Want to add a stylish terrazzo floor effect to your adult colouring pages? It’s easier than it looks! In this simple step-by-step tutorial, I’ll show you exactly how I created this terrazzo texture using alcohol markers, a fineliner, and a white gel pen — with photos to guide you the whole way.
This is the finished effect, and I used Cozy Santorini Dreams as the colouring book for this.
Before we jump in — if you’re into colouring, I’ve got a bundle of free printable colouring pages and swatch sheets you’ll love. Grab yours and join thousands of colouring fans who get my tips and freebies straight to their inbox!
Free download
Get 10 free cosy & calm colouring pages
Pop your details in and I’ll email them straight over. Perfect for a quick wind-down session.
- 10 printable pages (cosy, calm vibes)
- Instant access via email
- Unsubscribe anytime
What You’ll Need
To create this terrazzo floor effect in your pictures you will need:
Alcohol markers – I used both Ohuhu and Decotime (click here to read my Decotime review). You’ll want your lightest shade for the background and then 2 – 3 other shades. If you’re going with a grey background then browns and oranges work well.
A white gel pen – I used Gelly Roll 08
A fineliner
Cozy Santorini Dreams Adult Colouring Book
Cozy Santorini Dreams is an adult colouring book available on Amazon from Wandering Bunny Co. It has 40 scenes to colour in, featuring iconic Santorini scenes.
This unique 8.5 x 8.5 inch coloring book features 40 delightful pages of adorable bunnies and bears exploring iconic Santorini sights — from whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches to cobbled streets, bougainvillea-lined balconies, seaside cafés, and more. Designed in a bold, easy-to-color style, these pages are perfect for stress relief, mindfulness, or simply enjoying a creative break.
Whether you’re dreaming of a Mediterranean getaway or love coloring sweet, cozy scenes, Cozy Santorini Dreams is your ticket to vacation vibes and relaxing fun.
Instructions
Start off by choosing your page. You can choose one like this that has floor tiles, or one without floor tiles. If you wanted to add floor tiles you can do it with a fineliner.
Use your lightest shade to fill in the tiles.
Once they are all coloured in you will need to let them dry before moving on to the next step. I would suggest waiting at least 5 minutes.
You then want to use your fineliner to make random shapes like lines, rectangles, not perfect triangles, etc.
Here you can see the variety of shapes I made with my fineliner. Don’t try to be perfect here – don’t aim for a specific pattern.
Now you’ll want to choose one of your remaining three colours. It doesn’t matter which side of the marker you use – here I’m using the fine tip, but for the others I use the brush tip. If my markers have a chisel tip then I use those.
Now go along and add little flicks to each tile.
Here’s how it is looking after the first colour has been added.
Now repeat with your next colour.
Then repeat with your third and final alcohol marker colour.
The next step is to go in with your white gel pen (I’m using Gelly Roll 08) and add some white lines and the occassional shape. Again don’t have a set pattern in mind and do this at random. Remember that you can add more later if you need to.
Here is how the floor looks once it has been completed.
For the rest of the image I just coloured in solid blocks apart from blending a sunset sky.
FAQ: Terrazzo Floor Colouring Technique
Can I use coloured pencils for this terrazzo effect?
Yes, you can! While alcohol markers give a smoother finish, coloured pencils can work well too. Try layering colours and using a white pencil or gel pen for highlights. You may just need to press a little harder for bold texture.
What colours work best for terrazzo floors?
Terrazzo floors look great with a mix of earthy tones like browns, oranges, greys, and creams. But honestly? You can get creative! Try pinks, pastels, or even metallics depending on the vibe you want. If you’re unsure where to start, swatching your colours first really helps.
Where can I practise this effect?
I used a page from Cozy Santorini Dreams colouring book — it has lots of tiled floors and Mediterranean scenery that are perfect for this technique. You can grab Cozy Santorini Dreams on Amazon here if you’d like to try the terrazzo effect on the same page I used. Or feel free to sketch out a few simple tiles on plain paper to get started.
Do I need a white gel pen for this technique?
Technically no, but it really adds that realistic terrazzo shine! A white gel pen helps break up the colour blocks and adds dimension. I used the Gelly Roll 08 and it’s one of my go-to supplies — you can find it here if you need one.
Do you have other adult colouring tutorials I can try next?
Yes! I’ve got easy tutorials for colouring sticker effects, bubbles, and tiles — all designed to help you get more creative with your colouring pages. You can see them here.
Show Me Yours!
If this tutorial has inspired you to create your own terrazzo floor effect then please tag me on Instagram – I’m @officialmrspinch there.
Get A Printable Version of This Tutorial
Want to take this tutorial offline?
Pop your email below to get a printable PDF version of this terrazzo floor colouring tutorial — perfect to keep beside you as you colour!
Simply enter your information below and you can download the PDF.
More Adult Colouring Tutorials
If you liked this tutorial be sure to check out:
- How to colour a sticker effect from In The Playroom
- How to colour bubbles
- How to colour tiles
Colouring Books I Love
- Girl Moments by Coco Wyo (see my completed pages here)
- Cozy Santorini Dreams
- Cozy Europe Dreams
- Little Cuddles by Coco Wyo
- Cottage Dreams
- How To Draw Patterns by Coco Wyo
Colouring Supplies That I Love
- Ohuhu pastel alcohol markers
- Decotime alcohol markers (read my review here)
- Gelly Roll white gel pens
- Pastel acrylic markers (read my review here)
- Colourless blender
Free Colouring Pages
- Easter colouring pages
- Rabbit colouring pages
- Princess kitten colouring pages from In The Playroom
