Gel pens and metallic markers are the frosting on a coloring page. They’re best for small details and finishing touches rather than filling big areas.
What they’re good for
- Sparkle. Glitter gel on unicorn horns, fairy wings and crowns
- Highlights. White gel for shiny eyes. See adding highlights.
- Patterns. Dots, stars and swirls. See adding patterns to coloring.
- Outlines. Metallic outlines make characters pop.
- Metal. Silver for robots, gold for treasure.
Great pages for sparkle
- Wings and crowns in Trace Then Color: Fairies, Princesses and Other Cute Stuff
- Horns and manes in Trace Then Color: Unicorn Animals
- Silver bolts and lights on Trace Then Color: Cartoon Robots
Tips to avoid smudges
- Use them last, after crayons and pencils
- Let each area dry before moving your hand over it
- Left-handed kids can work right to left, or keep a scrap sheet under their hand
- Store pens cap-on, tip-down
Will it show?
Gel pens show differently on different colors:
| Pen | Shows best on |
|---|---|
| White gel | Dark and medium colors |
| Metallic | Light and medium colors |
| Glitter | Most colors, best on light |
| Neon | White paper and light colors |
Over waxy crayon, some gel pens skip. Test first.
Gel pens can be a "special finishing tool" that kids earn after finishing the main coloring. It makes the last step exciting.
Questions parents ask
What age can kids use gel pens?
From about 5 or 6. Younger kids may press too hard and damage tips.
Why does my gel pen skip over crayon?
Wax resists the ink. Use gel pens over colored pencil or marker, or on uncolored paper.
Are gel pens messy?
They can smudge while wet. Give them a minute to dry.
About Kevin Coulston
Kevin Coulston is a cartoonist and member of the National Cartoonists Society who has written and illustrated more than 100 drawing, tracing and coloring books for kids, including the Trace Then Color series. Meet Kevin or browse all his books on FirstArtBooks.com.
