Bible Journaling Basics

When I first saw others doing artistic journaling in their Bibles, I was intrigued.  Since I'm so visual, I felt this may indeed be a way to take me deeper in my spiritual studies, but was nervous about doing something that might "ruin" my Bible.  I've since learned that one of the things God is teaching me through this process is to let go of my perfectionism!  I'm not a perfect being, and sometimes things don't turn out the way I wanted.  Sometimes a "mistake" helps me learn a new technique as I figure out what to do about the "mistake".  Often this ends up being even better than the original would have been!  However, there are times when I have to learn to simply forgive myself and move on.  This too is part of my journey.  However, along the way, I've picked up tips to make the process easier.  Some of these tips I learned from other Bible Journalers.  Some of them I learned the "hard" way through my own trial & error.  As I continue this journey & learn more, I'll be adding more tips, so feel free to stop back often to see what I've learned!  In addition to what you see here, you can find links to videos & other tips from a variety of people on my Pinterest page. 

Please note that I am not guaranteeing anything with regard to these tips.  I'm just sharing my experience.  The part of the world you live in  (is it hot or cold, humid or not) or even the variation in some media itself could affect things.

FIRST OFF - You do NOT need a bunch of special tools and to put out a lot of money to do this!  I do recommend at least 5 things:

• A pencil - to help lay out what you want to do
• A good eraser - to erase any pencil marks you don't want seen
• A good pen that won't bleed through the page - you can test it on a back page - if you don't already have one that works try a Micron pen, a Pitt pen, or a Zig Millennium pen - finer tipped points create less bleed through.  (I've been using a Zig Millennium 05 pen, but recently started using Pitt pens - love them!)
• Something to add some color that won't bleed through the page - colored pencils are good for this.  (OR try protecting your page so you can use a wider range of mesia - see below!)
• A Bible with some room in the margin. (If you don't have that, you can just do your work directly over the text - you'll find many examples of illustrations I've done that way.  OR do your work in a dedicated journal.) 

That's really all you need.  If you're going to be working directly in your Bible, you might want to experiment with what you have on hand to know how it works with YOUR Bible.  The rest of this page discusses three main things:

1. There ARE things you can do to keep things like some markers (there are a few that don't bleed through) and water color paints from bleeding through the page.  Read about "page protection" to understand about that.
2. Various media - What doesn't bleed through and what requires page prep?  How well do the different types of media work in a Bible?  
3. Tips and tricks that might be helpful

Page Protection: What do you do to ensure that when you're journaling in your Bible you don't get serious bleed-through to the back side of the page???? You protect the page!  Check out these options:

• No preparation - If you are careful with choosing your mediums, you can sometimes get by without page preparation, and I have several pages that illustrate that.  For example, colored pencils, or a light coat of distress ink will not usually need page prep. 
• Acrylic Paint - If you have acrylic paint that you want to use for a background on your page, a thin coat of it can serve as your page prep!  It's best to use as thick a paint as you can find and apply it in very thin coats (the thicker the paint, the less water in it, the less wrinkling of your page).
• Clear Gesso - Coating the page with clear gesso allows me to use most media without concern about bleed through.  I use one of two brands - Art Basics and Dianna Wakely.  There may be others that work well too.  You want to avoid too much moisture (which causes more wrinkling of the page) OR too much "tooth" (feel too gritty).  I find the Dianna Wakely generally causes the least wrinkling.  Mediums I've seen Bible Journalers happy with include: Tri Art Gesso, Ranger Diana Wakely Gesso, Art Basics Gesso, Ranger Multi-medium Matte (some say this one doesn't have enough tooth & some art media doesn't stick to it as well), Liquitex Matte Medium, and Golden Acrylic Satin Glazing Liquid (some say this one wrinkles the page more because of extra moisture).  See below for application method.
• White Gesso - This gives a similar protection against bleed through as does the clear gesso, but it is opaque - don't use it to cover your Bible text!  It IS great for covering up bible "helps" or other unnecessary things so you can have more journaling space.  I apply it in a similar way to clear gesso.  White Gesso can also be used to cover "mistakes" on a page! 
• Page Inserts - Another way to avoid bleed-through is to create a page on a separate sheet and then insert it into the Bible.  If you want to insert a full-sized page, a good way to do this is to use "Zips" adhesive.   If you are just inserting a small panel that opens, you can use Washi tape to hold it in place. 

