MindMaze PublishingMystery Color by Number for Adults: 30 Free Surprise Printables
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What is it? That question is the whole point of these pages. The Surprise Mix books have no theme — any picture could be next: a cat in the sunflowers, a cheeseburger, an airship, a lava lamp, a ferret.
Here are 30 of them for free. Each one is hidden in numbered dots on black paper — you find out only while you color.
How these mystery 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 a surprise is the best part
With a themed book you can guess. With a Surprise Mix you cannot — and that is what keeps you coloring one more row to see what it becomes.
Try not to look at the finished pictures below before you start. Print a page, color it, then compare.
30 free mystery 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.
Cat in the Sunflowers
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Cat in the Sunflowers page
Macaron Tower
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Macaron Tower page
Axolotl
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Axolotl page
Airship
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Airship page
A-Frame Cabin
About 70 minutes · 2,092 dots to fill. Download the free A-Frame Cabin page
Rotary Telephone
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Rotary Telephone page
Sun Conure
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Sun Conure page
Cheeseburger
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Cheeseburger page
Village Bookshop
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Village Bookshop page
Lava Lamp
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Lava Lamp page
Giant Clam
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Giant Clam page
Clawfoot Tub Cat
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Clawfoot Tub Cat page
Moroccan Doorway
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Moroccan Doorway page
Chinchilla
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Chinchilla page
Mahi-Mahi
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Mahi-Mahi page
Cake Dome
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Cake Dome page
Pitcher Plant
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Pitcher Plant page
Binoculars
About 70 minutes · 2,156 dots to fill. Download the free Binoculars page
Budgerigar
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Budgerigar page
Stand Mixer
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Stand Mixer page
Chili Pepper Plant
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Chili Pepper Plant page
Prothonotary Warbler
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Prothonotary Warbler page
Hazelnut Branch
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Hazelnut Branch page
Pampas Vase
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Pampas Vase page
Donut Shop
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Donut Shop page
Ferret
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Ferret page
Malachite Butterfly
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Malachite Butterfly page
Hot Dog
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Hot Dog page
Canvas Rucksack
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Canvas Rucksack page
Monstera in a Basket
About 70 minutes · 2,160 dots to fill. Download the free Monstera in a Basket 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 Surprise Mix books
Liked the free pages? Each of the 5 Surprise Mix books has 50 more hidden pictures — no theme, every page a surprise.
Surprise Mix 1 on Amazon (opens in a new tab) Surprise Mix 2 on Amazon (opens in a new tab) Surprise Mix 3 on Amazon (opens in a new tab) Surprise Mix 4 on Amazon (opens in a new tab) Surprise Mix 5 on Amazon (opens in a new tab)