Coloring Books
169 articlesGetting Started
What is the Coloring Books studio?
Coloring Books is a studio of BookyAI Activity Studio, a paid add-on for the BookyAI desktop app. It builds complete co…
Where do I find it?
Open the BookyAI app and click "Activity" in the sidebar. The Activity Studio page shows all the studios. When you own …
What is the "Your studios" box at the top of Activity Studio?
It shows every studio you own as a small chip with its icon and name, for example "Coloring Books". If your license als…
What else do I need?
The BookyAI app with your BookyAI license activated, and the Coloring Books studio license. The designs are drawn on yo…
What needs an internet connection?
Drawing designs, the print check, editing, coloring in, the listing text and exporting a book already registered all wo…
Does it work on Windows and Mac?
Yes. It is part of the BookyAI desktop app on both Windows and macOS.
Is there a guided tour?
Yes. Open a coloring book, click "Guide" at the bottom of the sidebar and start the Activity Studio tour (it is marked …
Where are my coloring books? They are not in my Library.
Activity books are listed on the Activity Studio page under "Your activity books", not in the Library. Each line shows …
How does the studio screen work?
The top bar shows "Activity Studio · Coloring Books", the title, the number of designs and pages, the trim and whether …
How do I see the title page, the copyright page and the other pages?
Use the page list above the preview (for example "Page 1 · Title page", "Page 9 · Design 1 · Lotus Mandala", "Page 10 ·…
What do the small labels on the designs in the Designs column mean?
The number is the design's place in the book. "AI" or "Photo" marks a page made from a picture. A lock means the design…
Price, License and Activation
How much does the Coloring Books studio cost?
$97, paid once. No subscription. Every future update to the Coloring Books studio is included. Each Activity Studio stu…
How do I buy it?
On the Activity Studio page, click "Unlock for $97" on the Coloring Books card. The sales page opens in your browser. A…
I own Word Search or Sudoku. Is Coloring Books included?
No. Each studio is its own purchase. Owning another studio does not unlock Coloring Books, and owning Coloring Books do…
Is Color by Number part of Coloring Books?
No. Color by Number is a studio of its own ($97, paid once). It uses the same drawing engine and adds numbers in the sp…
I bought Coloring Books with my BookyAI account. How do I activate it?
You normally do not have to do anything. Open Activity Studio on the computer where your BookyAI license is active; you…
I received a license key by email. Where do I enter it?
On the Activity Studio page, click "Enter a key", paste the key (format BND-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX) and click "Activate".
I just paid and the studio is still locked.
Purchases can take a minute or two to arrive. Click "Check my purchases". Make sure you are connected to the internet a…
I see "Couldn't reach the license server. Check your internet and try again."
The app could not reach the license server. Check your internet connection (and any firewall or VPN that may block the …
Activation says the license server had a problem (HTTP and a number) and that my key is fine.
The server had a short problem; your key is not the issue. Wait a moment and click "Activate" again.
I see "That key isn't an Activity Studio license key."
You entered a different BookyAI key, for example your main BookyAI key or a Listen or Audio key. Use the key from the e…
I see "That license key wasn't found. Double-check it and try again."
The key was mistyped or incomplete. Copy it straight from the email, including the BND- at the start. If it still fails…
I see "Activity Studio runs on the computers where your BookyAI license is active. Activate BookyAI here first."
The studio follows your main BookyAI license. Activate BookyAI on this computer first, then go back to Activity Studio …
I see "This Activity Studio license was revoked or refunded. Enter a valid key to continue."
The license was refunded or cancelled. If you think this is a mistake, contact support with your purchase email.
When I export I see "This studio is no longer unlocked on your account. Click "Check my purchases" in Activity Studio, or contact support."
The license server says this studio is not on your account any more (for example after a refund). Go back to Activity S…
I see "We couldn't verify your Activity Studio license. Reconnect to the internet and retry."
The studio works offline for 30 days after its last successful license check. After that it needs to connect once. Conn…
Can I use the studio on two computers?
