Creating The Magical World of Unicorn Cat: How I Made a Coloring Book with Canva and Amazon KDP

People often ask if you can really create a coloring book using Canva and publish it through Amazon KDP.

The short answer?

Absolutely.

Today I wanted to share one of my own projects, The Magical World of Unicorn Cats, a coloring book that combines three of my favorite things: cats, unicorns, and whimsical fantasy. It's a little different from the horror coloring books I usually review, but sometimes it's fun to take a break from ghosts and monsters and make something that's simply adorable.

Why Unicorn Cats?

Let's be honest.

Cats make almost everything better.

Unicorns are magical.

Putting the two together seemed like the obvious choice.

When I was browsing through Canva's illustration library, I found a collection of whimsical unicorn cat artwork that immediately inspired me. The designs were cute, expressive, and perfect for creating a lighthearted coloring book that both kids and adults could enjoy.

Sometimes a project starts with a grand plan.

Other times, it starts with seeing one illustration and thinking:

"I have to make something with this."

That's exactly what happened here.

Creating the Book in Canva

One thing I love about Canva is how quickly you can experiment with ideas.

Instead of spending months drawing every illustration by hand, I was able to build scenes using licensed Canva elements, arranging them into pages that tell little visual stories.

Throughout the book you'll find unicorn cats:

• Exploring magical worlds
• Relaxing at home
• Celebrating birthdays
• Looking at the stars
• Dreaming about candy
• Enjoying springtime adventures
• Wandering through fantasy landscapes

I also hid a few personal touches throughout the pages.

One illustration includes a flamingo because someone I know absolutely loved flamingos, and I thought it would be a fun little nod.

Another page has a hidden teddy bear tucked into the background.

Little details like that make creating coloring books enjoyable because they give each page a bit of personality.

My Favorite Page

Every artist has a favorite.

Mine is probably the "creepy" page.

Yes...

Even in a cute unicorn cat coloring book, I somehow managed to sneak in something spooky.

One page features a friendly ghost, a frightened little unicorn cat, and a wonderfully strange creature that instantly caught my eye while browsing Canva's assets.

The moment I saw him, I knew he had to be included.

I suppose you can take the spooky cat lady out of the haunted house...

...but you can't take the spooky out of the coloring book.

Designed for Coloring

When laying out the book, I tried to think like someone who actually colors.

That's why every illustration is printed on only one side of the page.

If you enjoy using:

• Alcohol markers
• Brush markers
• Watercolor
• Mixed media

you don't have to worry about ruining another illustration on the back.

Amazon KDP paper is still relatively thin—as anyone who publishes through KDP knows—so I always recommend placing a protective sheet behind the page if you're using wetter media.

Why Some Pages Repeat

If you flip through the book, you'll notice something interesting near the end.

Several pages repeat.

That wasn't an accident.

I added duplicate pages for a practical reason.

If you:

• Make a mistake
• Want to test a new color palette
• Try different coloring techniques
• Want one "practice" version and one finished version

you have a second chance without needing to buy another copy.

As someone who colors myself, I thought that would be a useful feature.

It Only Took One Day...

Here's the part that surprised me the most.

This coloring book only took about one day to put together.

And honestly...

That made me a little sad.

Why?

Because I have another coloring book that I created completely from scratch.

Every page was my own original artwork.

Every illustration had to be drawn individually.

That project took two years to finish.

Two years.

Then I created this Canva-based coloring book in a single day—and in some ways, it arguably looks even more polished.

That's one of the fascinating realities of modern creative tools.

Software like Canva has dramatically lowered the barrier to creating professional-looking books.

It doesn't replace original illustration, but it does make publishing much more accessible for independent creators.

Publishing Through Amazon KDP

Once the book was finished, publishing it through Amazon KDP was surprisingly straightforward.

KDP makes it possible for independent artists to create books without ordering huge print runs or storing boxes of inventory in the garage.

When someone orders a copy, Amazon prints it on demand.

It's a fantastic system for creators who want to experiment with different ideas.

Have I Sold Many?

Not yet.

If I'm being honest, my coloring books haven't become bestsellers.

Most years, I sell only a handful of copies.

Oddly enough, some of my prompt books and planners have performed much better than my coloring books.

That's one of the realities of self-publishing.

You never really know which project is going to connect with readers.

Sometimes the book you spent years creating gets quietly overlooked.

Sometimes the project you made over a weekend becomes your bestseller.

Publishing can be wonderfully unpredictable.

More Unicorn Cats Are Coming

The good news is that this wasn't the end of my unicorn cat adventures.

I enjoyed working with these characters so much that I later created a Unicorn Cat Planner, combining organization with whimsical artwork.

I also have ideas for expanding the series in the future.

There are plenty more magical adventures these little cats could go on.

Final Thoughts

Creating The Magical World of Unicorn Cats reminded me that making art doesn't always have to be complicated.

Sometimes it's okay to create something that's simply fun.

Whether you're coloring with your kids, relaxing after work, or just looking for an excuse to spend time with adorable fantasy cats, I hope this little book brings a smile to your face.

And who knows?

Maybe one day I'll even make a version where the unicorn cats investigate haunted castles.

After all...

They were created by the Spooky Cat Lady.

It was probably inevitable.

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Have you ever thought about creating your own coloring book using Canva or Amazon KDP? Or are you more interested in coloring them than making them? Let me know in the comments!

If you'd like to check out The Magical World of Unicorn Cats, along with my other books, planners, artwork, and paranormal adventures, visit darkwhimsicalart.com. I'd love to have you stop by! 🦄🐈🎨🖤