Pens, pencils, and paper

The paper

Our books are printed by Amazon on smooth white paper made for black-and-white printing, about 74 to 90 gsm (50 to 61 lb). It takes pencil beautifully and is fine for most pens, but it is not thick art paper, so very wet ink can soak through.

That is why every design in every Cozy Tint book sits on its own page, with a blank back. If ink does come through, it lands on nothing.

Colored pencils

• The best all-rounder for our pages. Start light and build the color up in layers.
• Blend two colors by layering them, then burnish with a white or colorless blending pencil.
• Keep a sharp point for small spaces, and a duller one for big, smooth areas.

Gel pens and fine liners

• Lovely for small details, patterns inside big spaces, and sparkle.
• Give gel ink a moment to dry before your hand passes over it.

Felt tips and markers

• Water-based felt tips usually stay on their side of the page. Try them on the color test page first.
• Go over a spot once or twice at most: scrubbing the same place can wear the paper.
• Alcohol markers will bleed through. Slip a sheet of card or thick paper behind the page you are coloring, and the page behind stays clean.
• Watercolor and other wet paints will make this paper ripple. Pencils and pens are a better match.

Large print pages

• Good light makes the most difference. Color near a window by day, or under a bright lamp.
• Thicker pencils and felt tips, or a soft pencil grip, are easier on the hands.
• Start with the biggest spaces and save the small ones for when you are settled in.
• The frame around each page gives the finished picture a tidy edge for showing off.

One Pen Monochrome pages

• Fill every space that carries a small gray dot, and leave the rest white. The dots disappear under the ink.
• A black felt tip or fine liner suits the small spaces; a black brush pen or marker covers the big ones quickly.
• A lot of ink goes down on these pages, so always put a sheet of card behind the page.
• If you are right-handed, work from the top left, so your hand never rests on wet ink. Left-handed, start top right.

Choosing colors

• Pick three to five colors before you start. A small palette always looks calm and finished.
• Not sure? Try the page in our online studio first, then color it for real.
• Many of our covers show pages from the book colored in, if you want a starting point.