The studio unlocks on every computer where your BookyAI license is active. With a single-device BookyAI license that is…
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes, the Build-a-Book Guarantee. If the studio is not what you expected, write to support within 14 days of your purcha…
I made many books and now I want a refund. Why was it refused?
The guarantee ends when the 6th book is exported or after 14 days, whichever comes first. After that point the studio h…
What happens to my books if I get a refund?
The refund revokes the Coloring Books license. The PDFs and files you already exported stay on your computer and remain…
Can I open a coloring book without the studio?
No. If the studio is locked, clicking a coloring book shows "Unlock Coloring Books to open this book."
Making a New Book
How do I start a new coloring book?
In Activity Studio, click the Coloring Books card. A window "A new coloring book" opens. Choose the language of the boo…
What are the starting points?
All are 8.5 x 11 except Pocket coloring:Mandalas for adults: detailed mandalas and mandala quilts for pencils and gel p…
What title does a new book get?
An English book gets the starting point's title and a subtitle with the design count, for example "Mandala Coloring Boo…
I chose an AI starting point. Why are the pages empty?
AI pages are only drawn when you ask, because each one costs a picture on your image key. In "The designs" card, write …
How long does it take to draw the designs?
Seconds, not minutes: the studio draws up to three designs at once on your computer. The Print check card shows "drawin…
I closed the studio while designs were still being drawn.
Nothing is lost. Designs already drawn are saved. When you open the book again, the studio draws the missing ones by it…
Where do the author name and publisher come from?
From your default author profile (made in Authors). In "The book" card you can choose another profile or type the autho…
How many designs can a book have?
From 1 to 200 designs, photo pages included. With single-sided pages, 200 designs make a book of more than 400 pages. K…
The Book Settings (The Book Card)
What can I set for the whole book?
In "The book" card: Title, Subtitle, "Who is it for? (optional)" with the AI writing button, Author profile, Author, Pu…
What does "Write the title, subtitle and welcome" do?
Your AI engine drafts a book title (up to 6 words, saying it is a coloring book), a subtitle (up to 18 words: the count…
Are the AI texts written in the language of my book?
Yes. They follow "Language of the pages". Read them before you publish, as with any AI draft.
The AI writing button is disabled.
No AI engine is connected. The note under the button says "Connect an AI engine in Settings to draft them, or write you…
The AI writing shows an error such as "The AI did not return usable book texts. Try again." or "The AI could not write the texts. Try again."
The AI's answer could not be used. Click the button again; a second try usually works. If your engine shows its own err…
What does the AI engine setting do?
It chooses which of your connected AI engines writes the texts and plans the ideas of AI pages in this book. It only ap…
Which trim sizes are available?
6 x 9 in, 7 x 10 in, 8.5 x 11 in and A4 (21 x 29.7 cm). 8.5 x 11 is what most coloring books use. Changing the trim dra…
Which fonts are available?
Atkinson Hyperlegible (clearest), Lexend (modern), Nunito (rounded, friendly), Poppins (geometric), Roboto Mono (even l…
Can I choose a different font for the titles?
Yes. Click "Title font" to choose "Same as the puzzle font", one of the fonts in BookyAI, one of 140 Google fonts made …
Can I use the title fonts in books I sell?
The Google fonts in the list are all under the SIL Open Font License or Apache 2.0, which allow them in books you sell,…
I see "Google Fonts could not be reached. Check the internet connection and try again."
Downloading a title font needs the internet the first time. Check your connection, firewall or VPN and choose the font …
Why are some fonts missing from the list for my language?
Only fonts that contain the language's letters are shown, so no letter is ever printed as an empty box. For Russian and…
What is the dedication?
An optional page after the copyright page, for example "For Mom, who always had crayons in her bag". Leave it empty and…
The Designs (The Designs Card)
What is in "The designs" card?
Who colors it, Line weight, Detail, the number of Designs, Kinds of design, the AI drawings panel (when AI drawings are…
What does "Who colors it" change?
It sets the line weight and the smallest space the print check allows, and every page is drawn and measured for it:Todd…
What does "Line weight" do?
