Rambles of a SAHM

Showing posts with label Bible Art Journaling Challenge. Show all posts

You Confess And He'll Forgive ~ Bible Art Journaling Challenge: 1 John 1:9

This week's Bible Art Journaling Challenge is based on 1 John 1:9.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I made that confession of faith at an early age. I was raised in a dysfunctional family and because of the things that were inflicted on me a seed of hate began to grow. The interesting thing is that hatred is what brought me to the foot of the cross. As the Holy Spirit began to woo me He also began to reveal my sin and part of that sin was the hatred.

While I became a believer at an early age I by no means always chose the right thing. In fact there were many instances where an outsider would probably outright question my salvation. But the miracle in my life is found in 1 John 1:9.

I confessed my sins and God was faithful and just and He forgave my sins. Then miracle of miracles He went on to cleanse me from all my unrighteousness. Glory to God!

By no means is this a closed group that is limited. This body of Christ is open to anyone who will confess and believe. If you've not made this decision please consider this your personal invitation. I'd love to spend eternity getting to know you better. Just think of the stories we could tell about God's faithfulness. Amen and amen!

The Process

This week's art project is more a what not to do tutorial than a to do one. I had planned out in my head what I wanted to do but when I sat down to do it I guess I was a bit distracted. So here's what I did and how I fixed the mess.

Step 1: Seal The Page

My first step is commonly to seal the page of my Bible that I will be using. I like to use this Delta Ceramcoat All-Purpose Sealer. It leaves a nice smooth surface and after a couple of days the page tends to straighten right out. I usually seal the page I am working on and the back side of it as well. That keeps the edges from wanting to curl and it also puts me a step ahead!

Brilliant . . . right? Ummm, not so smart this time. You see I intended to use colored pencils and micron pens for my project.

As you can see from the above picture this particular sealer doesn't do so well with colored pencils, Pigma Micron Pens, or watercolor for that matter. Normally when I am using these elements I don't seal my Bible page until I am finished with my project. I've not had problems with any of these products bleeding through. After I have everything like I want it I spritz with Krylon 1311 Matte Spray. (I will say that I LOVE the Delta Ceramcoat All-Purpose Sealer when I am working with acrylics.)

On a side note you can use the Krylon between layers too. For instance sometimes I paint something and then I use the Krylon before I ink it in. The reason that I do that is because I can always quickly remove smudged ink with rubbing alcohol and it won't ruin the painting underneath.

The Real Step 1: Decide On The Layout

In the original challenge the technique is about hand-lettering. That was my original plan. I measured the space that I wanted to use in my Bible then I went into my Publisher program and messed around with some fonts I liked and then I printed it out.

I used Saral transfer paper to transfer the outline of the words onto the page. I really like using Saral because it is wax free and water soluble. This comes in very handy when you are painting. Instead of trying to erase your graphite lines with an eraser you just take a damp paint brush and lightly scrub the lines and they disappear.

Step 2: Add Some Color

Since I made a mess of the Bible page I needed to figure out a way to cover it up and start over. The easiest thing seemed to be using my pattern as the main thing instead of just a template. So I trimmed around the words and then added color.

I wanted an ombre look so I used Indigo Blue, Copenhagen Blue, and Permanent Blue Prismacolor Pencils. I started at the bottom with the darkest color (Indigo Blue) and worked my way up to the lightest color (Permanent Blue).

Step 3: Blend The Color

When I use colored pencils I want the end result to have a watercolor or blended look. Without the blending step it has a very amateurish look to it. To avoid that I like to use Gamsol and a blending stick.

I keep my blending stick clean and sharp by rubbing it on an emery board. There are fancier tools out there but that is what seems to work for me. Using Gamsol is as simple as dipping your blending stick in the liquid and then rubbing the blending stick on your colored pencil to blend the colors and lines together. I went over the outside boarder and then lightly did the words.

Step 4: Glue The Work In

Now that I have the colors blended like I want them it is time to glue the text onto the Bible page to cover the messy words up. I like the Elmer's Craft Bond glue stick. It goes on in a deep blue color so that you can see that everything is covered but then it dries clear. I prefer the extra strength as opposed to the school glue. I've used it on several types of surfaces with good results.

Finished Project

Well, it isn't what I originally planned but I am okay with that. Having to cover up the ugly is a good reminder of the meaning of the verse. The work of the cross was designed to cover the ugly in me.

