Melissa Fischer - Bible Journaling for the Fine Artist: Inspiring Bible Journaling Techniques and Projects to Create Beautiful Faith-Based Fine Art

FOR THE FINE ARTIST

Melissa Fischer & Kate Peiffer

INTRODUCTION

From simple doodled designs to elaborate full-page artwork, creating in the pages of your Bible is a beautiful and meaningful way to express and explore your faith. With just a few tools of your choosing, you can turn the pages of your Bible into personal and special works of art that reflect your God-given creativity and your relationship with Him.

In the pages of Bible Journaling for the Fine Artist, youll find techniques and instruction for working with various media in the pages of your Bible, including watercolor paint and pencils, acrylic paint, colored pencils, pen, and more. In addition to a variety of step-by-step tutorials to inspire and guide you using different tools and materials, youll also find helpful tips for drawing, lettering, selecting colors, and creating visually pleasing designsplus tips on what to do when you make a mistake.

Bible journaling is highly personal. Use the tips, resources, and step-by-step guides in this book as a starting point, but dont be afraid to let your imagination run free and customize ideas, projects, and techniques to suit your personal taste and style. Most importantly, dont forget that this kind of artwork isnt about the outcomeits about the process.

Ready to get started? Turn the page to begin exploring the art of Bible journaling!

A Guide to

There are few things better than new art supplies and a Bible to create in! But I try to never forget why I started Bible journaling. I love to create every day, but the point is to connect deeper with God. To celebrate the journey He is taking me down, and maybe along that road I will get to share my heart with others. Maybe your gift just happens to be like mine, and you feel led to worship with color, but never feel like you need all these supplies to have a growing relationship with God. You can start with just a pencil and your Bible. All other supplies are just extra!

Journaling Bibles

There are many journaling Bibles availableand in all kinds of translations and versions. Choose the journaling Bible that will work best for you. Some have wide margins for journaling on the side, in some every other page is blank, some include line art to color in, and some are partly illustrated already with beautiful imagery that can inspire you. These are the two that I use the most:

DOUBLE-COLUMN JOURNALING BIBLE

The double-column journaling Bible lays the text out in two columns on each page, with a blank column to the side for lettering or, in this case, artwork.

INTERLEAVED BIBLE

The Interleaved Edition Bible is unique because every other page is completely blank. As you can imagine, this makes it rather big, but great for really getting your artistic expression going.

No matter the translation you choose, remember that Bible journaling is highly personal. You might find it helpful to study the same verse in multiple translations. You may discover something new about your favorite passages.

MECHANICAL PENCIL

Before anything else on my list, this is my go-to item. I dont leave home without it, and it really is the only tool I need to create in my Bible. A mechanical pencil is always sharp and ready for good detail, and you never need a pencil sharpener. Just remember to keep extra lead in your bag!

WHITE ERASER

A white eraser has to be the second must-have item in my bag. I love to use a high-quality white eraser because it doesnt create the bad smudging that other erasers canespecially the pink ones at the end of your traditional pencils!

COLORED PENCILS

Lets face itcolored pencils are one of the easiest supplies to keep on hand. If you have kids, like me, you probably have buckets of them. You can also invest in higher-quality colored pencils by the set or individually. I prefer to buy my colored pencils a few at a time, investing in better pencils, and creating my own personal color collection that I know I will love.

ARCHIVAL INK PENS

Archival ink pens are great tools for Bible journaling. They are available in a variety of nib tips and sizes, as well as an array of colors, depending on the brand. Archival ink pens are resistant to fading or discoloration.

BRUSH PENS

There are many types of brush pens available. Some have small nibs, and some have large nibs. The nib on a brush pen behaves like a paintbrush and produces thick strokes when you apply heavy pressure and thin strokes when you apply light pressure. Brush pens work great for lettering, as well as coloring.

SKETCHBOOK

A sketchbook is a must-have item! They become my brain on paperfrom recording favorite verses, to sketching down quick ideas, to keeping color swatchesthe possibilities are endless. They come in so many different forms, and I suggest thinking about what your needs are when starting one. I have several different sketchbooks, and I work in them all at the same time. I use small handheld sketchbooks that I can throw in my purse, watercolor sketchbooks, and three-ring notebooks with protective plastic sleeves. Ninety percent of my work is done in some kind of sketchbook, so I truly believe they are important in an artists life.

Watercolors

Watercolor paint comes in a variety of formats, and you can buy them in pan sets or by the tube. I personally use both.