It chooses the weight of the lines within the range for the readers ("(usual)" marks the default). The lightest weight …
What does "Detail" do?
Simpler makes bigger spaces and fewer shapes; More detail makes more, smaller spaces; Standard is in between. It always…
What are the kinds of design?
Mandalas: rings of petals, lotus, leaves and lace, in perfect symmetry. Tall pages get corner ornaments.Patterned silho…
Which silhouettes are there?
Heart, butterfly, fish, owl, cat, bird, turtle, elephant, egg, leaf, drop, moon, star, flower, apple, pumpkin, balloon,…
How do I change the number of designs?
Type the number in "Designs" and press Enter (or click elsewhere). New designs are added at the end and drawn at once; …
I unticked "AI drawings" but some AI pages are still in the book.
AI pages that already have an idea or a drawing are kept, because drawing them cost a picture on your key. Change such …
Changing, Locking and Removing Pages
What does "New designs" do?
It draws a new design for every page of the book, except locked designs and pages made from pictures (AI drawings and p…
How do I change one design?
Show it (click it in the Designs column), then in the toolbar above the page: choose another kind of design, choose ano…
What does the lock do?
The lock in the page toolbar ("Keep this design when the book is drawn again") keeps the design exactly as it is when y…
Why are the buttons of a page greyed out?
Either the page is locked (click the lock to unlock it), or the page is being drawn or made right now (wait for it to f…
How do I remove a page?
Click the bin in the page toolbar ("Remove this page from the book") and confirm "Remove design N from the book?". Its …
Can I keep a page I edited or colored when I change the readers, the line weight or the detail?
Yes. Pages you edited by hand keep their edits when those settings change (as long as the trim stays the same), and loc…
The Print Check
What does the Print check measure?
Every design is drawn in vector, then measured at print size: pure black lines (no grey), never lighter than KDP's 0.75…
What else does the Print check card tell me?
The page count at the trim, always an even count (with single-sided pages it adds that every design is on its own right…
What are the badges under the page?
What the check measured on the design shown: "Pure black, no grey", "Lines X pt" (or "Lines X to Y pt"), "N spaces to c…
Are small spaces filled with black?
No. Nothing a reader would color is ever filled with black. Only tiny specks where lines meet (under 0.6 mm²) are close…
What is the "Print report"?
Click "Print report" in the Print check card. A window lists every design: number, name, line weight, spaces, smallest …
What does a yellow mark on a design in the Designs column mean?
That design needs a new drawing: hover it to read why. Click it, then click the round arrow (or "Draw again" for an AI …
I see "Design N: Many spaces are too small to color: make a new design".
The studio tried six drawings of that design and each had too many small spaces for these readers. Click the round arro…
I see "Design N: A line is X pt: KDP needs 0.75 pt or more".
A line on that page is thinner than KDP allows. This mostly happens on a page you edited with a fine brush. Open it in …
I see "Design N: A line reaches outside the safe area".
Something on the page reaches into the margin, where it could be cut or rejected. On an edited page, erase what goes pa…
I see "Designs N and M are the same: make a new one of either".
Two pages came out nearly identical. Show one of them and click the round arrow (or "Draw again" for an AI page).
I see "Design N was drawn for another trim size: draw it again".
That page is locked and was drawn (or edited) for the trim the book had before. Click the lock to unlock it, then click…
I see "Design N is not drawn yet" or "N designs are not drawn yet (...)".
Those pages have no design yet. For AI pages the message adds ": plan and draw the AI pages in The designs". Wait for t…
I see "The book has no designs yet".
Every page was removed or none is drawn yet. Set a number of designs, or wait for the first designs to be drawn.
Pages (The Pages Card)
What pages can the book have?
In "Pages":Single-sided: every design on its own page with a blank back, so markers never bleed into the next picture (…
In what order are the pages?
Title page, copyright page, then the dedication, the welcome, "This book belongs to", "Before you begin" and "Test your…
Why single-sided?
Markers and gel pens bleed through paper. With single-sided pages every design has a blank back, so coloring one page n…
What does the thank-you page say?