• Application Method:

* Application tools - I've seen folks use a stiff card (like a credit card), a brush, or the mini blending tool with foam applicators by Ranger.  The latter is my preferred method - the round sponge applicators from Ranger.  I feel it gives me the most even coat with best control and smoother finish.  (It also helps that if I forget to clean the tool immediately, I likely haven't ruined it - just need to replace the applicator!).  I've also had pretty good luck with 1" foam paintbrushes. 

* Protecting other pages - You need to protect your other Bible pages when you apply this (otherwise you could end up with pages sticking together!).  I've seen a variety of methods, but they all involve putting something behind the page you're working on.  Several folks also put something on the facing page to protect it.  

1) There are Bible mats from Bella Blvd Illustrated Faith.  There is a smaller one and a larger one.  I have a larger Bible and discovered that the smaller mat didn't cover my whole page so I can't use it as page protector (though it's great for creating a more solid surface beneath a page I'm creating on).  

2) You can just use a piece of plain paper (or wax paper, or parchment paper or . . . ) 

3) You can cut up a Craft Sheet (the ones I've seen are made by Ranger) to a size just bigger than your Bible page.  This is my preferred method - which I first saw in a video by Rebekah Jones.  As she did, I have two - one goes on the facing page and one goes behind the page I'm currently working on.

* Thin multiple coats - Regardless of what you use for tools and for protecting your other Bible pages, you want to make sure that you use thin coats.  The thinner the coat, the less moisture to wrinkle your page. I usually use three coats - drying between each (see above section about preventing wrinkling & curling), and trying to apply them in different directions (horizontal, then vertical, for example).  This gives a good surface to work on and makes it less likely that I'll have a spot with no medium that allows bleed-though.

* Direction of strokes - When you apply your protective medium, I recommend strokes going different ways to help insure good coverage - but make sure you stroke from the inside out.  Stroking from the outside in makes it more likely you'll have wrinkling & you might accidentally get your medium on the back side of the page as well!

•  Preventing Wrinkling & Curling: 

* Less Liquid - Make sure whatever you use to protect your page has as little liquid as possible to decrease wrinkles in your page. 

* Heat Tool - You'll generally have less wrinkling if you dry your gesso with a heat tool rather than letting it air dry.  Pulling very slightly on the page as you do so will also help (too much and you stretch the page - ask me how I know! :)).  The Ranger Heat It tool works well for this as it covers a slightly larger area so doesn't focus the heat as much (see "Dealing with curling").

* Dealing with curling - First off, after I've applied gesso, I usually find there is SOME curling no matter what I do.  After I complete the illustration & it is dry, I carefully close the Bible - making sure the page is lying flat.  A bit of time closed usually takes care of that curling. Applying too much heat to your page will cause curling, so make sure you move your tool around as you dry your page.  If using a heat tool with a more focused heat, you may also want to hold it at a bit of an angle rather than directly facing your page to help deflect a bit of the heat. You can also apply heat to the back of the page to help reduce curling.

Coloring Tips - A wide variety of media can be used for adding color to your page.  This is far from an exclusive list. I recommend ALWAYS using a protective sheet under your page to prevent anything from getting onto other pages. NOTE: If you don't want bleed through, pretty much anything besides colored pencils, a VERY THIN coat of acrylic paint, or a very light hand with distress ink & an application sponge will need page prep as discussed above.  Frankly, my inclination is to prep every page as I never know what I might want to add to my work - or do to the back side of the page that could affect things at a future date. 