Want To Join The Fun?

Rebekah R Jones has put together a wonderful group of fellow Bible doodlers. If you are interested you are welcome to join in the fun. A new challenge is posted each Tuesday. Check out her introduction to the Bible Art Journaling Challenge on her blog and join the Facebook group and/or the Google+ Community.

If you are interested in seeing more of my Bible Art Journaling posts just go here and you can scroll through them.

Faith Like A Child ~ Bible Art Journaling Challenge: Matthew 18:3

by @Fitzysmom

The verse for this week's Bible Art Journaling Challenge is Matthew 18:3.

Assuredly, I say to you,

unless you are converted and become as little children,

you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

When I look at this portion of Scripture I actually like to expand it a bit to Matthew 18:1-5. From that aspect you see that it is the disciples asking Jesus the question, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus answers His followers by telling them they need to be converted and become like little children.

A common misconception is that Christ is telling His followers that they need to be innocent and naive like children. What Jesus is really saying is that they (and we) should have the humility of a child. We should set aside our pride and become followers of Christ allowing Him to take the lead.

I was saved and became a follower of Christ at the age of nine. When I look back at my life during that time I am envious of my new found faith. I had yet to become distracted by people and places and things. My faith in God was complete. I wasn't living in a perfect environment but without a doubt I knew that Jesus was going to take care of me.

Fast-forward almost forty years and I find myself all too often taking my eyes off of Jesus and looking to myself or others for answers. When I think about that it is absurd. I trust Jesus with eternity but not the concerns of today. I long for the child-like humility to bow to the plans of my Creator no matter what they are or where they will take me.

The Process

In the original challenge Rebekah used Peerless watercolors and an old Bible page. I am traveling right now so I chose to use my usual art journaling Bible and colored pencils because that is what I have with me.

The above verses remind me of being carefree in the arms of Jesus. When I picture that here on earth the thing that pops into my head is swinging on a swing.

Step 1: Select an image.

I found this delightful image on TheGraphicsFairy.com. By the way this is one of my favorite sites to download free vintage images.

I only wanted the girl on the swing so I cut around the image and then placed it under my Bible page to trace. I should add that I stuck my tablet under there as well making it like a lightbox to make tracing easier.

Step 2: Trace out image and add color.

After tracing out the image I added in some color with my Prismacolor colored pencils. I also traced out with a regular pencil the wording I wanted for the page.

Step 3: Use Gamsol to soften color.

I wanted a soft watercolor look to my page so I chose to use Gamsol and a blending stick on my colored pencil. I like how it takes away the individual pencil strokes and blends it into a wash. It gives it a soft appearance that mimics watercolor.

Step 4: Ink in the words.

My final step was to use one of my Prismacolor pens to ink in the words. I have to say that I'm not terribly fond of these pens for words but I wanted color and my Pigma Micron pens that I have with me are only black. The Prismacolor pens do work nicely on other projects but they just don't do fine enough lines for my taste.

So there you have it my friends. Now what about you? I urge you to meditate on this verse and then illustrate it with something that reminds you to have faith like a child.

Want To Join The Fun?

If you are interested in seeing more of my Bible Art Journaling posts just go here and you can scroll through them.

Upheld By His Righteous Right Hand ~ Bible Art Journaling Challenge: Isaiah 41:10 {Giveaway}

The verse for this week's Bible Art Journaling Challenge is Isaiah 41:10.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed;

for I am your God; I will strengthen you,

I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

(Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)

The Bible is loaded with 'fear not' verses but this one is a particular favorite of mine. Not only am I reminded that God is my God but He promises to strengthen me and help me. I've learned the hard way that it is impossible to do things and do them well with my own strength. God's help is vital to any success I hope to achieve.

The thing that stands out to me in this verse is the phrase, "I will uphold you with My righteous right hand". Have you ever noticed that when you are scared it is an instinct to reach out and hold onto whoever is close to you. The thought that the Creator of the universe upholds me just gives me an overwhelming sense of peace. So in the midst of the darkest situations all we have to do is reach out to that Righteous Right Hand and draw strength and courage from Him.

The Process

For this week's challenge Rebekah used an embossing technique and gelatos to complete the project. As I said before Righteous Right Hand is what kept standing out to me as I meditated on this portion of Scripture. Because of that I decided to deviate and do my own bit of art.

