Editorial Team · on 15 July 2026 · 13 min read · Last reviewed 15 July 2026
What is flat coloring?
Flat coloring is a digital art technique where solid colours are applied to distinct areas of a drawing without gradients or complex shading, creating a clean, graphic look popular in anime, cartoons, and graphic design. It is often used to associate solid colours with each area of a character or object, known as “flats.”
In plain terms: Think of flat coloring as painting a comic book page, each character and object gets a solid, unblended colour, like filling in a colouring book with no shading allowed.
Key facts
- Flat coloring is foundational in digital art, often used in animation and graphic design.
- It involves applying solid colours to closed areas, known as “flats.”
- The technique is widely used in anime and cartoon styles.
- Flat coloring is typically the first step in a more complex shading process.
What is a flat color?
A flat color is a solid, unblended colour applied to a specific area of a drawing, creating a uniform appearance without gradients or shadows. These colours are often used to define characters and objects in digital art.
In plain terms: A flat color is like painting a single, solid colour inside the lines of a drawing, similar to how you might colour a picture with crayons.
Key facts
- Flat colors are used to create a clean, graphic look.
- They are essential in defining characters and objects in digital art.
- Flat colors are often the first step in the digital painting process.
- They are widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
What is an example of a flat color?
An example of a flat color is the solid red used to fill in the body of a cartoon character. This colour is applied uniformly without any shading or gradients, creating a distinct and clean appearance.
In plain terms: Imagine colouring a red apple in a children’s book, you would use a single, solid red colour without any shading to make it look flat and uniform.
Key facts
- Flat colors are often seen in cartoon characters and anime styles.
- They are used to create a distinct and clean appearance.
- Flat colors are applied uniformly without gradients or shadows.
- They are essential in defining characters and objects in digital art.
What to do after flat coloring?
After flat coloring, you can proceed to add shading, highlights, and gradients to your drawing to create depth and dimension. This process involves applying darker shades to areas that would naturally be in shadow and lighter shades to areas that would catch the light.
In plain terms: Think of flat coloring as the base coat of paint on a house. After applying the base coat, you would add details like trim and accents to make the house look more realistic and three-dimensional.
Key facts
- After flat coloring, you can add shading and highlights to create depth.
- This process involves applying darker shades to areas in shadow and lighter shades to areas catching light.
- Flat coloring is often the first step in a more complex shading process.
- It is widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
Flat coloring easy
Flat coloring is easy to learn and can be done using free art programs like Krita or GIMP. These programs offer tools specifically designed for applying flat colors to digital drawings.
In plain terms: Flat coloring is like using a paint-by-numbers kit, you simply fill in the outlined areas with the colours provided, making it a straightforward process for beginners.
Key facts
- Flat coloring is easy to learn and can be done using free art programs.
- Programs like Krita and GIMP offer tools for applying flat colors.
- It is a straightforward process for beginners.
- Flat coloring is widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
Flat color art style
The flat color art style is characterized by the use of solid colours without gradients or complex shading. This style is popular in anime, cartoons, and graphic design, where a clean and graphic look is desired.
In plain terms: The flat color art style is like looking at a comic book, each character and object is filled with solid colours, creating a distinct and uniform appearance.
Key facts
- The flat color art style is characterized by the use of solid colours.
- It is popular in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
- This style creates a clean and graphic look.
- It is widely used in digital art and illustration.
Flat colors examples
Examples of flat colors include the solid red used to fill in the body of a cartoon character or the solid blue used to fill in the background of a landscape. These colours are applied uniformly without any shading or gradients.
In plain terms: Think of flat colors as the colours you would use to fill in a colouring book, each area is filled with a single, solid colour without any shading.
Key facts
- Flat colors are used to create a clean and graphic look.
- Examples include solid red for a cartoon character and solid blue for a background.
- They are applied uniformly without gradients or shadows.
- Flat colors are widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
Flat coloring for beginners
Flat coloring is an excellent technique for beginners to learn digital art. It involves applying solid colours to distinct areas of a drawing, creating a clean and graphic look. Beginners can use free art programs like Krita or GIMP to practice flat coloring.
In plain terms: Flat coloring is like learning to colour inside the lines, it’s a simple and straightforward technique that helps beginners understand the basics of digital art.
Key facts
- Flat coloring is an excellent technique for beginners.
