Unrealistic colors can still yield a realistic result when coloring over grayscale

One of the wonderful things about coloring over grayscale is that you can be very creative with your colors and still get a really realistic result. As long as you follow the guidance of the grays when determining where and how dark or light to color, you'll be able to get a realistic result. Here are a few examples: 

Coloring Book: Beautiful Creatures
Colorist: Jones Flores

Coloring Book: Beautiful Creatures
Colorist: Nicole Stocker

Coloring Book: Beautiful Creatures
Colorist: Nicole Stocker

Coloring Book: Beautiful Creatures
Colorist: Jones Flores

Coloring Book: Beautiful Creatures
Colorist: Jones Flores

​In the following two time-lapse videos done by Jones Flores you will see grayscale images being colored in unlikely colors. Watch as Jones follows the gray and brings the image to life. 

Giraffe time-lapse video
Specific techniques used:

• Using colored pencils to color over the gray on the giraffe.
• Using soft chalk pastels and colored pencils for blending & coloring the background.
• Considering the color the background will be when deciding on the colors for the giraffe.

Mediums used:

• Prismacolor Prismacolor Premier colored pencils 
• Faber Castell Classic Colours colored pencils
• Soft Chalk Pastels
• Dong-A Ink Pens
• White Pigment Marker  

The Horses time-lapse video
Specific techniques used:

• Using colored pencils to color over the gray on the horses.
• Using turpentine and a paint brush for blending on the horses.
• Using soft chalk pastels for coloring the background.

Mediums used:

• Prismacolor Prismacolor Premier colored pencils 
• Soft Chalk Pastels
• Berkeley Rectified Turpentine with paint brush
• White Pigment Marker  

​More examples