"Thank you for coloring!" and "If you enjoyed this book, a short review on Amazon helps other coloring fans find it." I…
What is on the copyright page?
The title, "Copyright © (year) (author or publisher). All rights reserved.", "Published by (publisher)" when you set on…
Does the printable edition have blank backs?
No. Home printers print one side, so the printable edition leaves the blank backs out. If the book has colored examples…
The Color by Number Card
What is the "Color by number" card in my coloring book?
In a Coloring Books book it only explains that color by number is a studio of its own: a number in every space, a named…
What happens when I click "Make this a color by number book"?
The book becomes a Color by Number book: every page is colored from a palette of named colors and numbered, and the car…
Pages from Pictures: AI Drawings
What are AI drawings?
Pages drawn by your image engine: animals, scenes, anything you describe. Each picture is cleaned, turned into pure bla…
What do I need for AI drawings?
An OpenAI or Gemini API key in Settings (the same key Covers uses: OpenAI under Extra tools, Covers; Gemini under AI en…
I have both an OpenAI and a Gemini key. Which one draws?
OpenAI, whenever its key is set. Gemini draws only when there is no OpenAI key. The AI panel says which key is used ("E…
How do I make AI pages?
Tick "AI drawings" in Kinds of design (or start from an AI starting point). In the AI panel: write the book's theme (fo…
How many ideas does "Plan the page ideas" write?
One for every AI page without an idea (up to 60 at a time). If every page already has an idea, it plans again for the A…
How many pictures does "Draw N pages" use?
One picture for each AI page that has an idea and no drawing yet (locked pages are skipped). A drawing that comes back …
Can I stop the drawing?
Yes. While drawing, the button shows "Drawing N of M... Stop". Pages already drawn are kept. Drawing also stops by itse…
The panel shows "N AI pages: X drawn, Y planned, Z without an idea."
That is where your AI pages stand. Plan ideas for the pages without one, then draw the planned ones.
The page says "Say what this page shows, then press Draw." or "Ready to draw: press Draw."
The first means the AI page has no idea yet: type one in the toolbar or use "Plan the page ideas". The second means it …
A drawing came back with grey shading.
The studio asks for clean line art, but a model sometimes shades. A shaded drawing is drawn once more by itself (that i…
Why was my theme or idea refused?
Characters, brands, franchises and artists belong to their owners, and KDP removes books that use them. The studio refu…
The drawing stopped with an error from OpenAI or Gemini.
The message comes from your image provider. Common causes: the key is wrong or has no credit, a usage limit was reached…
What other messages can an AI page show?
"Say what the page shows first.": the page has no idea yet (or it is shorter than 3 letters)."Write the theme first." o…
Some spaces on my AI page are very small.
Pages from pictures keep small details (a face, an eye's highlight, a leaf) white rather than filling them with black. …
What caption does an AI page get?
Its idea, in title case and shortened to 8 words, for example "Hedgehog Carrying a Basket of Apples". A photo page is c…
What happens to AI pages when I change the readers or the trim?
They are made again from the saved pictures, on your computer, at no cost: nothing is drawn again. The pictures are kep…
Does KDP need to know about AI pages?
Yes. The Print check says how many pages were drawn by an image AI: "KDP counts those as AI-generated images, even afte…
Pages from Pictures: Your Photos
How do I make a page from a photo?
Click "Photo page" at the top of the Designs column and choose a photo (JPEG, PNG or WebP). A page is added at the end …
What are the two ways to turn a photo into lines?
In the page toolbar, "From your photo:":Lines made on this computer: free and instant. Tone zones become outlines, with…
Which photos can I use?
Only photos you took or have the right to use. When you choose "Redrawn by your image engine", the photo is sent to you…
Is a photo page an AI image for KDP?
Lines made on this computer are not made by AI. A photo redrawn by your image engine is an AI-generated image, and the …
I see "That photo could not be opened. Choose a JPEG, PNG or WebP picture."
The file is not a picture the app can read. Save it as JPEG or PNG and try again.
I see "The photo is missing: choose it again".