- It involves applying solid colours to distinct areas of a drawing.
- Beginners can use free art programs like Krita or GIMP.
- It is widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
Flat color images
Flat color images are digital artworks that use solid colours without gradients or complex shading. These images often feature a clean and graphic look, making them popular in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
In plain terms: Flat color images are like looking at a comic book, each character and object is filled with solid colours, creating a distinct and uniform appearance.
Key facts
- Flat color images use solid colours without gradients or complex shading.
- They feature a clean and graphic look.
- These images are popular in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
- They are widely used in digital art and illustration.
Flat color drawing
Flat color drawing is a technique where solid colours are applied to distinct areas of a drawing without gradients or complex shading. This technique is widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design to create a clean and graphic look.
In plain terms: Flat color drawing is like using a paint-by-numbers kit, you simply fill in the outlined areas with the colours provided, making it a straightforward process for beginners.
Key facts
- Flat color drawing involves applying solid colours to distinct areas of a drawing.
- It is widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
- This technique creates a clean and graphic look.
- It is popular in digital art and illustration.
Top Posts
Top posts on flat coloring often feature tutorials, tips, and techniques for applying flat colors to digital drawings. These posts can be found on art blogs, YouTube channels, and social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.
In plain terms: Top posts on flat coloring are like cooking recipes, they provide step-by-step instructions and tips to help you achieve the best results.
Key facts
- Top posts on flat coloring feature tutorials, tips, and techniques.
- These posts can be found on art blogs, YouTube channels, and social media platforms.
- They provide step-by-step instructions and tips.
- These posts are widely popular among digital artists and illustrators.
Associate solid colours with each area: flats
Associating solid colours with each area of a drawing, known as “flats,” is a fundamental step in flat coloring. This process involves selecting a solid colour for each distinct area of the drawing and applying it uniformly.
In plain terms: Associating solid colours with each area is like assigning a specific colour to each section of a map, each area gets its own unique colour to make it distinct and easy to identify.
Key facts
- Associating solid colours with each area is a fundamental step in flat coloring.
- This process involves selecting a solid colour for each distinct area of the drawing.
- It is widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
- This technique creates a clean and graphic look.
Drawing first level shadows
Drawing first level shadows involves applying darker shades to areas that would naturally be in shadow. This process creates depth and dimension in a flat-colored drawing, making it look more realistic.
In plain terms: Drawing first level shadows is like adding depth to a 3D model, you apply darker shades to areas that would naturally be in shadow to make the model look more realistic and three-dimensional.
Key facts
- Drawing first level shadows involves applying darker shades to areas in shadow.
- This process creates depth and dimension in a flat-colored drawing.
- It is widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
- This technique makes drawings look more realistic.
The volumes
The volumes refer to the three-dimensional shapes and forms within a drawing. Understanding and accurately representing the volumes is essential for creating realistic and visually appealing flat-colored artworks.
In plain terms: The volumes are like the building blocks of a drawing, they are the three-dimensional shapes and forms that make up the characters and objects in the artwork.
Key facts
- The volumes refer to the three-dimensional shapes and forms within a drawing.
- Understanding and accurately representing the volumes is essential for creating realistic artworks.
- This technique is widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
- It helps create visually appealing flat-colored artworks.
Apply gradients to your drawing
Applying gradients to your drawing involves adding smooth transitions between colours to create a more realistic and visually appealing look. This technique can be used to enhance the flat coloring process and add depth and dimension to your artwork.
In plain terms: Applying gradients is like adding shading to a sculpture, you use smooth transitions between colours to create a more realistic and three-dimensional appearance.
Key facts
- Applying gradients involves adding smooth transitions between colours.
- This technique enhances the flat coloring process.
- It adds depth and dimension to your artwork.
- This technique is widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
Bringing characters to life
Bringing characters to life involves using various techniques, including flat coloring, shading, and highlighting, to create visually appealing and expressive characters. This process can be enhanced by using free art programs like Krita or GIMP, which offer tools specifically designed for character design and illustration.
In plain terms: Bringing characters to life is like creating a puppet, you use various techniques to make the character look and feel realistic and expressive.
Key facts
- Bringing characters to life involves using techniques like flat coloring, shading, and highlighting.
- This process can be enhanced by using free art programs like Krita or GIMP.
