Simple Hand Lettering Idea - by Deborah Gregg

Hi everyone, just sharing a quick and simple technique with you today, for when you may want to journal a long Bible verse or short passage, rather than just pulling out a key phrase.
Sometimes I find it hard to just focus on a few words from a verse, as there's just so much truth in there - I want to journal it all! :-)

As usual I start with the background and lay down some colour to the page in my Faith Art Journal.

For this background I used watercolour paints, I simply picked one colour and then painted in diagonal stripes, using more paint in places for stronger colour, and using more water elsewhere for a softer look, to create this varied, stripy background.

When dried (with a hairdryer!) I then took a ruler and with a pencil, very lightly drew random diagonal lines across the page, from left to right covering the entire page. Some were large at the left and small at the right, and vice versa,

I then very lightly pencilled in my lettering, making sure I used the whole span of each line. I left a teeny tiny gap where letters may overlap with the row above as I didn't want them to actually join up. I then went over the text with a Micron Pen, and lightly erased some of the pencil that was still showing. You will see the lettering is very simple, just ordinary capital letters, with a single line.

I didn't get the spacing perfect, as you can see I ran out of room and had to split the last couple of lines to squeeze it all in. But it doesn't matter - the words are on the page! And I still had room to add a row of doodles!

I love these verses - to me Titus 3 v 4-7 really sum up the whole gospel. I have tried to memorise these verses so many times and still haven't quite got it! But having recorded these in my journal I now have a special place to turn to read it and dwell on it.

I recently used this technique again to record 2 Corinthians 4v6 - an amazing verse with so much truth packed in to think about! I just couldn't separate out one section of this verse to focus on for journaling, so I decided to letter the whole verse!

For this page I actually did the lettering first with a Micron pen, using the whole depth of each space between lines (even for the lower case letters), I love the mixed-up look this gives. I then added the yellow colour afterwards by smudging with Distress Ink using a sponge applicator. Simple, quick and fun.

The lettering is deliberately simple, I just outlined the basic letter shapes with a Micron pen, then went back over the lettering to thicken most of the 'downstrokes'. It really helps to make the lettering stand out.

I've yet to try this style and technique in my Bible margins, might be more of a challenge but maybe I'll have a go soon and let you all know how that goes! And if you feel inspired, just have a go!

I hope this may have helped give you a simple idea for some easy hand lettering that you can play with, practice and enjoy!

Keeping it Simple - by Karen Herrick

I would love to have the time to spend lots of time with a Bible, coloured pencils and paints but the truth is…I don’t. I love to see other people’s beautiful work…and that in turn inspires and speaks to me -but that doesn’t work for me.

So rather than not dwell on God’s Word at all, I try to keep it simple...REALLY simple.

I don’t journal every day. I don’t journal in one place. Sometimes I journal first thing in the morning before I get up; more often in my studio before I start work, sometimes on the settee, or even in the car…

What? You have a studio…and you don’t take advantage of all those materials you have there?

Well, no actually…because if I got the coloured pencils and paints out I probably wouldn’t start work!

So I asked myself what I could actually maintain as a creative practice whilst exploring God’s Word. What would I actually transport; use wherever I am? I have journaled using the written word for many years now, so always have a pencil or pen and my journal, so I decided to stay simple.

I use this….

And these…

Yup, that’s it!

I could get complicated- but for me, it works like this. The simplicity of the materials stops me from being afraid to make mistakes. In fact, when I recently visited the Treasures Room in the British Library in London, I was really struck by the fact that many famous songs, pieces of music and ideas for books were conceived on the back of envelopes, programmes, serviettes! This is how I work!

Many of the doodles that I have done, end up eventually (and by eventually, I mean several years later!) as completed textile pieces. Many don’t…and never will. It is when I go back to the drawing that more reflections occur and as I stitch detail into the work, I meet with God again as He teaches me, encourages me, admonishes me gently and enables me to share His Word with others.

What is important, is that whatever creative practice we choose HELPS us draw closer to God, and doesn’t hinder us. God loves us to spend time with Him. He doesn’t mind how we do that. We don’t need the fanciest art materials, just a willing heart to be with Him and to sit at His feet and listen.

So, I would like to encourage you to be able to journal well with a style that suits YOU. If that is with coloured paints, pencil crayons, gesso…the whole works… then brilliant! Go for it! If it’s in your Bible: great; in a notebook-that’s fine too. If you like to journal creatively with words, pictures, collage, stitch, whatever it might be, then “Hallelujah!” Our Creator God created us all differently and it is amazing that we can each express and explore our relationship with God through our individual creativity.

What are you waiting for? Pencil? Paper? Back of an envelope? Chalk & pavement? Go for It! Put the kettle on…grab your Bible…God’s waiting for you!

Micro-Journaling by Judith Rollins

I have been Bible Journaling for many years. I guess I never really gave it a name because it was just something that I enjoyed doing. From time to time I would draw illustrations in pencil and try to make my bible reading experience more visual. When you see something that you like, your eyes linger. I loved looking through the pages of all my dad’s biochemistry books when I was younger, not because I understood them, but because I liked to see his notes and mini drawings in the thin margins. When I owned my own books in later years, I started to do the same. Textbooks were okay, but it took me a while before I felt comfortable writing in my Bible. It’s the Word of God and I didn’t want to mess it up. I wasn’t even sure if I was allowed! So, I started off with notes and little bits of scrawl until in more recent times when I have expanded to bigger illustrations. I still do these but I have become very fond of something that I came to call Micro-Journaling.

