To make a coloring page with ChatGPT, ask it to create black line art on a plain white background with no shading, or upload a photo and ask it to turn it into a coloring page. Add the paper shape you'll print on, such as a portrait page. Image creation works on every ChatGPT plan, including free.
Coloring pages are one of the best everyday uses for ChatGPT images: a page of your dog, your child's favourite animal doing something silly, or a calm pattern for an adult evening. The trick is asking for the right style, because ChatGPT's default is a finished, colourful picture.
The words that make it a coloring page
Every prompt below includes the same five ingredients: black outlines only, white background, no shading or grey fill, thick clean lines, and large spaces to colour. Leave any of them out and you'll often get a sketch with shading that prints muddy.
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Black and white coloring page, clean thick outlines only, pure white background, no shading, no grey, no colour, large open areas to colour, portrait page shape.
How to make one, step by step
- Open ChatGPT and either type your idea or upload a photo.
- Paste a prompt from below. Add the shape you need, or pick it with the aspect ratio picker.
- Wait. OpenAI says images can take a few minutes depending on how complex they are, and you can keep chatting meanwhile.
- Ask for one fix at a time, such as 'make the lines thicker' or 'remove the background details'.
- Open the image and choose Save to download it, then print it.
On the ChatGPT phone app there's another route: type @, choose Sketch, draw a rough outline yourself and ask ChatGPT to turn it into a clean coloring page.
Turn a photo into a coloring page
Pet photo
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Turn my uploaded photo into a coloring page. Keep my dog's shape, ears and markings recognisable as outlines. Black outlines only on a white background, no shading, thick lines, simple background removed.
Family photo
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Turn my uploaded family photo into a simple coloring page for young children. Outline everyone's shape and clothes, keep faces simple and friendly, no shading, white background.
Your house
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Turn my uploaded photo of our house into a coloring page. Clean architectural outlines, add a few flowers and a tree, no shading, white background, portrait page.
Only upload photos of people who are happy for you to use them. OpenAI's usage policy doesn't allow using someone's photorealistic likeness without consent in misleading ways, and a coloring page of your own family for your own table is the kind of use that keeps everyone comfortable.
Pages for young children
Simple animal
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Coloring page for a young child: a smiling elephant splashing in a puddle, very thick outlines, big simple shapes, no small details, white background, portrait.
Vehicles
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Coloring page for a young child: a fire engine, a bus and a tractor in a row, thick outlines, big shapes, no shading, white background, wide page shape.
Their name
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Coloring page with the name "MAYA" in big bubble letters in the middle, surrounded by stars and hearts, thick outlines, no shading, white background.
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Pages for older kids and adults
Mandala
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Adult coloring page: a detailed circular mandala with floral patterns, fine but clean outlines, symmetrical, no shading, white background, square.
Cozy scene
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Adult coloring page: a cozy reading nook with a window seat, plants, a sleeping cat and a stack of books, detailed outlines, no shading, white background, portrait.
Seasonal
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Coloring page: an autumn street with pumpkins on doorsteps and leaves falling, medium detail outlines, no shading, white background, portrait.
Getting it to print well
| Problem | Fix to type |
|---|---|
| Grey shading appears | Remove all shading and grey, outlines only |
| Lines too thin to colour | Make all outlines thicker and bolder |
| Too much detail for a toddler | Simplify to big shapes with fewer lines |
| Wrong shape for paper | Redo as a portrait page, or use the aspect ratio picker |
| Text misspelt | Spell the text exactly as written in quotes |
Prefer a dedicated tool? I've listed options in where to make AI coloring pages for free, and there are more image ideas in cool ChatGPT image prompt ideas.
Make a whole coloring book
Once one page works, you can build a small book in the same chat. Ask for every page in the same line style so the set looks like it belongs together, then save each one and print them as a stack.
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Using the same line style as the last page, create the next coloring page in this set: {new scene}. Same thickness of outlines, same level of detail, white background, portrait page.
A themed set works well for birthdays and long journeys: a page for each family member's favourite animal, or a story told across pages.
A note for parents
OpenAI's terms say users must be at least 13, and under 18s need a parent or guardian's permission, so younger children should make these with an adult. On linked teen accounts, OpenAI says a parent may be able to control whether the teen can create or edit images at all.
My advice
Make your first page from a photo of something your child loves, like the family pet. It's the version that gets the biggest reaction, and it'll teach you in one go how to ask for thicker lines and simpler shapes. Then save that prompt, because you'll be asked for another page tomorrow.
Frequently asked questions
Can ChatGPT make coloring pages for free?
Yes. OpenAI says ChatGPT Images is available on all tiers, including the free plan.
How do I turn a photo into a coloring page in ChatGPT?
Upload the photo and ask for black outlines only on a white background with no shading, thick lines and the background simplified.
Why does my coloring page have grey shading?
Ask ChatGPT to remove all shading and grey and keep outlines only. Adding no shading to the first prompt usually prevents it.
Can kids use ChatGPT to make coloring pages?
OpenAI's terms require users to be at least 13, with a parent or guardian's permission under 18, so younger children should make them with an adult.
