How to Print Bible Coloring Pages

How to print our coloring pages — paper, settings, troubleshooting

Printing coloring pages from this site should be straightforward, but the variations in printers, paper, and operating systems can cause subtle problems — wrong page size, off-center printing, low ink output, distorted aspect ratios. This how-to-print page covers the standard scenarios and the most common troubleshooting situations.

Quick start — the basic print

For most users on most printers, the simplest workflow:

1. Click the download button

On every coloring page, you'll find a download button. Click it to access the PDF.

2. Choose your format

We provide two PDF formats:

• A4 (210 × 297 mm) — international standard, used in most countries
• US Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) — US standard

Click the format that matches your paper.

3. Open in a PDF viewer

The PDF opens in Adobe Reader, your browser's PDF viewer, Preview (Mac), or similar.

4. Print

File → Print. Make sure:

• Paper size matches the PDF format you downloaded
• Orientation is correct (portrait for most pages)
• Scale is set to "Actual size" or "100%" (not "Fit to page")

5. Verify

The page should print at full size with the artwork centered. Lines should be crisp. Margins around the artwork should be even.

That's the standard workflow. If everything works the first time, you don't need anything else on this page.

Paper recommendations

The paper you use significantly affects coloring quality. Our recommendations by use case:

Standard 75-gsm copier paper

For most Sunday school classroom use, basic 75-gsm white copier paper works fine. It's cheap, readily available, and handles crayons, colored pencils, and water-based markers without issues.

Best for: Sunday school classes, VBS programs, daily home use, classroom decoration.

90-gsm to 120-gsm heavier paper

For situations requiring more durable pages — Bible journaling, marker use, family keepsakes — heavier paper (90-gsm or 120-gsm) holds up better.

Best for: Bible journaling, alcohol-based markers, family keepsakes intended to last.

200-gsm cardstock

For pages that will be hung as classroom decoration, included in framed displays, or used for adult Bible journaling, cardstock provides the durability needed.

Best for: Wall decoration, framed displays, intricate adult coloring.

Watercolor paper (300-gsm cold press)

For Bible journalers using watercolor on our pages, dedicated watercolor paper is necessary. Standard paper warps and tears under wet media.

Best for: Watercolor Bible journaling. See our Bible journaling section for fuller guidance.

Printer settings — what matters

Color vs. black-and-white

Our coloring pages are line art designed to be colored. They should print in black ink only — no color ink needed. Set your printer to "grayscale" or "black ink only" to:

• Save color ink (which is expensive)
• Speed up printing
• Ensure consistent line quality

Page scaling

Critical setting: scale must be 100% or "Actual size."

If you set it to "Fit to page," small differences between A4 and US Letter can cause:

• Pages printed at 96% or 104% scale (subtle distortion)
• Margins misaligned
• Bundle pages don't match each other in size

Always check your scaling.

Page orientation

Most of our pages are portrait orientation. A few specific pages (some landscape Nativity scenes) are landscape. The PDF should auto-detect; check before printing.

Print quality

For everyday use, standard quality (300 dpi) is fine. For high-quality keepsakes (framing, gifts), use the printer's "best" or "high quality" setting.

A4 vs. US Letter — the format question

One of the most common questions: "Which format should I download?"

The answer depends on where you are and what paper your printer is loaded with:

Use A4 if

• You're in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Australia, or most countries outside the US
• Your printer is loaded with A4 paper (210 × 297 mm)
• Your school or parish uses A4 as its standard

Use US Letter if

• You're in the United States, Canada, or Mexico
• Your printer is loaded with US Letter paper (8.5 × 11 inches)
• Your school or parish uses US Letter as its standard

What if I download the wrong format?

If you download A4 but have US Letter paper (or vice versa), you have two options:

Option 1: Print with "Fit to printable area"

In Adobe Reader: Print → Page sizing → "Fit." This shrinks the page slightly to fit. Aspect ratio is preserved but the page is about 4% smaller than intended.

Option 2: Print with "Actual size" and trim/scale by hand

Print at actual size, then either trim the excess paper (if the source is bigger) or accept the white margin (if the source is smaller).

Option 3: Re-download the correct format

If you have a stable internet connection, re-downloading the correct format is the cleanest solution.

Bulk printing — Sunday school, VBS, classroom

For users printing dozens or hundreds of pages:

Office copier vs. home printer

For VBS or large Sunday school programs (50+ children, multiple pages per child), office copiers are far faster and cheaper than home printers. Most parishes have a copier; coordinate with your parish office.

Batch printing

In Adobe Reader: File → Print → choose multiple PDFs or use the printer's batch queue feature. Most home printers handle 50-100 pages per session before needing paper refill.

Print queue management

For 500+ pages, break the job into batches of 100. This prevents printer overheating, paper jams, and queue errors. Take a 5-minute pause between batches.

Toner and ink supply

A typical Sunday school year (36 weeks × 30 students × 6 pages per bundle = 6,480 pages) consumes substantial toner. Plan for one toner cartridge replacement per Sunday school year for an average parish.

Troubleshooting common issues

"Print preview looks distorted"

Cause: Aspect ratio is being adjusted. Solution: Set scaling to "Actual size," not "Fit to page."

"Page prints with white margins"

Cause: PDF format doesn't match paper size. Solution: Download the matching format (A4 or US Letter).

"Lines come out faint or broken"

Cause: Printer is low on toner, or set to "draft" quality. Solution: Replace toner; set quality to "Normal" or "Best."

"Wrong page selected"

Cause: PDF has multiple pages. Solution: In the print dialog, specify which page numbers to print (e.g., "1, 3-5").

"Bundle pages don't match in size"

Cause: Different scaling on different pages. Solution: Print all pages with the same scaling setting (100% Actual Size for all).

Related resources

• License terms — free for personal, classroom, church use
• Church license — institutional partnerships
• Bible mega hub — start browsing pages
• Sunday school coloring pages — classroom-tested content
• VBS coloring pages — bulk-print VBS programs
• Bible journaling — adult coloring practice

— Sarah Mitchell, Christian Education Editor