How to Format Your Coloring Book for Print (No Design Experience Needed)

Learn how to format you coloring book for print the easy way – even if you’ve never touched a design program before. Whether you’re a beginner self-publisher or just experimenting with your first printable product, this guide will walk you through the entire process step-by-step.

This guide will walk you through the entire process step-by-step, just like we do in The Ultimate Guide to Adult Coloring Books.

You’ll learn how to set up trim sizes, add bleed and margins, arrange your coloring pages, and export a professional print-ready PDF. No technical jargon, no graphic design degree required.

We’ll cover everything using beginner-friendly tools like Canva, PowerPoint, and free PDF software. Which means that by the time you finish this guide, you’ll be fully confident in preparing your coloring book for AmazonKDP, Gumroad, or your own website. Let’s start turning those awesome pages into a polished book ready for print!

Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools and resources I trust.

Before diving in, here’s a quick overview of everything that we are about to cover inside of this guide. Whether you’re using Canva, PowerPoint, or just Word, this breakdown will help you understand every key step in formatting your coloring book for professional print – fast and frustration-free.

📖 View Table of Contents

Choose Your Trim Size
Set Up Your Pages
Add Bleed and Margins
Format Your Coloring Pages Correctly
Arrange Your Book Interior
Export a Print-Ready PDF
Final Checklist Before Uploading

Choose Your Trim Size

Choosing the right trim size is the first step to making your coloring book look polished and professional. Trim size refers to the final dimensions of your printed book, and it can affect everything from how your pages are laid out to how they appear in search results. While Amazon KDP and print-on-demand platforms offer a variety of options, the most beginner-friendly size is 8.5″ x 11″. This standard size is easy to design, format, and print – plus it gives your customers plenty of room to color.

You can view all standard dimensions in the Amazon KDP trim size chart.

Comparison of popular coloring book trim sizes with 8.5x11 highlighted

Pro Tip: Start with 8.5″ x 11″ if you’re new to formatting. It’s the easiest size to design, most compatible with free tools, and widely accepted by print-on-demand platforms like Amazon KDP.

Also as you move on, I would consider the following practice. AmazonKDP = 8.5″ x 8.5″ and all other digital aspects = 8.5″ x 11″.

Set Up Your Pages

Once you’ve chosen your trim size, the next step is setting up your pages to match the format. This includes adjusting your document dimensions, orientation, and resolution to meet print-on-demand requirements. Whether you’re using Canva, PowerPoint, or Adobe tools, you’ll want to start with a blank page that matches your selected trim size. Setting up your pages correctly from the beginning saves tons of time and prevents formatting issues later when it’s time to export.

These settings will also prepare your file for formatting your coloring book for Amazon KDP, so you don’t have to redo the layout later.

Example of setting up an 8.5 x 11 page for a coloring book in design software

Pro Tip: Set your document resolution to 300 DPI for the sharpest print quality. This ensures your linework looks crisp and professional when published.

Adding Bleed and Margins

Bleed and margins are essential for giving your coloring book a clean, professional look. Bleed ensures that artwork extends all the way to the edge of the page without leaving a white border when trimmed. Margins, on the other hand, protect your artwork from getting cut off or lost in the binding. For Amazon KDP and most print-on-demand platforms, a 0.125″ bleed and 0.25″ margin on all sides is standard. Setting these properly at the beginning helps avoid design headaches and printing issues later.

Diagram of coloring book page layout showing bleed, trim line, and margins

Pro Tip: Always extend background artwork slightly beyond the trim line—this ensures your final printed pages don’t have unwanted white edges.

Format Your Coloring Pages Correctly

Your coloring pages are the heart of your book, so formatting them correctly is critical. Each image should be high-resolution (at least 300 DPI), properly sized to match your trim, and centered on the page with enough breathing room. Avoid placing important design elements near the edges to prevent them from being trimmed off.

If your artwork includes detailed linework or borders, test print a few pages to check clarity and spacing. Keeping the images black-and-white with crisp outlines ensures they’ll print well on any home printer or publishing platform.

Adobe has a great reference on print resolution settings for PDF exports if you’re using InDesign.

Editing software with a properly formatted coloring page and 300 DPI export settings

Pro Tip: Use PNG for crisp transparency or PDF for full-page layouts—both preserve high-quality linework for printing.

Arrange Your Book Interior

Now that you have your pages formatted, it’s time to arrange the interior of your upcoming coloring book. This is going to include organizing your title page, test page, main illustrations, and optional bonus pages in a way that flows naturally.

Most creators alternate coloring pages with blank backing pages to prevent bleed-through during coloring. It’s also helpful to keep your most detailed or favorite designs near the middle or end to leave a lasting impression. A well-structured layout not only improves usability but also makes your book look polished and professional.

Diagram showing ideal coloring book interior layout with title page, test page, coloring pages, and bonus content

Pro Tip: Use blank pages between coloring designs to prevent bleed-through and give users a clean surface for markers or pens.

Export a Print-Ready PDF

Once your coloring book interior is complete, it’s time to export everything into a print-ready PDF. This step is critical – incorrect export settings can cause image compression, color issues, or margin errors during printing.

Always export your file at 300 DPI in grayscale or black-and-white, and include the bleed if you’ve used one. Make sure all fonts are embedded and your file dimensions match the selected trim size. Whether you’re using Canva, PowerPoint, or Adobe tools, double-check every export setting before uploading to your print-on-demand platform.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, check out how to export your Canva file in a print-ready format, which shows exactly how to use the “PDF Print” option, include bleed and crop marks, and switch to CMYK.

Export window showing 300 DPI, embed fonts, and include bleed options for print-ready PDF

Pro Tip: Before uploading, open your exported PDF on multiple devices to check for formatting issues, blank pages, or broken fonts.

Final Checklist Before Uploading

Before you hit “Publish,” it’s smart to run through a final checklist. This quick review ensures your formatting, file settings, and layout are all print-ready and error-free. Double-check your trim size, bleed settings, and margins.

Confirm that all of your images are high-resolution, centered, and in black-and-white. Make sure blank pages are correctly placed, and your export file includes bleed and embedded fonts. Taking 10 extra minutes here can save you hours of troubleshooting and expensive misprints down the road.