How to Create Scripture Art

Here in our Arts month, I wanted to write some thoughts regarding Bible art journaling. A couple years ago, I discovered this creative and worshipful outlet, and it became one of the main ways I connected with Jesus in that season. When I taught fourth and fifth grade, I had my students do this every Tuesday morning during their "Time with Jesus," because I wanted them to meditate on their verse for the week and start memorizing and applying it.  I have a journaling Bible with side margins to do my artwork. I don't always include the actual Bible verse -- sometimes I incorporate song lyrics or quotes that that passage reminded me of.  But for the purpose of memorization, here are some ideas to try when creating Scripture art if you're unsure where to begin:

• Start with a background. I don't always do this (sometimes, I start with the words), but it's nice to have some color instead of plain white.  

• Use an existing picture for the background. Old calendars are great for this.

• Use any and all art media you can think of! I've used paint, colored pencils, markers, pens, oil pastels, watercolors, papers of all kinds, washi tape, packing tape, glue, stickers, and transparencies.  This is, of all things, a napkin! I stripped it down to one ply and glued it down.

• Use collage! I had one of those desk calendars with a new picture every day, and I've used it for many-an-art-project.

• Use tape and stickers! Some of you have unused stickers and washi tape and craft supplies lying around. Use them! This one in particular I loved because I was at a Bible art journaling workshop, and I went around to the tables asking for a small snippet of one of their washi tape rolls (since I didn't have that many myself). It also fit with the theme of coming together as the Body of Christ.

• Sometimes I use "flaps" that can fold back. Here are more calendar pictures that fit with the different aspects of nature in the verse praising God.

• Incorporate something unconventional like your child's artwork. My son Calvin (a toddler at the time) was always begging to create in my Bible, too, so one day I let him (and I'm thankful to have preserved his artwork from that time). I thought it fit well with this passage about proclaiming His might to another generation.

• Play with where to have the words. For this one, it seemed to fit to have the heart at the bottom and for the words to flow out the top. 

• Experience with different types of fonts and hand-lettering. Sometimes, I stick with my plain handwriting. Other times, I try out a different font (there are tons of tutorials online and in books).  And I'll often mix it up with different fonts to highlight different words.

This font was in a book I had. I had to look up the example for every letter because it's so different from how I normally write.

• Think about what you could put inside the letters to help illustrate the concept. For this verse in Psalm 103, I made the letters out of some of the "good things" in my life.

In this passage in Revelation about the living creatures being full of eyes, I filled those words with eyes.

• Let the words of the verse guide your artwork. I love the phrase in the NIV of Psalm 139 about being woven together in the depths of the earth, so I wove together washi tape!

• Add an illustration! Don't be afraid to try it! Often, I'll think of an illustration, and I'll search for images online until I find one that fits the mood (and fits what I'm capable of!). Sometimes I'll add the words "clip art" or "how to draw" or "black line" to my search.  You can even trace it right off a smart phone or tablet! I start with pencil and then color in.

This is a tree I could've never created in my mind from scratch, but I was able to look at a picture and re-create it.

• Think about how it applies to you, and incorporate that, too. For this one on storing up His Word in our hearts, I was thinking how the Holy Spirit has used different Scripture I've memorized over the years to convict me in specific situations.  I recorded some thoughts and temptations as well as the truth from His Word.

This was one inspired by a sermon from my uncle. I brainstormed specific things that I could "count joy." I included the application in the artwork.

• Find an existing design or page you like, and make your own rendition of it! When I saw this picture of the carefree girl in front of the patterned background, it reminded of this verse that I sang on repeat during a season in my life. I thought it fit perfectly. There are tons of examples online.  If you add "Bible art journaling" and a particular verse, you might find a design to copy or inspire you.

• Don't be afraid of "just" black and white!  

• Add a prayer.  I often do this at the end in cursive (I usually only write in cursive when I'm writing to God).  It's been neat to look back years later, not only at the artwork but also my thoughts and dialogue with God at the time.

• Don't forget the date! When I was having a D&C procedure after my miscarriage, my husband was flipping through my Bible and noticed some pertinent pages from right around the time our baby stopped growing (but we didn't know it for another few weeks). It was neat to see how God was working in my heart even when I was unaware of what was happening inside of me physically and what I was about to walk through emotionally.  I'm thankful that I've made the practice of writing the date I finished each page!

Biggest encouragement? JUST BEGIN!  Your first attempt (just like your first attempt writing a Scripture song) may not be that great, but the purpose is to meditate on God's Word and to worship Him in a creative way (He's the ultimate Creator and placed in you the desire and ability to create!). Keep at it! Enjoy the process!