•  Acrylic Paint - I have yet to try it myself, but I've seen several people use a stiff card (like a credit card) to apply a VERY small amount of acrylic paint to a page.  If using a small amount and swiping a very thin layer with the card, the paint is see-through so you can see the text behind it and it apparently doesn't need page prep to prevent bleed-through.  I've simply used a sponge brush to apply acrylic paint, and that's worked well for me - though the stiff card might get less moisture on a page (see section about preventing wrinkling).  Of course, the less watery the acrylic paint, the better - but I've used some pretty watery paint that has still worked out well for me.

• Colored Pencils - These can be safely used on a page without prepping the page.  Note, however, that if you DON'T prep the page first, and then decide to prep the back side of the page, doing so may very well change your colors - usually making them more dark or bright!  If you want to blend regular colored pencils, I've heard you can do so by using Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits.  This is something I want to try, but I have yet to purchase. If you tend to press hard as you color with your colored pencils, you might want to put a thin firm surface (Illustrated Faith makes a nice thin plastic one for this purpose) behind the page so you don't accidentally indent other pages. 

• Distress Inks - These are a water-based ink and can be used in a similar way to water color paints by applying with a brush (I simply turn the pad upside down & swipe it on my craft sheet - then pick up the color with a water brush) - as well as simply swiping them across a page to add color. (Tip: I like to use Ranger's round foam applicators for this - I have a foam applicator attached to each stamp pad with velcro, so I don't have to bother with continual cleaning of these foam pads!)

• Embossing Powders - Heat embossing - especially metallics - can add a very special look to a page.  You can use an embossing ink to stamp an image or word that you emboss - or use an embossing pen for the same thing.  You WILL need to be careful about stray powder as the powder seems to stick better to a prepped page than a regular one.  I didn't try using an embossing buddy - that might help.

• Gelatos - Nice color.  I've used as a wash for the background of a page, or for coloring an image. Usually I find it works best to scribble with the gelato on a craft sheet & then pick up the color with a water brush - though I have also colored with them directly onto the page and used my finger to blend.

• Markers/Pens - I haven't tried a large number of different markers or pens, but HAVE used some:

* BIC Permanent Markers - I used these to add color to a glossy vellum-type page I ADDED to my Bible - not sure that they'd be good for a regular Bible page.

* Micron Pens - Work pretty well. 

* Pitt Pens - Recommended by Rebekah Jones - I find they DO work well

* Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Markers - These have worked well for me in some applications where I wanted a really fine line.  HOWEVER, they DID bleed (not through the page since I had protected it with gesso, but into my illustration a bit so the lines weren't crisp) when I used them on top of Distress Oxide Inks.

*Zig Markers & Pens - I have a Zig Memory Systems Millennium pen that I use for lettering & outlining artwork and it seems to work well.  I also have a large set of Zig scroll & brush markers that I've also used (but I advocate testing them on plain paper first - some of the colors are REALLY dark!).  It also works well to scribble these on my craft sheet & apply with a water brush to get lighter colors & be able to blend colors better.

• Pencils - I've used regular pencils to draw out illustrations - but note that they do not always erase well on a page that has gesso on it!  My preferred way is to create the illustration on a separate paper & then trace it into the Bible using water color pencils or Inktense pencils (see below). 

• Smooch Inks - These have worked okay for me, but MAKE SURE your paint is dry or it will smear and perhaps transfer to the facing page.  I find that with anything I'm concerned might smear, it sometimes helps to cover it with clear embossing powder & heat emboss it to seal it.  Just make sure you don't get the page too hot (see under preventing wrinkling & curling under page protection).

• Watercolor Pencils & Paints/Inktense - Watercolor pencils are a favorite of mine.  I find them very easy to use and blend and they give a translucent finish so I can read text behind them.  While you can use water and a regular brush for blending, I really enjoy using a water brush so I don't have to keep going back for water.  Other watercolor media also work well - though I suggest adding as little water as possible to get the look you want.  I recently gotten some Inktense pencils.  I LOVE them!  They work like watercolor pencils, but have ink in them - which makes them permanent after they've been activated with water - great for layering without creating mud!  The colors also tend to be a bit more intense.  Beautiful!