Step One - Tracing

I'm not exactly gifted when it comes to freehand sketching so I decided to take the easy way out. I found a sketch of an extended right hand on the internet and I printed it out. I then used Saral Transfer paper and a stylus to transfer the outline onto my Bible page.

Step Two - Sketch The Image In

After transferring the image I just used my normal pencil and sketched in the details using the original picture as a reference. I also added some light shadowing where indicated.

Step Three - Add Some Words

I've been dabbling in modern calligraphy but as a beginner it was difficult to get it small enough to fit into my margin like I wanted. After several attempts I decided to cheat and do it on the computer and then print it out in the size I needed. I wanted to add a bit of texture so I tore the edges around my words.

Step Four - Add Shadow

I didn't like how stark the white paper was against my Bible pages so I got out my Pebbles Classic Chalks and used the grey to add some shadow texture to the edges. I really liked how the chalk grabbed onto the torn edges.

Step Five - Add Shadow to the Drawing

I liked the outcome of the shadowing on the words so I decided to add some additional shadowing on the drawing. It helped to smooth out some of my sketchy strokes. I like how it softened the whole thing.

Step Six - Glue The Words In

Now it is time to add the words of the Scripture into my margin. I just used regular Elmer's School Glue (it was what was on my desk at the time) and it worked perfectly. I squirted some on and then simply spread it to the edges with my finger. Then I simply placed it in my page margin. Let it dry before proceeding to the next step.

Step Seven - Add a Layer of Fixative

I didn't want to risk my work smearing so after the glue had dried I grabbed my can of Krylon Matte Finish Spray and headed outside. I just gave a quick all over spritz and it was done.

On a funny note several of my neighbors were out doing yard work. The looks they gave me seemed to say, "Is she spray painting her Bible?" Yes, yes I am! Maybe they'll be so curious they'll come over to see what I'm doing and I can share it with them.

Want To Join The Fun?

If you are interested in seeing more of my Bible Art Journaling posts just go here and you can scroll through them.

The Giveaway

I've asked Lonna's Stroke of Art and Zondervan to partner with me and give one of my readers a Note-Takers Bible and a Style & Fashion packet.

One of our readers will win a copy of the Zondervan Note-Takers Bible (you choose the version: Amplified, NASB, NIV, NKJV or KJV) and a Style & Fashion pattern packet. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will run through midnight on Tuesday, June 2, 2015. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. The winner will be contacted by email and will have forty-eight hours to claim the prize. If unclaimed, a new winner will be drawn. The winners’ entries will be verified. Please enter the contest using the Giveaway Tools form below. All entries are optional.

Entry -Form

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear ~ Bible Art Journaling Challenge: 1 John 4: 18-19

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

The verse for this week's Bible Art Journaling Challenge is 1 John 4:18, but I couldn't resist adding in verse 19 as well.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us." (NKJV)

I don't know about you, but this particular verse strikes a cord with me. I tend to be a worst case scenario type of person so I always consider the worst thing that could happen in any particular situation and then figure out how I will handle that. Unfortunately that type of thinking can lead to a lot of fear.

The good news is that no matter the situation or ultimate outcome God is in charge and He loves us with a perfect love. A perfect love would never allow harm unless there is a purpose in it. I can honestly say that every single hard thing I have gone through has brought me closer to my Savior. When I choose to trust Him with the situation I find myself surrounded by peace that can only come from Him.

It's easy to understand how someone can become angry with God because of the situation that they find themselves in. If we're honest most of us can say that we've been there. I tend to think that the root of all that anger is fear. Fear that we're not good enough to deserve the love of God. That fear is quite real. I know that I'm not good enough to deserve that love. But verse nineteen reminds me that even when I was at my very worst God loved me. In fact He loved me first, way before I ever considered loving Him and because of that I in turn love Him. Through His perfect love, Jesus Christ, He has taken away every horrible thing that could be laid at my feet and cast it away. The most amazing thing is that He longs to do that very same thing for each and every person . . . you only need to ask to receive.

The Process

For this week's challenge Rebekah used die cuts and watercolor crayons. I had access to the die cuts but I still don't have a set of watercolor crayons. (They are on my wish list!) So I modified the challenge just a bit to use what I had.

