Best Coloring Supplies in 2026 (Tested and Reviewed)

TL;DR: After testing with real kids and real adults on our own printable pages, here are our picks. Prismacolor for detailed adult coloring, Crayola SuperTips for kids, gel pens for metallic details, Ohuhu brush markers for blending, and Neenah Cardstock when you want your prints to feel premium.

Great coloring pages deserve great supplies. We have been testing colored pencils, markers, gel pens, and paper on our own PrintableDrops coloring pages for over a year. These are the products we actually keep coming back to, and why.

One note before you shop: coloring supply needs differ a lot by age and style. A 5-year-old needs washable, durable, hard-to-lose markers. An adult working on a detailed mandala coloring page needs something with real blending capability. We have separated our picks by category so you can go straight to what fits your situation.

Best Colored Pencils

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (24-Pack)

Best for: Adults and detailed coloring pages

★★★★★ 5/5

Prismacolor Premier pencils use a soft wax-based core that glides onto paper instead of scratching. The colors are rich and saturated, and they blend beautifully when layered. If you have ever been frustrated by cheap colored pencils that look dull or feel rough, Prismacolor is the upgrade that makes coloring genuinely enjoyable. They work especially well on detailed pages like mandala designs where smooth shading matters.

Check Price on Amazon

Best Markers for Kids

Crayola SuperTips Washable Markers (50-Pack)

Best for: Kids ages 3 to 10, families, classrooms

★★★★★ 5/5

Crayola SuperTips are the most practical kids marker we have found. Washable formula means they come off skin, clothes, and most surfaces without drama. The supertip design works for both broad coloring and finer line work, which is rare at this price point. The 50-pack gives enough colors to handle any page from Bible story scenes to fantasy dragon pages without running out of key colors. These are our go-to recommendation for Sunday School teachers and homeschool families.

Check Price on Amazon

Best Gel Pens

Gel Pen Set (48-Pack) with Metallic, Neon and Glitter

Best for: Metallic details, mandala highlights, fine-line work

★★★★★ 4/5

Gel pens transform mandala and detailed coloring pages. The metallic gold, silver, and copper pens add a shimmer that no colored pencil or marker can replicate. Neon colors pop under light in ways that look genuinely impressive. The 48-pack gives you a broad range and the variety is especially useful if you are working through a big collection of adult mandala pages where you want each one to feel different.

Check Price on Amazon

Best Markers for Blending

Ohuhu Brush Markers

Best for: Blending, gradients, adult coloring pages

★★★★★ 5/5

Ohuhu brush markers use alcohol-based ink that blends smoothly without destroying the paper surface. The brush tip gives natural, flexible strokes that feel closer to painting than standard markers. They are the best option for creating smooth color transitions on detailed pages. We use these regularly on cozy scene pages and animal illustrations where soft gradients make the difference between "looks good" and "looks finished." Use with cardstock to avoid bleed-through.

Check Price on Amazon

Best Paper for Printing Coloring Pages

Neenah Premium Cardstock (65lb)

Best for: Markers, alcohol markers, any coloring page you want to keep

★★★★★ 5/5

Regular printer paper is fine for everyday coloring. But if you are printing pages to display, gift, or do serious coloring work on, cardstock is worth it. Neenah 65lb cardstock feels substantial, prints crisp lines without ink bleed, and does not buckle under markers. It makes every coloring page feel like a more premium project. Especially recommended if your kids use thick markers or if you are printing detailed adult coloring pages you plan to keep.

Check Price on Amazon

Quick Comparison Table

What Supplies to Buy First

If you are just getting started, we recommend this order: start with Crayola SuperTips for kids or Prismacolor pencils for adults. Add cardstock once you want pages that feel more finished. Get gel pens when you want to add detail and metallic highlights. Add Ohuhu brush markers last, when you want to get into serious blending.

For most families printing pages from PrintableDrops, the SuperTips and a ream of standard printer paper will cover 90% of their needs. The other items are upgrades worth having, but not required to enjoy coloring.

As an Amazon Associate, PrintableDrops earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay and helps support our free coloring pages collection.