Bible doodling: a simple introduction + free printable basic lettering guide

Basic Bible doodling with Marydean Draws

Hey friends! I hope you enjoyed last week's post on ways we can work towards racial unity, starting in our homes (and hopefully then in our nation)! I know this is still on my heart.

Today, I want to introduce you to one of my favorite ways to study the Bible, and it's so simple that anyone can do it and all you need is a pencil, some paper, and your Bible.

While there are a ton of resources and nifty supplies out there for Bible journaling right now (and I love seeing women engage in the Word in creative ways), for my personal studying, I work best with a pencil and any scrap of paper nearby!

So why Bible doodling?

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col 3:16 ESV)

I find this is one of many ways I can think more deeply on God’s Word. It’s a way to let God’s words “dwell in me richly” and thus radically change my life and thinking.

When I write out God’s Words and think of them in a visual way, I find I think on them longer and recall them better. It's as if I've created a "hook" in my brain (I think music works in a similar way).

I think Bible doodling is especially effective with kids. I use it when teaching Sunday school all the time.

So what can you draw? Here are some possibilities:

1. Parts of a passage. Start by reading your focal passage over and over. My current Bible study method is to choose a book and read through it a bunch of times--sometimes super slow and sometimes in larger chunks. You'll see that I'm reading through Colossians.

As you read, underline key words and ideas. Pay attention to where you see ideas or words repeated. Who or what is the subject? Think about what the words mean and how they fit in with what the passage or book as a whole is communicating.

Then try sketching from the passage. Use ALL CAPS, underlining, different lettering styles, images, and line breaks to communicate the meaning.

Here's an example from my reading in Colossians 3:

2. Write and illustrate a single concept or excerpt from a verse. TIP: Draw in a frame so you can separate your drawings on a page.

Here, I drew the concept of the Word dwelling in you richly (I have no idea where the anthropomorphic hearts came from--just an oddity of my brain, I guess):

3. Summarize and illustrate a passage in your own words. Ask yourself, “How would I sum up this passage in the simplest way?” Or write out a prayer based on what you’ve read.

TIP: If you don’t know how to draw something (like a throne, say) try googling an image. I do this all the time! I don't always know how to draw something, but I do know how to see it.

Don't forget the heart of it.

This is not really about making pretty art, using fancy materials, or perfecting your lettering (although have fun with it and enjoy being creative)! And it's not even about growing in knowledge alone. This is a way you can grow in love for the God who loves you and wants to speak to you through His Word. Then you can grow as His follower and help others follow Him too!

Want a little extra help with your lettering? I'm sharing my favorite ways to "dress up" letters in a free printable today! You can download your printable lettering guide HERE or by clicking the image below.*

A simple introduction to Bible doodling with Marydean Draws

AND . . . I recorded two lettering videos. The first is me playing with some capital letters (using a heavy Tombow graphite pencil--my fav. I told you I'm not fancy, right?):

And in this one I letter a (mind-blowing) concept from Colossians 1:22-23 with some messy fake calligraphy (using a fine tip Le Pen--a gift from my mother-in-law and fun to use. So maybe I'm a little fancy . . . ):

Well friends, welcome to basic Bible doodling! I hope this inspires you (like it has for me) to dig into the Word and draw some truth!

*I'm so happy for you to enjoy my coloring pages and printables for your personal (not commercial) use! All artwork and photos are copyright Marydean Draws. If you share this, you're awesome (!), and as a courtesy, please link back to this post and not the PDF file. Thank you!!