I used the die cuts to first figure out the placement in my margins. Then I traced around each die cut with a very thin Pigma Micron Pen (.005 Black Ink). Even though the large tag is not included in the original challenge I loved how it turned out so I decided to keep it and use it for verse nineteen.

My next step was to add color. I chose to use my set of Pebbles Classic Chalks. I'm enjoying using this new medium. The colors can be as soft or bold as you choose. All you have to do is vary the pressure you use when applying the color. As you can also see from the picture it is easy to add a bit of shadow or highlight. After you get it to where you want it don't forget to add a layer of fixative. This will keep your design from smudging and also allow you to add the next layer of design.

I told you before that my husband said that they had used hairspray in his high school art classes as a fixative. I decided to give it a try. Guess what . . . it worked! Quite honestly I'll probably stick to using my Krylon Matte Finish but I do have to admit that the hairspray smelled better.

Now it is time to add the words. I chose to use a set of stamps that I picked up at Michael's for around a $1. Even using a ruler to try and get a somewhat straight line of letters didn't work really well. I think you probably get what you pay for with $1 stamps. I chose to hand letter the word LOVE. After stamping and inking in the words I used my Micron Pen to add little strings to the tags.

As I said earlier I just couldn't resist using the large tag from the die cut set. Verse nineteen was just begging to be included so I did! I used the $1 stamps and hand lettered a couple of the words. I also used my stamp pad to rub a bit along the edges to create some dimension. I used plain old Elmer's Glue to glue the tag on the page. Then I used the charcoal chalk to add shadow under all of the tags so they would have a place to sit on the page.

This was a very simple design but I really like the results.

Products Used

NKJV Note-Takers Bible

Sizzix - Tim Holtz Tags

Pebbles Classic Chalks

Krylon Matte Finish Spray

Pigma Micron Pens

Elmer's Glue

Want To Join The Fun?

Love Is . . . ~ Bible Art Journaling Challenge: 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

Love Is . . .

The verses for this week's Bible Art Journaling Challenge are 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8.

"Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

It is so appropriate that these verses were chosen for this week's challenge. This week we celebrate the official love holiday, Valentine's Day. Splashed everywhere is the world's idea about what love is. Some of it hits the mark but some of it is so far from what God intended that it makes me sad.

As a Christian I am very familiar with the thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians. I've studied it often, but the thing that stood out to me this time was the very end of our focal point; Love never ends.

My study notes say that a lot of things about our current Christian life will end with the second coming of Christ. But love is not one of those things. At the very end of the chapter is this verse:

"Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Again my notes say that of the three aspects faith, hope and love, love is the greatest because it continues on into eternity. Faith and hope are both fulfilled with the return of Christ but love never ends. Aren't we glad that love is what endures?

The Process

This week Rebekah's art example is beautiful yet simplistic. She used stamps and an embossing technique. I didn't have stamps that would work for this week so I decided to try something a bit different.

I recently ordered this Pebbles Classic Chalks set from Family Christian. I've never used a chalk set like this but I thought I'd give it a try this week as an experiment.

Since I've never used the chalks I decided not to put my art directly on my Bible page. Instead I decided to do it on a separate page and add it into my Bible like I did with the week three challenge.

The first thing that I did was make my background paper. I simply typed out 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 in Microsoft Word. Then I simply copied and pasted it until it filled the page. Then I changed the font to a size 12 Jane Austen type. I printed the whole thing out on tracing paper.

I then measured my Bible page and used my Fiskars Desktop Trimmer to cut my paper down to size. I then took a piece of drawing paper and cut it down as well.

My next step was to sketch out the design that I wanted to use. I just used a regular #2 pencil. For me it is a process of draw, erase, draw, erase, etc. I'm not a very skilled sketch artist.

I then took a deep breath and started to fill my design in with the chalks. I love this product! I am primarily an acrylic painter and this process reminded my of a dry brush technique. You can "scrub" on the chalk and come up with a deep color or simply "tickle" the page and have a very soft color.

This is simple enough that your older kids would love it too.

The next step was to add shading and highlighting. The colors layer really well. It is kind of hard to tell in this picture but I used some oranges on the heart itself and in person it adds dimension.

I experimented using some very pointed cotton swabs that I have. They worked great.

