Some horror tropes have clear names, allowing fans to pick out what function they serve in each film. Others have creative names that are intriguing and might not be super obvious. The "Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book" trope is used often in horror and it's a fascinating, catchy name. There are many films where child characters furiously draw on the floor of their classroom or bedroom at home, and it seems like they can't stop for a single second.
What is this horror trope all about? There is an interesting explanation behind why scary movies use this from time to time, and there are two well-made movies that use it perfectly.
According to TV Tropes, the "Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book" trope is about child characters who see a scary villain, monster, or creature of some sort and then they keep drawing what they saw. Sometimes the characters look like have been possessed or like someone or something is telling them to draw, as the kids often act in a frantic, intense and chaotic manner. This trope works because kids are supposed to be "innocent" and sweet and since they're drawing something dark, they have been exposed to something that they definitely shouldn't have. TV Tropes mentions that the "Creepy Child" horror trope can work with this one, too, as sometimes this is the character who is making this strange and unsettling art.
This trope has been used well in two movies: Come Play and The Ring. 2020's Come Play is a horror movie about technology and terror as Oliver (Azhy Robertson) sees a creepy monster and becomes completely affected. This movie uses this horror trope as Oliver starts drawing ugly and scary creatures and this seems to be all that he's interested in making art about. His mom Sarah (Gillian Jacobs) is definitely freaked out by this and just wants Oliver to be happy since he has had so many struggles. This trope signals that something is wrong, Oliver has been visited by evil, and Sarah and Oliver's lives are going to get a lot more complicated.
The Ring is one of the most well-known example of the "Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book" horror trope. Aidan Keller (David Dorfman) begins drawing photos of who fans later learn is Samara Morgan, the terrifying child villain who is stuck at the bottom of a well. Aidan's mom Rachel (Naomi Watts) is suitably nervous about what's going on, which is good since these drawings shouldn't be ignored. Rachel doesn't ignore what Aidan knows and proves to be a smart character.
In both of these films, the horror trope is used to show the battles that are coming, as both mothers will have to fight to stop the villains from taking their children. It's interesting to think that neither Sarah nor Rachel would be so confident that danger is coming without these strange drawings, so this trope is very effective. This trope also feels unique because there isn't another one that can be easily slotted in its place as nothing else would work quite the same way.
The Ring uses this trope the best as Aidan can't draw fast enough. The Ring is a timeless 2000s horror movie because the plot is just so compelling. After realizing that a videotape is cursed and people die seven days after viewing it, it's hard not to get hooked and want to know what happens next. The movie stands out for being visually arresting. It's not possible to forget Samara's black hair as it covers her face most of the time and she looks like she moves super fast as she leaves the well and comes out of the TV in a few stunning scenes.
But Aidan's drawings are a memorable part of the movie, too. It doesn't make sense that a young child would, all of a sudden, draw a girl with a sad expression on her face, long black hair, and a black outfit. This trope is also used as a plot device because what the child is drawing becomes helpful for the adult characters. In this case, Rachel realizes that Aidan is drawing Samara and learns about her family history.
While some slasher movies use cliches and there are tropes that always feel corny, the "Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book" trope has a real impact. It allows child characters to have an active role in the plot and is more interesting than the standard "Creepy Child" trope which is still great but not quite as different and dramatic. There's also the fact that looking at these drawings is just plain fun, as they manage to be both creepy and charming, as the artist is a young child who is figuring out what the world is like and now dealing with a scary threat.