Let’s Trace and Color a Turtle Flamingo Hybrid!
If you’ve ever wondered what it might look like if a turtle and a flamingo got mashed together into one weird, wacky cartoon creature—well, you’re not alone. That’s exactly the kind of thing I love to draw, and it’s what today’s featured page from my book Trace Then Color: Mutant Animals is all about. This free page lets you trace and color a turtle flamingo hybrid, one of the most unexpectedly fun characters I’ve designed in this book.
It’s got the long neck and legs of a flamingo, paired with the chunky, shell-covered body of a turtle. Toss in some cartoon exaggeration—like its long legs, and silly eyes—and you’ve got a mutant animal that’s super fun to trace and bring to life with color.
About the Book: Trace Then Color: Mutant Animals
This book is all about unleashing creative chaos—cartoon-style. Trace Then Color: Mutant Animals includes 50 different characters that all combine animals in unexpected, silly ways.
Every character in the book is drawn in a full-page format with clean, simple lines made for tracing. After tracing the character, kids can dive right into coloring. The process is fun, low-pressure, and a great confidence builder for young artists.
Each character is:
- Hand-drawn by me—no AI art or stock illustrations.
- Designed with fun, silly expressions and exaggerated features.
- Unique to the Trace Then Color series—you won’t find these creatures anywhere else.
And since each page is a self-contained project, it’s perfect for keeping kids engaged for 10–20 minutes at a time with no screens involved.
Why Kids Love This Series
The Trace Then Color series is one of the most popular types of books I’ve made, and I think it’s because it hits that sweet spot between creativity and structure. Kids love being able to trace something that looks cool and funny, and they get a huge boost of confidence when they realize, “Hey, I drew that!” Then, coloring it in becomes a second creative layer where they can go wild with color choices.
Here’s what makes Trace Then Color: Mutant Animals extra special:
- Easy Entry Point: Tracing gives young artists a chance to focus on motor skills and control without the stress of drawing from scratch.
- Creative Expression: Once the tracing is done, the coloring phase allows full freedom and personalization.
- Funny and Surprising Characters: From two-headed cats to winged turtles, the mutant animals are weird in the best possible way.
- No Screens, Just Imagination: It’s an unplugged, hands-on activity that encourages storytelling, imagination, and relaxation.
And yes—you’ll find plenty of bizarre hybrids that make you laugh just by looking at them.
Part of a Bigger Family of Art Books
Trace Then Color: Mutant Animals is one of many books I’ve created as part of my collection of drawing activity books for kids. I’ve got books that teach you how to draw in six easy steps, books that use grids to help you understand proportions, and others—like this one—that focus on tracing and coloring. Each series is designed to help build artistic skills while keeping the fun front and center.
The Trace Then Color books are especially great for younger artists or anyone who’s looking for a relaxing, mess-free creative break. Whether you’re tracing a turtle flamingo hybrid or coloring a robot unicorn, it’s always a fun ride.
All of the books are filled with characters I’ve designed myself—every silly face, goofy body shape, and strange combination of animal traits comes straight from my sketchbook.
Free Activity Page: Trace and Color a Turtle Flamingo Hybrid
The activity page we’re sharing today comes straight from the Trace Then Color: Mutant Animals book. It’s a full-page character tracing sheet that’s ready for action. Whether you’re using crayons, markers, or colored pencils, you’ll have a blast turning this mashup creature into something unique.
With this page, kids (or adults!) can first follow the lines and practice their control and coordination as they trace the full drawing. Once they’ve finished that, it’s time to color! Will your turtle flamingo hybrid be a bright pink bird with a green shell? Or maybe it’s got rainbow feathers and a sparkly blue body? That’s all up to you.
Every line of the character is hand-drawn by me—Kevin Coulston—and designed to be easy and inviting for beginners while still encouraging creative expression. And since there’s no “right way” to color a creature this weird, kids feel confident experimenting with wild ideas.
Free Activity Page (save and print):
Bring the Weird to Life
So if you’re looking for a fun, low-pressure way to introduce your kids to drawing—or if you just want to give them something silly and creative to do—this tracing and coloring activity is a great place to start. The Trace and Color a Turtle Flamingo Hybrid page is just one of 50 delightfully weird characters waiting inside Trace Then Color: Mutant Animals.
Try out the free page and see how your kids enjoy tracing those lines and imagining how their turtle flamingo hybrid will look. Then, when they’re ready for more, you’ll have a whole book full of wild hybrids to keep the creativity flowing.
Kevin Coulston is an accomplished cartoonist, animator, and writer. He is the author and illustrator of over 80 (and still counting) children’s drawing books available here on FirstArtBooks.com. Kevin has also authored numerous kid-friendly comic book series, including “Dylan McVillain: A Super Villain with the Best Intentions” and “The Adventures of a 4th Grade Space Captain,” along with the Children’s Picture Book series “Alexis and the T-Rexes.”
