The Ultimate Guide to Preventing Paper Bleed-Through

It is a uniquely frustrating feeling: you spend a relaxing hour laying down perfectly blended colors on a fresh coloring page, only to flip to the next page and discover that the ink has soaked completely through the paper, ruining the uncolored design beneath it.

"Bleed-through" is one of the most common complaints in the coloring world, especially as alcohol-based markers become more popular. But fear not—it is completely normal, expected, and incredibly easy to manage.

Here is your ultimate guide to preventing bleed-through.

Why Do Markers Bleed Through?

The simple answer is that different inks interact with paper differently:

• Alcohol Markers (Sharpie, Ohuhu, Copic): These markers are designed to lay down massive amounts of vibrant pigment suspended in fast-drying alcohol. The alcohol works like a carrier, soaking deeply into the paper fibers to allow the colors to blend smoothly on top of each other. Because they soak in deeply, they will bleed through almost any paper that isn't specifically coated to stop them.
• Water-Based Markers (Crayola, Tombow): These markers only suspend pigment in water. They don't penetrate the paper nearly as deeply as alcohol inks, but if you apply too many layers to thin paper, the water can soak through, wrinkle the page, or cause pilling.
• Gel Pens & Fineliners: These usually sit on top of the paper, meaning they rarely bleed through standard paper (though they can occasionally show faintly on the other side, known as "ghosting").

Bleed-Through vs. Ghosting

These two issues get mixed up a lot:

• Bleed-through: ink soaks all the way through and can transfer or stain the page underneath.
• Ghosting: you can see a faint shadow of your coloring from the back of the page, but it is not actually soaking into the next page.

A backing sheet protects you from bleed-through. It will not completely eliminate ghosting (especially with very saturated marker areas), but it will keep the next design safe.

The "Single-Sided" Rule

The most important defense against bleed-through is buying the correct format.

Coloring Page World books are designed as single-sided editions, with a blank back page behind every design. This is intentional! It means that if the ink bleeds completely through the paper, it only ruins a blank page, not another piece of artwork.

But wait—even in a single-sided book, if the ink bleeds all the way through the page, what stops it from soaking into the next design underneath?

The Free Solution: The Backing Sheet

This is the golden rule of marker coloring: Always use a backing sheet.

Before you uncap a single marker, take a piece of scrap material and slide it directly underneath the page you are coloring. This sheet acts as a barrier, absorbing any stray ink that makes it completely through your current page.

What should you use for a backing sheet?

• Cardstock: A piece of heavy, 110lb cardstock is the gold standard. It sits flat, absorbs ink well, and lasts for dozens of pages before needing replacement.
• Printer Paper: If you don't have cardstock, fold two or three sheets of standard printer paper together and slide them behind the page.
• A Clipboard or Plastic Folder: A hard plastic or coated cardboard surface also works, though you will need to wipe the ink off so it doesn't transfer later.

How to Reduce Bleed-Through Even More

If you want to go from "protected" to "as clean as possible", these habits help a lot:

• Use lighter pressure: pressing hard forces more ink into the paper.
• Keep the marker moving: slow, heavy blending in one spot is where bleed-through happens fastest.
• Work in layers: let one pass dry before adding another.
• Avoid over-saturating backgrounds: large, solid fills are the hardest thing for book paper to handle.

What About Paper Specs?

You might wonder why publishers don't just use marker-proof paper in their books.

True "marker paper" is heavily coated with a resin to prevent ink penetration. It is expensive, very slippery, and colored pencils slide right off of it. Standard, slightly textured drawing or printer paper (like the paper used in most print-on-demand books) is the best middle ground, allowing both pencils and markers to work well—provided you use that backing sheet!

Keep Going

• Stock up on the right tools: Top Pens and Markers for Coloring Books
• Or skip markers altogether: Markers vs Colored Pencils
• Try a bold low-stress project: Cozy Easter Bold and Easy Coloring Book
• View our collection of single-sided print books: Browse all books

FAQ

What is the best backing sheet?

A piece of heavy cardstock is the easiest option (it stays flat and absorbs ink well). If you do not have cardstock, use 2-3 sheets of printer paper folded together.

Do colored pencils bleed through?

Almost never. The bigger risk with pencils is denting the page with heavy pressure, which can show on the back. A backing sheet helps here too.

Can I prevent ghosting completely?

Not always, especially with very saturated marker fills. You can reduce it by using lighter layers and avoiding repeated blending over the same spot.