- It is widely used in anime, cartoons, and graphic design.
- This technique creates visually appealing and expressive characters.
How to apply clean shading techniques in flat coloring
To apply clean shading techniques in flat coloring, start by selecting a solid colour for each distinct area of the drawing. Next, apply darker shades to areas that would naturally be in shadow and lighter shades to areas that would catch the light. Use free art programs like Krita or GIMP to practice these techniques and achieve a clean and graphic look.
In plain terms: Applying clean shading techniques is like painting a portrait, you start with a base coat of colour and then add details like shading and highlights to make the portrait look more realistic and three-dimensional.
Key facts
- To apply clean shading techniques, start by selecting a solid colour for each distinct area.
- Apply darker shades to areas in shadow and lighter shades to areas catching light.
- Use free art programs like Krita or GIMP to practice these techniques.
- This process creates a clean and graphic look.
Popular free art programs for flat coloring
Popular free art programs for flat coloring include Krita, GIMP, and Medibang Paint. These programs offer tools specifically designed for applying flat colors and creating clean, graphic artworks. They are widely used by digital artists and illustrators.
In plain terms: Popular free art programs for flat coloring are like the best paint-by-numbers kits, they offer all the tools you need to create stunning artworks without breaking the bank.
Key facts
- Popular free art programs for flat coloring include Krita, GIMP, and Medibang Paint.
- These programs offer tools specifically designed for applying flat colors.
- They are widely used by digital artists and illustrators.
- These programs create clean, graphic artworks.
| Program | Features | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Krita | Offers a wide range of tools for digital painting and illustration, including flat coloring and shading techniques. | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| GIMP | Provides tools for photo manipulation, digital painting, and graphic design, including flat coloring and shading techniques. | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Medibang Paint | Offers a range of tools for digital painting and illustration, including flat coloring and shading techniques, specifically designed for manga and comic art. | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
How to practice flat coloring
To practice flat coloring, start by selecting a simple drawing or sketch. Use free art programs like Krita or GIMP to apply solid colours to distinct areas of the drawing. Practice associating solid colours with each area, known as “flats,” and experiment with different colour schemes and techniques. Apply darker shades to areas that would naturally be in shadow and lighter shades to areas that would catch the light to create depth and dimension.
In plain terms: Practicing flat coloring is like learning to play a musical instrument, you start with simple exercises and gradually build up to more complex pieces.
Key facts
- To practice flat coloring, start by selecting a simple drawing or sketch.
- Use free art programs like Krita or GIMP to apply solid colours to distinct areas.
- Practice associating solid colours with each area, known as “flats.”
- Experiment with different colour schemes and techniques.
- Apply darker shades to areas in shadow and lighter shades to areas catching light.
Top tips for flat coloring
Top tips for flat coloring include selecting a simple drawing or sketch to start with, using free art programs like Krita or GIMP, practicing associating solid colours with each area, and experimenting with different colour schemes and techniques. Apply darker shades to areas that would naturally be in shadow and lighter shades to areas that would catch the light to create depth and dimension.
In plain terms: Top tips for flat coloring are like cooking tips, they provide helpful advice and techniques to make the process easier and more enjoyable.
Key facts
- Top tips for flat coloring include selecting a simple drawing or sketch to start with.
- Use free art programs like Krita or GIMP.
- Practice associating solid colours with each area.
- Experiment with different colour schemes and techniques.
<
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free art program?
Krita stands out as the best free art program. It offers professional-grade tools like customizable brushes, layer management, and vector support. Open-source and cross-platform, Krita is favored by digital artists for its robust features and active community.
What is the 70 30 rule in art?
The 70-30 rule suggests allocating 70% of your time to planning and 30% to execution. This means sketching thumbnails, refining compositions, and selecting colors before committing to final details. It ensures a solid foundation and reduces time wasted on revisions.
Is Sketchbook really free?
Yes, Autodesk Sketchbook is completely free. It offers professional tools like brush customization, layer blending modes, and perspective guides. Available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, it's a versatile choice for both beginners and experienced artists.
Are there any free AI art programs?
Yes, tools like Deep Dream Generator and Artbreeder offer free AI art capabilities. Deep Dream Generator uses neural networks to transform images, while Artbreeder allows blending and evolving images. Both provide unique ways to create and manipulate art without cost.