The photo file was removed from the book's folder. Remove the page and add the photo again.
Editing a Page
Can I edit a design by hand?
Yes. Show the design and click "Edit" in the page toolbar ("Draw, erase, close gaps, fill spaces too small, remove stra…
What tools does the editor have?
Draw: draw in ink.Line: drag a straight line, for example to close a gap in an outline.Erase: rub out ink.Fill space: c…
I clicked "Remove mark" or "Fill space" and much more changed than I wanted.
"Remove mark" removes all the ink connected to the spot you click, so clicking a line that joins the rest of the drawin…
What happens when I save an edited page?
When its lines changed, the page is traced into clean outlines again and checked by the same print check. If you only c…
I see "The page could not be saved." or "The colors could not be saved."
Saving failed for that page. Click "Save the page" again. If it keeps failing, Cancel, open the page again and redo the…
The editor fills the window. Where is the toolbar?
The editor opens below the app's title bar with its toolbar at the top (the Color tool adds a second row). On a small w…
See It Colored and Color It in
What does "See it colored" do?
It shows the page colored from a palette (Garden, Ocean, Sunset, Pastel, Autumn, Jewel, Crayons, Soft crayons, Nature o…
What does "Color it in" do?
It opens the editor with the Color tool, to color the spaces yourself. Choose a palette and a color (or any color with …
Where do my colors go?
They are a layer of their own, under the lines, in vector. They never print on the page to color. After saving, the pag…
What is "Colored example in the book"?
A tick box in the page toolbar for a page you colored in. The book then holds a colored copy of the page on the left pa…
What should I know before adding colored examples?
A book with colored pages must be printed with a color interior on KDP (standard or premium color), which costs more pe…
My colors disappeared after "New designs".
Colors belong to the drawing they were made on. A new drawing of a page has other spaces, so its colors go. Lock a page…
I see "A page takes 255 colors at most."
One page can hold up to 255 different colors. Reuse colors already on the page.
Cover and Listing Text
What is the "Cover and listing text" card?
It writes the words around your book from what the book really holds (the count, the kinds of design, the readers, sing…
Can I edit the listing text?
The card shows it as text to copy, and it updates by itself when you change the book. Copy it with "Copy" and change it…
Does the listing text use AI?
No. It is built by the studio from the book's facts, so it costs nothing and never promises what the book does not have.
How does the description name my AI pages?
As "illustrations": the listing text says what the pages are and never presents them as hand-drawn (photo pages are "pa…
The listing text is in English, but my book is in another language.
The cover and listing text is English only for now. For another language's store, translate it or write your own.
How do I make the cover?
Click "Export", then "Make the cover". Covers opens with the book's title, subtitle, author, trim, page count and back …
Can my colored pages be on the cover?
Yes. Pages you colored in (colored examples first, up to 4) go to Covers, in a box "Your colored pages on the cover". P…
Export and Publishing
How do I export?
Click "Export" at the top of the studio. The "Export and publish" window offers four options. Every file is saved in th…
What are the export options?
Interior PDF for KDP paperback: the file you upload to KDP as the manuscript, at the exact trim size with the gutter KD…
It says "Connect to the internet to export this book."
While the studio is inside its money-back guarantee (the first 14 days after buying it, up to the 6th book), each new b…
It says "The license server could not register this export right now. Try again in a moment."
The app reached the internet but the license server did not answer properly. Wait a moment and click Export again. If i…
The Export button is disabled.
Either designs or AI pages are still being drawn, an export is running, or the Print check has a problem to fix: a desi…
The export says "The title font "(name)" is not on this computer. Choose it again in The book, or pick another."
The book uses a downloaded or own title font that is no longer on this computer (for example a font you removed, or a b…
Where are the exported files?
In your books folder, inside "_Activity Studio", in the book's own folder, under "exports" (the printable edition is in…
Can I publish a Kindle ebook of my coloring book?
No. Coloring books are meant to be colored on paper, so the studio makes print books, printable PDFs and images, and no…
Can I sell the books I make?