• Wink of Stella -  These work well for me.  I LOVE to use a clear one to add some glitter to my watercolor.  I can use it to blend the color just like I would use a water brush.

Die Cuts or Fussy Cut Images: These can be used as masks or to adhered to your page.  If you want to glue something to a page, I've used 3 different things:

• Ranger Multi-Medium Matte - I've only used this a time or two, but it worked well
• Elizabeth Crafts double-sided adhesive - This is usually my "go-to" adhesive. I purchase it in 6" wide rolls & just cut a piece to place behind the paper illustration before die cutting or fussy cutting. 
• Clear Gesso - I have only used this so far to adhere tracing paper mages - applying it under & over (like decoupage).  It worked well for that, but I don't know if it would work for other types of paper. 

Keep in mind that most things you glue into your Bible will NOT be see-through, so be careful where you place them! 

Stamping Tips -  Whether using alphabet stamps or illustration stamps, they can add enhancement to your page, but here are some important tips:

• Type of Ink: You need to be careful about what type of ink you use for stamping images. And regardless of the type of ink, if your ink pad is too juicy, you could have challenges.  I find a drier ink pad works well - or a VERY light touch with a more juicy pad!

* Archival Ink - If you're going to be coloring in with watercolors or anything water-based, you need to use an archival ink OR VersaFine.  I have StazOn ink, and that is what I've used - with good results.  Other's have found Ranger's Archival ink to be a good choice. VersaFine has also worked well for me, even though it is not an archival ink.

* Distress Ink - Works well for adding color, but not so well for stamping if you want a crisp image.  Be aware that it is water based, so it WILL activate with water.

* Pigment Ink - This is the bulk of what I have, though I haven't used it much for Bible journaling yet.  It seems to work well as long as you make sure it's dry before doing something that might smear it.  My preference is to use glossy embossing powder over top & heat emboss to ensure it won't smear (make sure you don't get your page too hot or it will start to curl).

* Hybrid Ink - Spellbinders has put out a Hybrid blend of dye & pigment ink called Celebrations that can be used with both water based & alcohol based media.  If used on a non-paper surface, it can be heat-set to make it permanent (I think it's permanent on paper without heat-setting, but don't quote me on that!).  So far as I'm concerned, this ink is only "so-so".  I like the crisper image I get with archival ink or VersaFine.

• Masking - If there are areas you want to protect from stamping, you can use post-it notes or Inkadikadoo's Stamping Mask Paper to cover & protect specific areas.

Stencils: These are great for adding color to your Bible page.  Make your own using cutting dies!

Stickers: A wide variety of stickers can be added to your page.  I like using small alphabet stickers for text that stands out.  I like to use large alphabet stickers to trace around for bold words - or as temporary masks to make words that stand out against a background of color.  You can make your own stickers by stamping and/or using cutting dies on sticky-backed paper. You can make paper "sticky backed" by adding a double-sided adhesive to the back of the paper - Elizabeth crafts makes a great one that's thin enough to work well for this.  You can also create your piece & then send it through a Zyron sticker maker.

Tabs:

• Washi Tape - I find I like to add just a small piece of Washi tape attached to both front & back of the page and folded so a bit extends out for a tab.  While I could use some sort of color coding system for them, I tend to simply choose a color of washi tape that coordinates well with my page. 

Adding Space: If you don't have enough room on the page, you can add some:

• Insert - You can insert an entire page (vellum works especially well, but I've used several types of paper for this).  Just cut your page to the same size as your bible page & attach it by adding a Zip Thin Strip - a thin line of adhesive - to the edge of your page to be inserted.
• Tip-in - This is a smaller piece of paper or card stock that is added to a page as a "flap".  Washi tape along one side (open & closed) works well to create a "hinge" holding your flap in place. 

Adding Ribbon Markers: My Bible didn't come with ribbon markers, so I added some - see how toward the bottom of this post.