MindMaze PublishingHalloween Coloring Pages for Adults: 6 Free Day of the Dead Color by Number Printables
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October is the month for dark paper and bright colors. These Halloween coloring pages for adults lean into the Day of the Dead: sugar skulls, marigold colors and the warm food of Día de los Muertos.
Every page starts as a field of numbered dots on black paper. Follow the color key and a sugar skull or a steaming mug rises out of the dark — you only see it while you color.
How these day of the dead color by number pages work
Every dot carries a small symbol. The color key tells you which color belongs to it — the same 24-color key across the whole series, so one set of pencils is enough for every page.
The black areas are already printed. You only fill the light dots, one at a time. There is no wrong order: start in a corner, start in the middle, stop whenever you like.
Why black paper makes Halloween colors glow
On white paper, orange and pink look friendly. On black, the same pencils glow like candlelight — exactly the mood of Halloween and the Day of the Dead.
Start with the brightest colors of the key: the contrast shows you within minutes that the picture is coming, and the darker shades fill in the rest.
6 free day of the dead coloring sheets to print
Each page is a free PDF on US Letter (A4 works with “fit to page”). Click a picture for the download, the color key and a printer-friendly white version.
Classic Sugar Skull
About 55 minutes · 1,686 dots to fill. Download the free Classic Sugar Skull page
Mug of Hot Chocolate
About 45 minutes · 1,387 dots to fill. Download the free Mug of Hot Chocolate page
Sugar Skull with Butterfly Eyes
About 55 minutes · 1,710 dots to fill. Download the free Sugar Skull with Butterfly Eyes page
Bowl of Mole
About 60 minutes · 1,757 dots to fill. Download the free Bowl of Mole page
Sugar Skull Cookie
About 60 minutes · 1,753 dots to fill. Download the free Sugar Skull Cookie page
Mexican Hot Chocolate Tablet
About 55 minutes · 1,712 dots to fill. Download the free Mexican Hot Chocolate Tablet page
The best pencils for black paper
Colored pencils. The safest choice: they never bleed through, layer nicely and keep every small dot clean.
Markers. The boldest dots. Alcohol markers can soak through any paper — always slip a spare sheet behind the page you are coloring.
Gel pens and colored pens. Bright, smooth and precise in small dots. Let each dot dry for a second before your hand moves over it.
Compare the sets
| Set | Type | Colors | Tip | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prismacolor Premier See on Amazon (opens in a new tab) | Colored pencils | 72 | Soft core | Rich, saturated color; soft core blends easily |
| Faber-Castell Polychromos See on Amazon (opens in a new tab) | Colored pencils | 60 | Oil-based core | Break-resistant, very precise in small dots |
| Crayola Colored Pencils See on Amazon (opens in a new tab) | Colored pencils | 60 colors / 100 pencils | Pre-sharpened | Budget pick, non-toxic |
| Ohuhu Honolulu See on Amazon (opens in a new tab) | Alcohol markers | 104 + blender | Brush + chisel | Boldest color — use a spare sheet behind |
| Caliart See on Amazon (opens in a new tab) | Alcohol markers | 80 + blender | Fine + chisel | Fine tip suits small dots — spare sheet behind |
| STABILO Pen 68 See on Amazon (opens in a new tab) | Felt-tip pens (water-based) | 50 | Medium felt tip | Water-based, gentler on paper than alcohol |
| PILOT G2 Rainbow See on Amazon (opens in a new tab) | Gel pens | Rainbow set | 0.7 mm | Smooth, quick-drying gel ink |
| Paper Mate InkJoy Gel See on Amazon (opens in a new tab) | Gel pens | 14 | 0.7 mm | Fast-drying, less smudging |
| Pentel Matte Hop See on Amazon (opens in a new tab) | Ballpoint pens (matte) | 14 | 1.0 mm | Water-based pigment ink with a matte finish |
Prices change daily — check the current price on Amazon. Our picks follow the sets experienced dot and pixel colorists use most.
Do not have the exact shade? Use the closest one you own — the color key names a color, your pencil box decides.
Want more? The full Day of the Dead book
Liked the free pages? The full book has 100 of these hidden pictures, printed on one side only — and the same color key, so your pencils already fit.