How is a personalized coloring book made?

JCBy Julien CornilleCo-founder and publication director, Memory Pencil

From your photos to a printed book: explore image transformation, checks, layout, printing, binding, and delivery.

Between uploading photos and shipping the book, a personalized coloring book goes through several steps: image selection, graphic transformation, page checks, layout, printing, binding, and packing. Some are automated; others require human review. Here is the full journey of a Memory Pencil order.

Understanding these steps also helps you choose better photos and recognize when a correction is still possible. The result depends on the technology, the original pictures, and the checks made before printing.

At a glance

• Each photo becomes a color keepsake illustration and an outline coloring page.
• A sharp, bright photo framed close to the subject usually produces a clearer drawing.
• The transformation simplifies the image while preserving faces, poses, and distinctive details.
• Customers can preview the result and replace a limited number of photos before printing.
• Each book is then checked for problems with faces, lines, or layout.
• Books delivered to the US are printed and bound in the United States on demand.
• The book ships within 3 to 5 business days of ordering, plus carrier transit.
• Order photos are automatically deleted seven days after delivery.

The production steps at a glance

Want to see the first transformation? Try one photo for free and receive a preview before creating a complete book.

Step 1: choose and upload photos

Production starts before any graphic processing. A sharp, well-framed image provides more useful information than a dark or heavily compressed picture. The system can simplify a background, but it cannot faithfully recreate a face whose features are not visible.

Images that work best

• one or two main subjects;
• faces that are close enough and unobstructed;
• even lighting;
• poses that are easy to distinguish;
• a relatively simple background;
• enough resolution without excessive compression.

Images that need more simplification

• distant group shots;
• crowd scenes;
• backlit photos;
• partly hidden people;
• backgrounds full of small objects;
• screenshots or pictures repeatedly forwarded through messaging apps.

An imperfect photo can still work. The key is whether the main subject is clear. For a coherent book, alternate portraits, everyday scenes, places, and events instead of choosing only the most recent pictures.

Step 2: turn the photo into two illustrations

Each photo is converted into two complementary versions. The first is a color illustration that preserves the memory and can guide the coloring. The second shows the same scene in black outlines, with areas ready to color.

Identify the important details

The process must separate the main subjects from the background. For portraits, it focuses on face shape, hairstyle, expression, glasses, or a beard. In everyday scenes, posture and the interaction between people matter as much as facial features.

Simplify without losing the scene

A photograph contains too many shadows, textures, and details to become a coloring page directly. Some information must be removed, useful outlines closed, and tiny areas enlarged. Too much simplification loses resemblance; too little produces a cluttered drawing.

Generate the color and outline versions

Both pages should stay consistent: the same framing, people, and main elements. The color version is not simply the original photo printed on paper. It is redrawn in the same visual style as the coloring page.

Step 3: review the result before printing

Automated generation speeds up the transformation, but defects can still occur: poorly separated fingers, broken glasses frames, uneven eyes, a line crossing a face, or tiny areas that cannot be colored comfortably.

Checks focus on the following:

Memory Pencil also lets customers replace some photos through their tracking page: 2 replacements for 6 photos, 4 for 12, and 8 for 24. This helps when an image turns out to be less suitable than expected or a chosen memory does not produce a satisfying drawing.

Step 4: create the layout

Once selected, the illustrations are assembled in book order. Each photo takes up a two-page spread: the color illustration and its matching outline version. The cover, title, and printing information are added to the final file.

Book dimensions

Printed books measure 8.5 in per side. The square format accommodates both portraits and horizontal scenes, although very wide panoramas may need more cropping.

Number of pages

Image order shapes the reading experience. An opening portrait introduces the recipient; everyday scenes add variety; a family picture or symbolic memory provides a natural ending.

Step 5: prepare the print file

Before reaching the printer, the file must match the product template. Pages are placed in the correct order, dimensions are checked, and illustrations must retain enough resolution for printing.

