloring book for Christmas 2016 that had a link to the artist’s Facebook group, and the rest is history!

What are your main reasons for coloring?
It’s a form of meditation for me.

What are some of your favorite genres/types of coloring books/pages to color?
I like to color text and simpler designs (short attention span).

Do you have any favorite supplies/tools?
All of them! I do love my Spectrum Noir sparkle pens.

Are there any coloring techniques that you have recently learned or that you’re particularly excited about? None that are recent, but I’m always learning!

Do you have any particular colors/palettes you like to use when you color?
Yes, I’m a sucker for hot pink, orange, and yellow together. Also, purple, aqua blue, and lime green!

Are there any supplies or techniques you would like to try someday?
I’d like to try some Caran D’ache and/or Holbein pencils, and watercolor techniques.

Do you prefer to color in coloring books or print out your pages? If so, do you have any particular paper you prefer?
It depends on the quality of the paper in the book & the medium that I’m using to color that page. If I’m using colored pencils, standard coloring book paper usually works for me. I also, cut the pages out of the books, I find it difficult to color in the book.
As far as preferred papers, I usually go for a 65lb cardstock.

Do you have any tips or advice to anyone who just discovered Adult Coloring?
Yes!
If you want to improve on your techniques, there are tons of informative videos on Youtube
You do NOT need expensive supplies! Learn techniques first. If you don’t, it won’t matter how many supplies you buy/own!
Do NOT compare your coloring to anyone else’s!
Don’t be afraid to share your work in the coloring groups.
Don’t be afraid to screw up!
Markers bleed through the paper, it’s what they are supposed to do!
Most importantly, HAVE FUN!

That is wonderful advice!  Thank you so much Shawn for taking the time to share some of your experience with coloring and your gorgeous colored pages.

Stay tuned for more Featured colorists in the near future!