Next I added simple ink details using an .08 Pigma Micron Pen. So essentially my design is finished. According to all that I have read I needed to use some sort of fixative to seal the chalk (and ink) so it wouldn't smear. I chose to use my favorite Krylon Matte Finish Spray.

According to my husband when he did chalks in high school art class they just used Aqua Net Hairspray to seal their projects. Might be interesting to experiment!

After all of that I just simply cut around my design and glued it to my page. I then used the chalk to shade around the whole design. I sealed the whole thing and then glued the completed page into my Bible.

I also used the chalks to highlight the text for the challenge. After completing this project I wouldn't hesitate to use the chalks directly on my Bible pages. The text shows through the chalk so for me it would be a great tool to use when I want to do an illustration that takes up the entire page.

Products Used

NKJV Note-Takers Bible
Pigma Micron Pens - 005, 05, 01
Tracing Paper
Fiskars Desktop Trimmer
Pebbles Classic Chalks
Krylon Matte Finish

Want To Join The Fun?

He Loved Us First! ~ Bible Art Journaling Challenge: John 3:16

He Loved Us First!

The verse for this week's Bible Art Journaling Challenge is John 3:16.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

This verse is one of the first I memorized as a child. It is probably one of the most if not the most well known verse in the Bible. I'm amazed at how that Scripture has changed for me as I've grown older. The meaning is the same, but the way I reflect on it has changed.

I'm a momma of two sons. I love those two boys fiercely. I can imagine laying down my life for them but it is completely out of my comprehension as to how I would give either of them up for a sinful, ungrateful group of people. Yet the Heavenly Father did just that for you and me. What a humbling prospect.

The even more amazing thing about it is that He did it because He loved us first. He didn't wait to send His Son after we fell in love with Him. He did it when we were at our worst. Unrepentant. Unaccepting. Ungrateful. Such amazing love!

The Process

This was an experimenting and learning week for me. Since the challenge project was a pair of hands holding the world I wanted to replicate that. I also wanted to use watercolor pencils again to gain more confidence with them. So let me share with you what I learned . . . the good and the not so great.

The first thing that I did was go onto the internet and find a simple sketch of what I wanted to put on my page. The next thing I did was prep my page. I have been using DecoArt Multi Purpose Sealer on my pages but it just doesn't seem to work really well with the watercolor pencils so I decided to try Krylon Matte Finish.

I just gave the page a light spritz and then blew it dry. (Caution: this stuff is kind of fumey. Be sure to do it with lots of ventilation.) I'm going to jump ahead and say that I really like how it worked. The page wasn't wrinkly and it didn't have too much tooth. I'm going to try it a few more times to decide if it is what I will stick with. I always use it over my ink but I've never used it before as my page prep.

My next step was to put the outline of the design on the page. I simply put the pattern under the page and traced the outline with the watercolor pencils that I planned on using. After my outline was on I then proceeded to color in the design and add a bit of water to smooth out my work.

Here's where I ran into some hiccups. The first thing I ran into is an easy fix. I couldn't come up with the right color that I wanted. I wasn't sure that I was really interested in using watercolor pencils so I originally purchased a very small set. I need a larger set for a bigger variety in colors.

My next problem was that the silly pencil tip kept breaking off every time I tried to sharpen it. Just by accident I stumbled upon this tutorial on how to properly sharpen a colored pencil. What an easy fix!

While I was on YouTube I also found this other tutorial on using watercolor pencils and I thought it gave some great tips on how to use them. I tried the blending marker that is shown in the video and I loved it. I had no idea that I could use it on the watercolor pencils as well as the regular colored pencils.
I also didn't really consider using regular colored pencils over the top of watercolor pencils. I tried that especially on the hands to see if I could help the skin tone. Again . . . I really just need a larger assortment of pencils.

I have several things that I want to work on but the exciting part is that I am slowly learning more about this new medium every time I use it. That is one of my favorite aspects of this challenge. I feel like I've finally settled into not being consumed with the work being perfect but more of it being part of a process.

Products Used

NKJV Note-Takers Bible
Loew Cornell
Watercolor Pencils
Prismacolor Colored Pencils
Krylon Matte Finish

Want To Join The Fun?

Don't forget that we have teamed up with Family Christian and Zondervan to give away a Note-Takers Bible, Prismacolor Colored Pencils and a set of Pigma Micron Pens. Just pop on over to our giveaway page and enter for your chance at the prize.