NIV Journal the Word Bible

It is no secret to people around me that I like to do art journaling on a regular basis.  I wish I could do more of it sometimes but if I feel low one day doing some bible art journaling has a way to lift up my spirit.   When I started doing bible art journaling I was doing it in a regular bible that had some small blank spaces in it because I couldn’t afford a journaling bible at that time.  Then I purchased a ESV journaling bible because a Christian book store was closing its door and there was a very good reduction on it.   Since then I never looked back.  The only thing that was a bit disappointing was that my journaling Bible was an ESV and not an NIV like I am use to read.

But recently I have receive the opportunity to blog about the new NIV Journal the Word Bible which is published at Zondervan.  Seeing that my ESV possess numerous drawings in it, I saw an opportunity to finally get my own NIV Journal the Word Bible.   I didn’t know what to expect.  I had seen the presentation of the jacket but I wasn’t sure what the bible would look like.

I AM SPEECHLESS.

This beautiful hardcover bible is wrapped into a material that is simply stunning.  The background is soft pink and a multitude of beautiful field flowers are designed on it.  The spine itself is purple color.

When you open the bible you will see that there are lined margins on the side for notes and reflections as well as for art journaling.    The paper is cream colored and semi-thick.   I say semi-thick because some specific types of pens/markers or other tools that people might use for bible journaling may bleed and mark the back of the page.   I would strongly suggest that you do your research before embarking in bible art journaling.   Personally I use Prismacolor, Derwent Inktense Blocks and Pencils, as well as Sakura Micron pens.   I had purchased the Koi Watercolor Brush pens but quickly learned that these were not the best for bible art journaling as it bled on the other side of the page in my ESV Journaling Bible.    So keep in mind that some products might cause issues.

Here’s an example of a drawing I have made for Joshua 1:9.   When I spend some time to do art journaling, I initially sketch my drawing in pencil softly and then I use a Sakura black pen to go over it.   Once it is inked, I take either my colored pencils or my Inktense products to add colors.  In this specific case I have use the Inktense Blocks with water and brush.   Note that the page will crinkle one it dries up because I like to let it dry from the air.   Some people would use a blow dryer to speed up the process.   And some will prep the page before painting of it.  The product to prep the page is somewhat expensive for me so I skip that part.  That’s why I like the Derwent Inktense products.  

Now if you notice I did indeed colored over the text but I always make sure that the text is not hidden and still can be read by whoever take the bible.   I do this because I want my bible to be an heirloom and passed down to other generation.   Other people doing this have taken the habit to paint over the words in order to highlight a specific scripture.  There is much debate about this and I do not want to pour gasoline on an already strong fire within the community.  Consequently I will say to you that if you sense that God is okay with whatever bible art journaling you do to simply continue doing what you do.   I just want to offer various options to whoever is considering doing bible art journaling.

Whether you are strong in art or just discovering it, I think that bible art journaling is something that is very powerful as it lift our spirits and help us to memorize and visualize the scripture better.   It would be a great way for young and old to spend time together.  In the various facebook groups dedicated to this style of art, you will see women – and a few men – who share their drawings.   People encourage each other and we are all inspired to pursue this form of art.  My own drawings are sometimes inspired by what I have stumbled upon on Pinterest, the facebook groups, as well as Instagram.   I have also designed my own art through the pages of my ESV.   With this new bible I can start afresh and do new design on pages I have already illustrated in my previous bible.   I find it exciting because already from the pages of my first journaling bible I can see a progress in my drawings.   They have become more sophisticated with time.

The NIV Journal the Word Bible would make a great gift for someone in your life this Christmas season.   It is a fabulous bible to jolt down notes and thoughts or to illustrate a specific verse that has touch you.  It comes with various covers – for those of you who would prefer a less flowery cover.  This bible is published by Zondervan.

The NIV Journal the Word Bible is available at your favorite Christian stores or bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

The bible is also available with other type of covers including a leather version.