Yes. The designs the studio draws are yours to publish and sell, and the fonts in the studio are licensed for commercia…
Is a design in my book unique to me?
Every design is drawn fresh from a random start, so the same design is practically never drawn twice. The Print check c…
Publishing on KDP
What do I choose on KDP?
Paperback, the same trim size as in the studio, black and white interior, white paper, no bleed. If the book has colore…
Does the book use bleed?
No. Every design stays inside the margins, so choose "No bleed" on KDP. Full-bleed pages are not available.
What margins does the book use?
Every design sits 0.625 in from the left and right edges, 0.55 in from the top and 0.8 in from the bottom (room for the…
Why does KDP show blank pages in my book?
With single-sided pages every design has a blank back on purpose, so markers never bleed into the next picture. A short…
Does KDP ask about AI?
KDP asks whether a book contains AI-generated content. Designs drawn by the studio's own code are not AI images, and ne…
Should I order a proof?
Yes. Order a printed proof from KDP before you publish, to see the line weights, the paper and (with colored examples) …
Languages
In which languages can the pages be?
Eleven: English, Romanian, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Ukrainian and Greek. Choose "L…
What is translated?
Every word the studio prints: "This book belongs to", "Before you begin" and its tips, "Test your colors" and its line,…
What stays in English?
The cover and listing text, written for the English Amazon store, and the design names in captions (for example "Lotus …
I see "The font has no (language) letters for the page text: choose ..."
The chosen font cannot print this language's letters. Choose one of the fonts the message lists.
I see "The title font has no (language) letters: choose another title font".
The chosen title font cannot print this language. Click "Title font" and choose another one. Google title fonts are not…
Troubleshooting
The top bar says "Not saved".
The book is saved automatically a moment after every change ("Saving..." then "Saved"). "Not saved" means the save fail…
The studio is busy when I change a setting.
Settings that change the designs (who colors it, line weight, detail, trim, kinds of design, silhouettes) draw the book…
I see "KDP needs at least 24 pages: N blank pages were added at the end. Add designs to fill them."
The book is shorter than KDP's minimum, so blank pages were added. Add designs for a fuller book.
The export failed with "The PDF has X pages instead of Y. Please report this." or "The PDF page size does not match the trim. Please report this."
This should never happen. Please contact support with the book's title and trim size.
The preview shows the wrong font for the titles.
A downloaded title font is loaded the first time it is used. If the preview still shows another font, choose the title …
A photo page looks messy.
Lines made on this computer work best on simple photos (one subject, a clean background). Choose "Redrawn by your image…
I see "This book could not be opened."
The book's file could not be read. Make sure your books folder is available (for example an external drive is connected…
I deleted a book by mistake.
Deleting a book removes its designs, pictures and exported PDFs from your computer, and the app asks for confirmation f…
Can I back up my coloring books?
Yes. Copy the "_Activity Studio" folder inside your books folder. Each book is one folder with its settings file, its "…
What Is Not Available Yet
Can I number the spaces (color by number)?
Not in Coloring Books: color by number is the Color by Number studio, sold separately. If you own it, the "Color by num…
Can I upload my own line art?
Not yet. Pages come from the studio's own designs, your image engine, or your photos. The Photo page turns any picture …
Can the listing text be in another language?
Not yet. It is English only.
Can I reorder the designs by hand?
Not yet. Designs follow the book's order; new and photo pages are added at the end. Remove a page and change kinds or s…
Can I make full-bleed pages that reach the edge of the paper?
Not yet. Every design stays inside the margins and the book is published without bleed.
Can I export the pages as SVG files?
Not yet. The exports are the Interior PDF (in vector), the printable PDFs and PNG page images at 300 DPI.
Can the AI keep the same character on every page?
Not yet. Each AI page is drawn on its own from its idea; there is no reference picture or style card shared by all page…
Can I add pages of text or word art between the designs?
Not yet. Besides the designs, the book holds the title, copyright, dedication, welcome, belongs-to, tips, color test an…
Is there a bundle of all Activity Studio studios?
Not at the moment. Each studio is sold on its own and paid once.