The first time I used a really good colored pencil, I noticed it immediately. Not the color or the precision - the feel of it. Smooth, zero resistance, just gliding across the page. It was like the difference between sleeping on hotel sheets versus your own bed. Same activity, completely different experience.
The right supplies won’t make you a better artist. But they’ll make coloring more calming. And that’s the whole point.
I’ve gone through a lot of coloring supplies over the years. The ones that work best for relaxation aren’t the priciest. They’re the ones that get out of the way - less friction between the pencil and the paper, less friction between you and the calm you’re after.
Soft-Core Colored Pencils
If you invest in one thing, make it your pencils.
Soft-core pencils need less pressure to lay down color. That means less hand fatigue and more time in that easy, flowing state. Hard-core pencils make you press down, which tenses your hand and wrist without you even noticing. Soft-core ones practically do the work for you.
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils are my go-to recommendation. Wax-based, buttery smooth, and they blend like a dream. The colors are rich but not overpowering, and they’re forgiving if you’re not being super precise. A 48-set covers pretty much any mood.
If you want to go a level up, Faber-Castell Polychromos are oil-based and incredibly smooth. They don’t crumble or smear like some wax pencils can, and the layering is gorgeous. More of an investment, but they last forever and the difference is real.
Paper Matters More Than You Think
Thin paper - the kind in most drugstore coloring books - tears, bleeds through, and fights your pencil every stroke. It’s annoying in a way that defeats the purpose.
What you want is smooth, heavyweight paper. Something around 80 to 100 lb that lets your pencil move without catching. If you’re printing pages from our collection, here’s what works:
HP Premium 32 Paper for everyday printing. At 32 lb it’s heavy for printer paper, bright white, and smooth. Both pencils and gel pens work great on it, and it handles detailed designs without any bleeding.
Canson XL Watercolor Paper if you’re using watercolor pencils. It holds water without warping, and the slightly textured surface gives your coloring a nice organic quality.
Watercolor Pencils
There’s something about watercolor pencils that I find uniquely calming. You color dry, then run a damp brush over it, and watch the lines soften and the colors bleed into each other. Slow and unpredictable in the best way.
Staedtler Karat Aquarell Watercolor Pencils are excellent. Smooth when dry, and they dissolve beautifully with water. The 36-piece set gives you a solid range.
Technique is simple: color a section, brush over it with water using slow strokes. Watch the pigment bloom. You can’t rush it. The water does what it does, and you just go along with it. That loss of control is part of what makes it calming.
Gel Pens for Detail Work
Gel pens are a different vibe. Pencils are soft and forgiving. Gel pens are precise. Every line is deliberate, every mark permanent.
Sounds stressful, but it’s actually deeply focusing. When you’re filling tiny details with a gel pen, your world shrinks to the tip of the pen and the space you’re working in. Everything else drops away.
Sakura Gelly Roll Pens are the standard for good reason. Smooth flow, no skipping, vibrant colors, and they come in tons of shades including metallics and pastels. Metallic gold on a dark background is particularly satisfying.
For even finer work, Staedtler Triplus Fineliners have a 0.3mm tip that lets you get into the tiniest spaces. The triangular grip stays comfortable even during long sessions.
Your Coloring Space
Supplies aren’t just what you hold. Your setup matters too.
Good lighting reduces eye strain. A warm-toned desk lamp is ideal. Natural light is even better if you’ve got it. Overhead fluorescents? Not exactly a zen experience.
A flat, stable surface at the right height keeps your shoulders from hunching. Some people like coloring at a slight angle - a clipboard propped on a book works fine for that.
And keep your supplies where you can see them. Part of staying in the flow is not having to dig around for a specific color. A pencil cup or an open case does the job.
What You Don’t Need
You don’t need 150 colors. You don’t need the fanciest set on Amazon. You don’t need a studio.
Some of my best coloring sessions happened with maybe eight pencils and a single printed page at the kitchen table. What matters is that the tools feel good in your hand and the paper cooperates.
Start with what you have. Upgrade based on what actually improves the experience, not what looks impressive. A set of 24 solid colored pencils and decent paper is plenty to build a practice around.
A Starter Kit
If you’re starting from zero:
- Soft-core colored pencils (Prismacolor Premier 48 or Faber-Castell Polychromos 24)
- Heavyweight printer paper for printing coloring pages
- A few gel pens in whatever colors make you happy
- A pencil sharpener that gives you a clean point without snapping the lead
That’s it. Print a coloring page that catches your eye, sit somewhere comfortable, and start. The supplies are just the bridge. The calm is already on the other side.