This is the practical cutoff for changes. Once the file has been sent and production has started, replacing a photo would mean interrupting or restarting the order. Review the previews beforehand.

Step 6: print and bind the book

Books delivered to the US are printed and bound in the United States by a Memory Pencil partner. Production is on demand: the book is not held in stock before you order it.

Interior paper

Pages are printed on matte 60 lb paper. A non-glossy surface suits pencils better than glossy photo paper. Water-based markers can be used, but a protective sheet helps prevent heavy ink from marking the following page.

Cover and binding

The small format stays lightweight and accessible. Hard covers on the 12- and 24-photo formats provide a gift-friendly finish and protect the pages during storage.

Step 7: check, pack, and ship

After production, the book is prepared for shipping. Memory Pencil ships it within 3 to 5 business days of ordering, including preparation and production, plus carrier transit. Check the estimate shown for your destination.

For a fixed date such as Christmas or a birthday, remember weekends, public holidays, and possible shipping delays. Leave a margin rather than counting only the minimum number of business days.

What happens to the photos after ordering?

Photos are used to generate illustrations, check the book, print it, and process delivery. Memory Pencil's privacy policy says they are stored in the European Union during processing, are not used commercially or to train third-party models, and are automatically deleted seven days after delivery. You can request earlier deletion through customer service.

For the free trial, the original photo is deleted after the preview is generated, while the preview and its link are deleted after seven days. Read Memory Pencil's privacy policy.

Where does artificial intelligence come in?

AI helps interpret the scene and generate the two illustrations. It does not choose which memories matter to the customer, and its output is not treated as ready to print without review.

This combination explains why an image can be generated quickly while still needing an additional step before the book is produced.

How long does each stage take?

The exact timing varies with the order and production workload. It is more useful to distinguish three stages than to promise a precise duration for every operation.

For a gift, watch the estimated delivery date, not just when image generation finishes.

What if the book has a defect?

A personalized book cannot be resold to another customer. It therefore cannot be returned for a change of mind. That does not remove guarantees for manufacturing defects. Memory Pencil replaces books with printing defects free of charge. Keep photos of the parcel and defect to help with your claim.

What to check before starting production

• Faces are sharp and close enough.
• Main subjects are not cut off.
• Pictures do not repeat unnecessarily.
• The order tells a clear story.
• The title and cover details are correct.
• Previews match your expectations.
• Any necessary replacements have been made.
• The selected format contains the right number of photos.
• The timing leaves a margin before the gift date.

Summary

Making a personalized coloring book combines image generation, human review, and on-demand printing. Quality starts with photo selection: nearby subjects, clear lighting, and simple scenes make transformation easier. After generation, previews and replacements let you remove a less convincing page before the file goes to print.

Coloring book production FAQ

Is a photo simply converted to black and white?

No. The scene is redrawn and simplified to create outlines and areas to color. A second color illustration is also produced as a keepsake or guide.

Who checks the pages before printing?

Memory Pencil checks each book before printing, looking for distorted faces, inconsistent lines, and areas that are difficult to color.

Can I change a photo after generation?

Yes, before printing and within the replacements included with your format: 2 for 6 photos, 4 for 12, and 8 for 24. Once printing has started, content can no longer be changed easily.

Where are the books printed?

Orders delivered to the US are printed and bound in the United States. For delivery elsewhere, production may be routed closer to the destination.

What paper is used?

Interior pages use matte 60 lb paper suitable for pencils and water-based markers. The cover type depends on the number of photos.

How long does delivery take?

The book ships within 3 to 5 business days of ordering, including preparation and production, then carrier transit comes on top. Check the estimate for your destination.

Are photos kept?

They are kept while processing the order, then automatically deleted seven days after delivery. Memory Pencil does not use them for advertising or training third-party models.

Is the book mass-produced?

No. Each file contains one customer's photos and is printed on demand. The book is not in stock before the order.

Read next

How AI transforms a photo into a coloring page

The complete guide to choosing photos for your book

Personalized coloring book prices and formats