Markers are great for clear bright coloring. Take your time pressing lightly. Go around the edges, then fill in the area.

Crayons and colored pencils are perfect for blending and shading.

For blending colors start with the lightest colors, then gradually add the medium and darkest colors. 

For shading start with the lightest tint of a color and gradually add the medium and darkest shades of that color.

Watercolors take a little practice but the beautiful results are well worth it.

Wet your brush and wipe it gently on the inside edge of your water container to bring the brush to a point and remove the excess water.

Paint with the tip of your brush and keep it wet enough that you can paint very easily and still not have little lakes or puddles of water on your paper.

Let one color dry on your paper before you paint a different color right next to it unless you want the colors to run together.

Clean your brush in the water every time you change color and change your water when it looks muddy.

To paint large areas use your brush to drip water and paint into the lid of your paint box and mix a lot of very wet paint - more than you think you will need. Test the color and add more paint if your mixture is too pale. Paint the whole area you plan to color with water, then quickly paint the area with the color you have mixed. The wet paint will flow easily where you have painted with water.