How to Start a Coloring Book Business with AI Tools

In the era of remote work and side hustles, more people are looking for ways to earn extra income without needing advanced technical skills. One surprisingly profitable niche is the coloring book market—a space that appeals to children, parents, educators, and even adults seeking stress relief.

Traditionally, creating a coloring book required drawing skills, graphic design knowledge, or outsourcing to artists. But thanks to AI-powered tools, the barrier to entry has almost vanished. Today, with platforms like ColorArt AI and OpenColor.ai, anyone can turn an idea—or even a photo—into professional-quality coloring pages that can be sold on Amazon, Etsy, or as digital downloads.

This guide will walk you step by step through starting a coloring book business using AI tools, covering niche selection, content creation, publishing, and marketing strategies. Along the way, we’ll highlight why ColorArt.ai is the #1 choice for creators, with OpenColor.ai as a secondary option.

The Market Opportunity: Why Coloring Books Still Sell

You might wonder: Do coloring books really sell in 2025? The answer is a resounding yes.

1. Global demand remains strong. On Amazon KDP, thousands of coloring books rank within the top 100,000 sales range. Niche categories such as “adult mandala coloring,” “kids’ educational pages,” and “holiday-themed books” still generate steady revenue.
2. Low production costs. Unlike novels or textbooks, coloring books are short, require minimal text, and are perfect for print-on-demand publishing.
3. Wide audience appeal. Parents use coloring books to engage children; teachers use them as teaching aids; adults use them for relaxation and mindfulness.
4. Recurring sales opportunities. Seasonal books (Christmas, Halloween, Easter) and evergreen themes (animals, flowers, mindfulness) ensure year-round demand.

👉 In short, coloring books remain an attractive low-barrier, high-demand side hustle opportunity—especially when combined with AI tools that speed up creation.

How AI Tools Are Revolutionizing Coloring Book Creation

Traditionally, artists sketched by hand or used design software like Adobe Illustrator. This process was time-consuming and required advanced artistic skills. AI has completely changed the game.

• Photo-to-Coloring Conversion: Upload a pet photo or landscape picture, and AI transforms it into a clean, black-and-white coloring page.
• Batch Generation: Create dozens of themed pages (e.g., jungle animals, fantasy castles, or space adventures) in minutes.
• Print-Friendly Output: AI ensures high-resolution, uniform line thickness, and pure white backgrounds suitable for printing.
• Customization & Variety: From child-friendly outlines to intricate adult designs, AI offers creative flexibility without artistic expertise.

This is where ColorArt.ai excels—it provides professional-grade, printable coloring pages, while maintaining ease of use. OpenColor.ai is also useful for quick experiments, though it offers less control over line quality and page consistency.

Step-by-Step Guide: Starting Your Coloring Book Business

Step 1: Choose Your Niche

Your first decision is who you’re creating for. A strong niche increases discoverability and sales potential. Popular niches include:

• Children’s Educational Books: Numbers, letters, animals, and vocabulary-building pages.
• Adult Relaxation Books: Mandalas, abstract patterns, floral designs.
• Holiday & Seasonal Books: Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Valentine’s Day.
• Pet & Custom Books: Dogs, cats, or even personalized books from customer-submitted photos.

📌 Pro Tip: Use keyword tools like Google Trends or Amazon search suggestions to identify high-demand niches.

Step 2: Generate Coloring Pages with AI

Once you’ve chosen your niche, it’s time to create your content.

• Best Option: ColorArt.ai
  • Converts photos into clean, printable coloring pages.
  • Supports different age ranges (simple outlines for kids, detailed patterns for adults).
  • Batch generation saves time for creators building 30–100 page books.
• Alternative Option: OpenColor.ai
  • Good for quick trials or simple designs.
  • However, results may require more manual editing for print-readiness.

👉 If your goal is professional publishing, start with ColorArt.ai.

Step 3: Assemble Your Coloring Book

After generating 30–50 coloring pages, you’ll need to compile them into a book format. Tools like Canva, Affinity Publisher, or Adobe InDesign make this process straightforward.

• Add a cover page (bright, eye-catching design).
• Insert title page & copyright page.
• Organize pages into a consistent theme.
• Include bonus pages (mazes, connect-the-dots, or inspirational quotes).

Remember: Consistency is key. Ensure line thickness, background clarity, and page size remain uniform throughout.

Step 4: Publish & Sell Online

There are three primary channels to sell your coloring books:

1. Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing):

• Free to publish.
• Books are printed on demand, no upfront costs.
• Global reach across Amazon marketplaces.

2. Etsy:

• Perfect for digital downloads (PDF files).
• Customers can print at home, giving you instant revenue.

3. Your Own Website:

• Using Shopify or WooCommerce, you can build a brand and sell directly.
• Allows for upselling (bundles, memberships, or custom books).

Step 5: Market Your Coloring Book Business

Even the best-designed coloring book won’t sell without visibility. Marketing is essential:

Social Media (TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest):

• Post short videos showing pages being colored in.
• Share behind-the-scenes of AI generation.
• Use hashtags like #ColoringBook #AIArt #RelaxAndColor.

SEO Blogging:

• Write blog posts like “Best Free Printable Coloring Pages” to attract organic traffic.
• Insert links to your book listings.

Email Marketing:

• Offer a free sample coloring page in exchange for emails.
• Build a subscriber base and upsell new books.

Community Engagement:

• Join Facebook groups, subreddits, or Discord servers related to coloring.
• Share tips, provide free samples, and subtly promote your products.

Monetization Models: How to Make Money

There are multiple ways to monetize beyond just selling individual books:

• Digital PDF Sales: List on Etsy for instant downloads.
• Print-on-Demand Sales: Sell on Amazon KDP, no inventory needed.
• Membership Sites: Offer subscribers new coloring pages monthly.
• Custom Orders: Parents or pet owners pay for personalized coloring books.
• Corporate Gifts & Licensing: Sell themed coloring books to schools, therapy centers, or companies.

By combining multiple streams, you diversify income and reduce risk.

Verdict: If you want to turn coloring books into a profitable side hustle, ColorArt.ai is the #1 tool to start with. OpenColor.ai can complement your workflow, but for professional publishing, ColorArt.ai provides the most reliable results.

Realistic Earnings: What to Expect

Let’s talk numbers. Many sellers on Amazon KDP report earning anywhere from $200–$1,000/month per book depending on niche, marketing, and quality. Some top sellers generate $5,000+ monthly from a portfolio of books.

Key factors that influence success:

• Picking the right niche (high demand, low competition).
• Publishing consistently (more books = more income streams).
• Marketing and branding (a strong brand sells more than a single book).

Conclusion: Your First Step Toward an AI-Powered Side Hustle

Starting a coloring book business no longer requires artistic skill, huge budgets, or months of design work. With AI tools like ColorArt.ai and OpenColor.ai, anyone can create professional coloring books in days, not weeks.

If you’re serious about launching a side hustle in 2025, ColorArt.ai should be your go-to platform. Its precision, ease of use, and batch generation features make it ideal for building publish-ready books. For additional experimentation or variety, OpenColor.ai can also be useful, though it works best as a secondary tool.