Storytelling with Color: Create Narratives using Your Artwork

Colors That Tell Stories 

Every image is a story. If you take out markers, crayons, or paints, you're more than simply filling in shapes; you're creating an entire world! This is known as telling stories through art, and it's among the most imaginative methods of expressing your imagination. Each line, every shade, and every tiny aspect can tell a story about your emotions and what you would like others to know about. 

We at Monkey Pen believe every page of coloring can be a storybook in miniature. If it's a happy landscape or a courageous puppy's story, shading allows you to become both a creator and a storyteller. Let's discover how you can transform your work into thrilling stories through shading! 

The Magic of Storytelling Through Art 

Art is always a way to tell stories- even before books were written. Early people painted cave walls to express their experiences and thoughts. You can today draw the same things using colored pencils and crayons! 

When you draw or color, take a moment to think about what's happening in the image. Do you think it's a happy time? A rainy day? A birthday surprise? Your color choices can express the emotions of these people without a word. 

For instance: 

• Bright oranges and bright yellows convey joy and energy. 
• Cool Blues could be a quiet or reflective story. 
• Greens and deep purples may reveal mystery or excitement. 

Through the use of hues, you can shout, whisper, and even sing your tale across the pages. 

What Is Narrative Coloring? 

Coloring in a narrative way means coloring with a narrative in mind. Instead of shading in the spaces, you consider what's happening in the image and then how you can bring it to life. 

Imagine coloring a picture of the castle. You may decide that it's the home of a sweet queen who is fond of flowers, so you shade her garden with delicate greens and soft pinks. Maybe it's a ghostly castle that has secrets, and you choose to use shades and greys to convey the mystery. 

When you apply your ideas to the image and create a story, a story told through color, shapes, and imagination, coloring is more fun and makes you create the impression of the writer and artist while doing it! 

How to tell a story by using color 

Let's review a few simple steps to transform your coloring into storytelling. 

Step 1: Look Closely 

Before beginning, be sure to look closely at the photo. What's happening? Who are the main characters? What do they do? The thought of these details can help to envision that scene in a narrative. 

Step 2: Choose Your Mood 

Every story is a mood: happy or dreamy, humorous or even strange. It is possible to express this mood by using colors. 

• Warm shades (red and orange) convey excitement and energy. 
• Cool shades (blue and green) represent sadness or calmness. 
• Mixing hues can create a more exciting story, such as the bright sky changing to a darker one as night falls on your photograph. 

Step 3: Add Details That Tell More 

You can add a few details to strengthen your story. You could draw flowers, stars, or clouds to make the story feel complete. Just a few tiny touches can change the meaning of your image. 

Step 4: Give Your Picture a Title 

After you've finished, you are done. Think of a title like "The Puppy's Rainy-Day Adventure" or "The Magical Garden at Sunset." 

This can help you think like an author and link your image to the whole story. 

Why Storytelling Through Art Matters 

Making stories using your art will help you in various ways: 

• It stimulates your imagination: You begin thinking about things that aren't obvious to you. 
• Improves communication skills: You learn to express emotions through the use of color and shapes. 
• Helps you focus: If you go with your story, you pay more attention to the details. 
• It builds confidence and self-confidence: sharing your art feels great because it tells your story! 

For kids, storytelling with coloring in isn't only fun, but also aids in the development of language skills, emotional growth, and creative thinking. Parents can help encourage this by asking questions such as: 

"What's happening in your picture?" 

"Why did you choose that colour for the sky?" 

"What happens next in your story?" 

The children are happier about their creations and are more eager to design. 

Using Color to Show Feelings 

Every story is full of emotions, and color can convey these emotions beautifully. Here's a quick guide to colour for young storytellers: 

• Red - Excitement, Love, and courage 
• Yellow - Sunshine - Happiness, happiness, and energy 
• Growing green, tranquil Nature, calm. 
• Blue Peace, imagination, sadness 
• Purple - Dreams, magic, mystery 
• Brown Warmth, comfort, earthiness 
• Black - Shadows, power, night 
• White - Purity, Hope, simple 

Mix these hues to create an atmosphere that is a part of your story. The color of the sky changing from blue to orange could signify a new beginning. A mix of purple and red could represent bravery and adventure. 

Let's Try It: A Mini Creative Exercise 

Here's a fun method to practice storytelling with children by shading. 

Step 1: Pick an image, perhaps from one of Monkey Pen's printable coloring pages. 

Step 2: Take a look at the important characters. What are their names? What do they do? 

Step 3: Create a story inside your head or speak it out loud. 

Step 4: Color the page with hues that are in line with the story's tone. 

Step 5: Write a quick sentence or a title underneath your photo that describes the story. 

You could even create an e-book of your stories in colored pages- a mini collection of stories created entirely by you! 

Tips for Parents and Teachers 

Teachers and parents can make storytelling coloring a joyous learning experience. Here are some suggestions: 

Story sessions: Following coloring the image, ask the children to relay the story behind their image to other children. 

Mood boards: Let children pick colors that correspond to the emotion (e.g., "happy" colors and "rainy day" colors). 

Collaborative art: Draw on one large piece of paper. Each participant contributes to the story in color. 

Show their work: Display your artwork on the wall and write the story underneath it. This allows children to see their drawings as authentic narratives. 

The small steps that coloring requires make coloring fun and rewarding emotionally as well as educational. 

Bringing It All Together 

If you color with a story that's in your mind, you're doing more than just creating art. You're creating scenes, sharing emotions, and learning how to express yourself in different ways. Through art, storytelling can help connect what you see or imagine, as well as feel, in one creative flash of color. 

Every crayon stroke could become an entire sentence, each page is a chapter, and every picture that is completed can be a story to be told. So the next time you start your coloring book, don't only keep your eyes on the lines. Think about where your coloring pencils will lead you. 

Your Colors, Your Story 

It's not always necessary to use words. When you practice storytelling coloring, you will be able to transform any drawing into a captivating story filled with feelings and dreams. At Monkey Pen, we have created a wonderful collection of free coloring books for your munchkins. Select from the wide variety: start shading pictures with the colors of your creativity. The website also offers various educational resources, including posters, children's books, and dot-to-dot workbooks. All are available in PDF format at absolutely no cost. 

Grab your crayons, let loose your mind, and let your story unfold in the use of color. Remember that your artwork is much more than an image; it's your imagination get the color.