This is the long-awaited Part 2 post to Getting Started with Inductive Bible Study – and today, it’s all about Bible Art Journaling!
How I Got Over My Fear of Bible Art Journaling
During my childhood and really, all through my adult years, I have struggled with my lack of artistic abilities. My kids ask me to draw a dog / horse / cat, and with the exception of slightly different ears or tails, they all end up looking like fat pigs with short stubby legs. Depressing? Yes, just a little. (But actually, if I think about it, they were delighted either way, so I suppose that’s a small victory!)
I’ve seen for years the beautiful drawings and art that friends and family create, and more recently the stunning Bible art journals on Instagram and Pinterest. I would never in a million years think I was capable of doing something like these ladies were pulling off, and didn’t really have a desire to try.
Until more recently – we’ve been doing more with art in our homeschool, learning some very basic techniques, drawing using shapes (thanks Ed Emberley!) and following our favourite chalk pastel tutorials , and we’ve all gained a bit more confidence.
In doing my inductive bible studies and really digging deeper into the word, I’ve found a desire to express myself differently, in a way that’s more challenging and makes me search my heart for what God is trying to show me. What images he brings to mind, what thoughts and feelings can be expressed through art that cannot be re-written by myself.
I was intimidated – there are a lot of really talented artists out there! Many of them have painted in their bibles, and that kind of scares me! It’s not for everyone, but I knew I’d need to start off easier and much simpler if it was going to work.
So I went to some of my favourite verses, read them over a few times, and drew what images came to mind. Sometimes it was one thing. Sometimes it was many symbols from the precepts chart that I enlarged and wanted to remember. Sometimes it was simply writing the words as artwork and using many colours and embellishments. Mainly something to commit the meaning and the ideas in my heart at the time to memory and make them stand out.
I still am no artist. And I don’t do bible art journaling very often. But when I do, I find a sense of peace and calm, enjoyment and like I’m weaving a masterpiece into my memory as I go.
And hey, it’s ok to use the ideas of other people! I sometimes use artwork I’ve seen in other bibles as a springboard for getting started, and then make it my own from there.
What do you need for Bible Art Journaling?
Not much! Just a bible and some really good pens and pencils. My favourites are the Micron fine lines or Sharpie Fine Point Pens and really, any good coloured pencils will do, but having erasable coloured pencils makes it that much easier.
