Acrylic paint is a great way to add color in your Bible.  It does not bleed through to the back of the page and can be applied with a brush or scraped on with an old gift card. Keep in mind that if you apply the paint too thick, it can cover the words on the page. While you can use any type of acrylic paint in your Bible, try to avoid the least expensive “craft paints” because they will appear chalky and be more likely to cover up your text.

 

Watercolors are another great medium in your Bible.  Some watercolors will bleed through and you have to be careful not to damage or tear the thin pages when applying water to them.  You can find many types of watercolors (including Crayola ones in the kids craft aisle — they all work well) but the Neocolor ii watersoluble crayons are some of my favorites.  Check out Tai’s YouTube video on how to use Neocolor ii crayons.  You can use a regular paintbrush or a water brush to apply the paint.

 

Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt Pens generally do not bleed through the pages of your journaling Bible.  They’re great for highlighting text, hand lettering, or adding color to stamps. Like their name suggests, the tip of the pen is a large brush that creates a wide, smooth line. They can be purchased individually, in a large kit (shown) or in packs of 3 coordinating colors. They are typically found in the stamping section of most craft stores, or they can be purchased online.

 

Like most Bibles, the pages in a journaling Bible are thin.  When you start adding color to your pages, especially with ink and pens, the colors can bleed through.  To prevent this, you can purchase a CLEAR gesso (do not use white gesso) and brush a thin layer of it on the page before you begin adding any other color to your page.  The gesso acts as a barrier and also makes your page a little stronger. Rebekah R Jones has a great Page Prep Online Course that shows you exactly how you can prepare your Bible pages best based on the supplies you plan to use.  

Faber-Castell also has a line of PITT Artist Pens that are great for journaling, note-taking and hand lettering in your Bible.  There is little to no bleed through, even if you do not prep your page with clear gesso, and the ink is permanent.  They write over paint easily, but make sure the paint is COMPLETELY DRY before using your pens. They are sold individually or in multi-packs and come in a variety of thicknesses.

 

 

Washi Tape is a paper tape that works very well in your journaling Bible.  It can be used to decorate your pages or attach pieces of scrap paper or journaling cards that you want to keep in your Bible.  Adding a “Tip-In” element to your Bible with washi tape is a great way to have extra space to journal or add color without covering your text.  You can see more about creating a Tip-In with this process video from Bible Stories From The Heart. You can purchase washi tape wherever craft and office supplies are sold.  The tapes made out of paper tend to work best in your Bible.  Fabric tapes, duct tapes and plastic tapes are sometimes too heavy for the delicate pages and can rip them.

 

You can use clear alphabet stamps to easily stamp out words and phrases in your Bible.  Alphabet stamps come in many different shapes, fonts and sizes and can be found in any craft store or online. These stamps are typically acrylic or polymer and attach to a clear acrylic block so you can stamp them in ink.  Keep in mind that almost all inks will bleed through the pages of your Bible.  If you worry about bleed through, definitely prep your pages with clear gesso before stamping.