In color by number, every area has a small number written inside it, and every number stands for a color. You pick a number and tap the areas with the same number; when all the areas are filled, the picture appears. In Turkish Patterns Coloring Book, these pictures are tile, kilim, ebru, evil eye, Istanbul and Karagöz motifs.
On this page we explain the rule of color by number, what happens when you tap the wrong number, how to find small areas, how hard the pages are and what you get when you finish.
The rule of color by number
- The color buttons at the bottom have numbers on them, starting from 1.
- Tap a number: the areas with that number are marked on the page with light blue stripes.
- Tap the marked areas: each one fills with the number's color and its number disappears.
- When every area of a number is done, that number's button fades and the next number is picked for you.
- When all the areas are filled, the page finishes by itself.
You can color the numbers in any order you like; picking the next number for you is only there to make things easier.
What happens if I tap the wrong number?
If you tap an area whose number is different from the selected one, the area doesn't get colored. It wiggles gently and a message like "This area is number 4" appears at the top. There is no penalty, no lives and no timer; just pick the right number and tap again. That way the page is always finished in the right colors, and children learn by trying.
Why these colors? Traditional palettes
The numbers on each page were chosen from the traditional colors of that motif. When the page is finished, the picture carries the colors of a real work of art:
- Tiles pages: white background, cobalt blue, turquoise, coral red and emerald green
- Kilim pages: madder red, navy, yellow, cream and brown
- Ebru marbling pages: indigo blue, ochre, dusty rose and sage green
- Garden, Istanbul and the roads and Karagöz pages: sky, sea, earth and shadow screen colors that suit the subject
A page has at most 10 numbers.
How do I find small areas?
- The Find button (the magnifying glass) zooms in on the smallest uncolored area of the selected number and makes it glow. If the selected number has no areas left, it shows any area that is still left.
- You can zoom in up to 8x by pinching with two fingers or with the mouse wheel. While zoomed in, dragging moves the page and doesn't color.
- The Fit button takes you back to the whole page.
- The thin bar at the top shows how much of the page has been colored.
Pages and difficulty
In Color by number, all 30 pages are open too: Tiles (5), Kilim (5), Ebru marbling (5), Garden (6), Istanbul and the roads (5), Karagöz (4). Easy pages have a few big areas; one of the easiest, the Eye Motif, has 15 areas. Master pages can have more than a hundred areas, and you need to zoom in for the small ones.
| Difficulty | Number of pages |
|---|---|
| Easy | 8 |
| Medium | 17 |
| Master | 5 |
When you finish: culture card, seal, Album
When the page is finished, a short celebration and a culture card follow; the card explains the motif in two or three sentences. A Color by number seal is stamped on the page and the picture goes into the Album. If you open a finished Color by number page again, the game shows the picture and a Color again button; tap it and the page is cleared so you can start over.
To save or share the picture, a grown-up needs to hold the button in the window that opens for 3 seconds.
What does color by number teach children?
- Recognizing and matching numbers from 1 to 10
- Naming colors and telling them apart
- Hand-eye coordination while tapping small areas
- Patience and the feeling of finishing something
- Getting to know traditional arts such as tiles, kilim, ebru and Karagöz through the culture cards
Common mistakes
- Tapping areas without picking a number: first pick the number at the bottom, then tap the areas with that number.
- Not noticing the stripes: the areas of the selected number are shown with light blue stripes, so look for them.
- Trying to color a small area without zooming in: the Find button takes you right there.
- Thinking the page is finished: if the bar at the top isn't full, an area is still left, and Find will show it to you.
Frequently asked questions
What age is color by number for?
It suits children who recognize the numbers from 1 to 10. For younger children, starting with Easy pages is best.
What happens if an area gets the wrong color?
An area with a different number is never colored; it only wiggles and shows its own number. So the page always ends up in the right colors.
Can I choose my own colors?
In Color by number the colors are fixed. To pick any colors you like, switch to Free coloring from the Library; the same 30 pages are there too.
How long does it take to finish a page?
An Easy page takes a few minutes. Master pages have more than a hundred areas, so they take longer; your progress is saved and you can carry on whenever you like.
Why are the numbers sometimes so small?
Each number is sized to fit its area. In small areas, the numbers get bigger when you zoom in.
Can I color a finished page from the start?
Yes. When you open a finished page, the Color again button clears it; your seal stays.
Are there ads in color by number?
Never while coloring. An interstitial ad only appears when a page is finished, at most once every three pages; there are no rewarded ads.
