you’re wondering how to colour bathroom or kitchen tiles in your adult colouring books without making them look flat and boring — I’ve got you covered! This easy technique uses alcohol markers and a bit of patience to create a smooth, shaded tile effect with a ceramic shine.
I used this effect in the same Girl Moments by Coco Wyo page as my bubble tutorial — if you’re keen to try both, this is the perfect double-feature page to experiment with. You can grab the book here on Amazon.
For this tutorial, I used the Decotime alcohol markers — they’re great value, especially if you’re just getting into marker colouring. I’ve also written a full review of the Decotime markers here, along with a free swatch sheet you can download.
Before we get started — if you love tutorials like this, don’t forget to grab my bundle of free printable colouring pages and swatch charts. You’ll also get a printable PDF version of this tiles tutorial to keep beside you while you colour.
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What you’ll need
To create this tile effect you will need:
Three of the same colour markers – light, medium and darkest colours.
That’s it! It is a really easy effect to create without needing additional supplies.
Girl Moments by Coco Wyo Colouring Book
If you’ve read any of my adult colouring content before then you will know that this is currently my favourite colouring in book. You can actually see my completed Girl Moments pages here if you want some inspiration.
It features 40 scenes of daily life in a cute and comfy style.
Instructions
Starting with your lightest shade, completely colour in each tile.
To make this effect work you need to wait for each layer to dry. Leave it at least 5 minutes to dry.
Now using your medium shade you want to cover most of the tile, leaving off one side and either the top or bottom.
Continue to do this for all of your tiles and then let them dry.
Now with your darkest shade you want to add lines to the opposite sides that you left blank. For my picture that’s the left hand side and the bottom.
Now continue this for each tile.
Remember not to use the darkest shade on the tiles where you can’t see the left and the bottom because other objects are in the way.
Here you can see how it looks in my completed picture. For this one I also used a wood grain effect on the floor as well as bubbles – you can see my bubbles tutorial here.
FAQ: Tile Colouring Technique
Do I need alcohol markers to colour tiles like this?
Yes — this particular shading technique works best with alcohol markers because they blend so smoothly. I used the Decotime alcohol markers, which are brilliant if you’re just getting started. You can read my full review here and grab a free swatch sheet too!
Why do I need three shades of the same colour?
Using a light, medium, and dark version of the same colour helps you create that subtle gradient that gives tiles their shine and depth. It’s what makes them look three-dimensional rather than flat.
How long should I wait between layers?
I recommend waiting at least 5 minutes between each layer to let the alcohol markers dry fully. If you rush it, the colours can blend too much and lose the clean layered effect.
Can I use this tile technique with other supplies like pencils or water-based markers?
You could try, but it won’t give the same effect. Alcohol markers work best for this because they don’t streak and layer really well. If you’re using pencils, you’d need to do a lot more blending manually to get a similar result.
What colouring book did you use?
I used a page from Girl Moments by Coco Wyo, which I also used for my bubble tutorial. It’s one of my all-time favourites and perfect for trying out different effects. You can get it here on Amazon.
What if some tiles are partly hidden by objects?
Great question! In those cases, just skip the darkest shading on any side you can’t see clearly. You’re trying to create a consistent effect without overcomplicating it — less is more.
Show Me Yours!
I’d love to see how your tiles turn out! Tag me on Instagram — I’m @officialmrspinch.
Get a Printable Version of This Tutorial
Want to take this tutorial offline while you colour? Pop your email below and I’ll send you a free PDF version to download.
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 a terrazzo floor effect
- How to colour bubbles
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
