How to Color a Fuzzy Velvet Poster (Without the Mess)
We get more questions about markers than anything else. Which ones work? Will they bleed? Do the posters come with them? So we figured we'd put it all in one place.
First, a quick bit about what makes a fuzzy poster different. The black lines aren't printed. They're real black velvet, raised up off the paper, and you can feel them when you run your hand across the poster. That velvet soaks up any color that touches it, so if your marker slips onto a line, you'll never see it. It also acts like a little bumper that keeps your marker in the space you're working on. That's a big reason these are so popular with little kids.
Use whatever you like to color with
Honestly, any marker, pen or colored pencil will work. We don't put markers in the box. The "free" ones you get with a lot of coloring kits tend to be pretty bad, and most of our customers already have a favorite set they like to use. If you need some, everything in our markers section has been tried on our own posters first.
Try your colors on scrap paper
This one sounds obvious, but it saves a lot of "oh no" moments. Test each marker on a spare sheet before you start. You'll see the real color, and you'll find out which markers are juicy and which are running dry.
Know how your markers behave
Alcohol-based markers give you gorgeous, smooth color, but they soak through from the front of the poster to the back. Water-based markers are different. They usually don't go through the paper, but they can spread a little to the sides. Colored pencils are the most forgiving and are great for small spaces and shading.
Whatever you're using, put something behind your poster. A piece of cardboard or an old poster works fine. It keeps the color off your table and gives you a nice flat surface.
Don't stress about the edges
You don't have to be perfect. Color right up to the velvet and let it take care of the rest. This is the part that makes fuzzy posters so relaxing, for kids and grown-ups.
Go light first, then dark
It helps to have a rough color plan before you dive in. We like to fill in the lighter colors first and then layer darker ones on top. Bright colors look amazing against black velvet, so this is a great time to use the neons.
Color it together
Some of our favorite photos from customers are whole families, or a whole classroom, gathered around one poster on the floor. Give everybody a section and see what happens.
Ready to start? Take a look at our fuzzy velvet posters, or grab a Super 18 Pack if you want a stack of designs to work through. If you'd rather try ink-on-paper line art, those are here.
And if you finish one, tag us on Facebook or Instagram. We'd love to see it.