Why does my coloring page look too busy?

Busy backgrounds become busy lines. Turn on Remove background, crop closer to the subject, or switch to the Simple style.

Can I use a photo from my phone?

Yes. JPEG, PNG and WebP photos work. If a photo from an iPhone will not open, share it as a JPEG from the Photos app and try again.

What size should I print?

Print at 100 percent on Letter or A4. Full-resolution pages (2048 pixels on the long edge) stay sharp at that size; free pages are small and best for a quick test.

Will faces stay recognizable?

The page is drawn to keep faces, pets and poses recognizable and not to add anything new. Results depend on the photo, so try a clear, well-lit close-up first.

Photo to coloring page: a step-by-step guide

A good coloring page starts with a good photo. This guide covers which photos work, how to choose between Simple and Detailed lines, and how to print the result so it looks sharp.

Make a coloring page now

Step 1: pick the right photo

Line art lives on edges, so the best photos have clear edges. Look for:

Good light. Soft daylight beats a dark room. Deep shadows turn into black patches or missing lines.
A simple background. A plain wall, sky or lawn leaves room for the subject. A cluttered kitchen counter becomes a maze.
Close-ups. A face or pet filling most of the frame gives big shapes that are fun to color. A tiny face in a wide shot gets few lines.
A sharp subject. Motion blur means soft, wobbly outlines. Tap to focus before you shoot.

Crop before you upload if the subject is small. Group photos work best at two or three people; for a class or a party, make one page per child instead.

Step 2: choose Simple or Detailed

Simple draws thick, smooth lines with few details. It is the right choice for toddlers and kids up to about six, because the shapes are big enough for fat crayons. Detailed keeps fine lines, fur, hair and patterns, which suits older kids and adults who like a longer coloring session. If you are unsure, make a Simple page first: it is the more forgiving of the two.

Step 3: remove the background, or not

Turn on Remove background when the photo has clutter you do not want to color, such as a messy room or a crowd. Leave it off when the setting is part of the picture, like a house, a playground or a birthday table.

Step 4: clean up and download

Keep "Clean for printing" on. It pushes every pixel to pure black or pure white, so there are no gray smudges and printers use less ink. Then download a PNG to use in any app, or a single-page PDF in Letter or A4.

Printing tips

Print at 100 percent scale. Turn off "fit to page" if your printer scales things up.
Use plain 20 lb copy paper for crayons and colored pencils. Use 24 lb or light cardstock for markers so they do not bleed through.
Choose black and white or grayscale mode to save color ink.
Free pages are 640 pixels on the long edge and carry a watermark. They are fine for a test. For a sharp print, use a full-resolution page (up to 2048 pixels).

What to do with the pages

Print a single page for a rainy afternoon, send one to the grandparents, or collect ten pages into a custom coloring book with a cover title. For ideas about pets, family and kids, read coloring page from photo.

Free and paid

You get one free page a day, small and watermarked. Packs start at $4.99 for 10 full-resolution pages, one-time, with no subscription. See pricing.