Micro-Journaling is a way of capturing key points of what the Word is speaking to you about without spending lots of time trying to create a masterpiece. It highlights the scripture without covering it over or taking away from it in any way. At times we can become so focused on the artistic side of bible journaling that we forget the whole point is to document what we learn, what we see and feel, and what we come to know about ourselves and God through scripture. Simple phrases, small illustrations and a little bit of colour can at times be a more than enough to help us keep things in mind. And what’s more, it’s really easy! I discovered a lady on Instagram who uses her bible in this way and it inspired me. When I began to do it myself, I simply gave it the name Micro-Journaling.

I don’t actually use a journaling Bible even though I own one; I use an ordinary study bible to journal in. I haven’t made the transition because the best bible to me is the one that I read the most, regardless of translation, size or journaling space(!) Also, not everyone is able to afford a journaling bible, so Micro-Journaling helps you to make the most of what space you have no matter how big or small. If however I do require more room, I paint over study notes with white gesso to create a fresh canvas on the page. (But because I love the study notes, I have two copies of the same bible so I can still read them when I want to).

A bible is a very personal thing and it is up to the individual how they choose to document or illustrate their faith. But remember, your bible is primarily for you and God, it isn’t for impressing people or showing off your skills. If it becomes about that, it may be hard when you don’t feel that your pages measure up to those that you see on Facebook or Instagram or Pinterest…(there are so many, and I’m sure it’s not just me who spends hours looking through them). Micro-Journaling is a great way to incorporate all the things that you love about bible journaling into a simple entry. It doesn’t have to look the best, it only needs to mean something to you!

God is constantly speaking to me about using what I have, sometimes that is just my pen, and a couple of colouring pencils. I won’t lie, I have a lot of art equipment, but that is because I studied art and my business is art based, so I have acquired a lot of materials over time. However, Micro-Journaling takes away the need for tons of equipment and brings you back to that simple place of you and God. The focus is not the art, but the revelation. You don’t need to have a degree or qualification, you just need to be willing to dig deeper into scripture.

To get started with Micro-Journaling, let me give you a few pointers. All you will need is a fine liner pen and your bible.

1. Read a passage of scripture or listen to a great sermon.

2. Pray that God will reveal a deeper meaning to you personally.

3. Try and condense what He shows you into a short phrase that is memorable.

4. Write the phrase next to the scripture and use small images, lines and swirls to make it stand out. (I like to use flowers as they always catch my attention).

I would encourage you to use whatever means something to you, that could be leaves, flowers, literal images from the passage…anything at all! The idea is that it does not need to be elaborate; it is simply whatever you can do. Just use what you’ve got!

Judith Rollins

OpenBook Print Shop

www.etsy.com/shop/openbookprintshop

Facebook: Judith Rollins – OpenBook Print Shop

Instagram: @rollinwithj

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Note from Bible Art Journaling UK Admin team - thank you so much Judith for this inspirational blog post! We love your beautiful Bible tabs and journaling goodies on your Etsy shop!!!  :-)

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Be Like Jesus - by Deborah J Gregg

I just love how God loves to surprise us!

He always manages to catch my breath with the unexpected, out of the blue, jaw dropping twists and turns that He brings my way.

When we walk in step with the Spirit, it's a remarkable adventure.

When we step out in faith, we know He's gone before us, He goes behind us and is right there with us.

This has been a rather remarkable week!

Last Sunday, when I was washing the dishes I was just thinking about the 'be like Bill' meme that everyone was sharing on Facebook.
I just felt God reminded me that we should be like Jesus.
And the idea came, to draw a stickman picture, with simple words of truth. After 20 minutes (of mostly deliberating about the wording) it looked like this:

After a quick prayer, I posted it first in our lovely Bible Art Journaling UK Facebook group to 'test the waters', once I could see that some of my friends here liked it, I felt just about brave enough to share it in a couple of other Christian groups - 'Captivated' for Christian women in the UK and 'Journaling Bible Community'.

And that's when it took off...literally. I mean, it went viral!

I was looking at my iPad and the 'like' and 'shared' notification counter was literally going ping!ping!ping!  All evening! And for the next few days, this simple picture has been sharing the simple gospel truth around Facebookland, Instagram and Twitter, I mean it even has a hashtag! #belikejesus. At last estimate it would be at least well over 100,000 likes and shares. Not that I'm counting ;-)  but I have to admit that it was surreal and extraordinary and completely unexpected. I am just so humbled that God would use this simple sketch in this way.

And I particularly love that he used the most simple thing I have ever drawn. When I think about the hours and hours I've poured into other Bible Art pieces, artwork and journaling, but no, it's the stickman that gets His message out there! :-) I mean, I didn't even do any proper hand lettering on it! But isn't that just what God loves to do? To use the most ordinary for His extraordinary works.

So looking back, I remember that on that particular Sunday morning I had specifically prayed for opportunities, whatever they may look like, and also I put on my shoes of the gospel of peace and I prayed that I would not be ashamed of the gospel. So I'm thankful for a very surprising answer to prayer - He is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine! And I'm looking to continue to follow His direction, to make the most of every opportunity.

All for His glory!

Let's be like Jesus.

P.S. Please feel free to share this 'Be Like Jesus' picture on social media, use in churches and outreach, copy into your Journaling Bible, and it’s fine for general reasonable use, without any copyright or acknowledgement needed. Just please don’t make or sell stuff with this image without asking me first. Thank you!
Image & design (c) Deborah Jane Gregg 2016