Woohoo! The new Illustrating Bible from Illustrated Faith and DaySpring is now available for pre-order!
I did receive an early copy of this bible as a member of the Illustrated Faith Creative Team. Here I’ll share my first impressions of the new Illustrating Bible after having it for a week or so. But first,
some answers for those FAQs:
- Bible Translation: Christian Standard
- 8 pt. font size
- Single column
- 3 3/4″ wide margins (!!!)
- Faux leather cover
- Suede lined inside cover
- Spiral Bound
- Packaged in a keepsake box
- Cost: $99.99
First Impressions
This thing is massive. Of course, the entire bible with such large margins on each page would have to be, right?! This is perhaps what will take the most getting used to for me personally. The bible I’ve been journaling in for the last two and a half years measures about 6″ x 8″ while the Illustrating Bible is 9 1/4″ x 9 1/4″.
When I created my first entry in it I chose to keep it open on my desk instead of folding it over. As I was using it I thought, man this would work well with a standing desk. Or at least a chair that is the appropriate height for the desk I use. My chair is a bit shorter than it should be 🙂
I chose to jump in with a wet mediums. These pages are thicker than any other bible I’ve owned. DaySpring says the Illustrating Bible’s pages are 75% thicker than other bible’s pages to help with bleed through. They are also white (instead of the traditional cream) which is a nice change!
I used Neocolor II water soluble crayons to highlight the passage I was journaling in Matthew 16. I did not prep the page and there was absolutely no bleed through or tearing. I even added a little more water than I probably should have 🙂
The bible page did crinkle up, but it has flattened a little since my bible has been closed. However, crinkly pages have rarely bothered me in the past.
Final Thoughts
While this bible may be a bit larger than I’m used to I do appreciate all of the extra margin space. The margins are almost twice as big as a traditional journaling bible at 3 3/4″. (The margins are even larger in the poetry books, pictured above.) I don’t believe the size will be an issue when journaling at home, but it might be cumbersome to tote around when traveling.
Also, the Illustrating Bible is certainly an investment at $99.99. But because of the coil it can accommodate so many more dimensional art journaling entries than a traditionally bound bible. I bible journal several times a week and typically purchase a new bible every six months. I’ve even cut back on the amount of tabs and dimensional embellishments I use in an attempt to stretch its capacity. But that’s not always fun because Illustrated Faith releases the cutest products and I want to use them all! 🙂
But rest assured, for that cost you get a quality item. It has a sturdy coil and rose gold faux leather cover. It comes in a heavy duty keepsake box that will protect the bible and help preserve it for future generations to see your faith journey in illustrations, prayers and notes.
This bible is another example of how Shanna Noel and the DaySpring team are attune to the requests of the bible journaling community. They not only encourage feedback but make changes to and dream up wonderful products like the Illustrating Bible for us to enjoy and grow in our faith.
Have any questions? Leave a comment below and I’d be happy to get an answer to you 🙂 Find out more about the new Illustrating Bible here, including information on pre-ordering.
❤ Jillian
*this post includes affiliate links. I earn a small commission on purchases made using these links. My family and I appreciate your support!
P.S. I made a video which includes all of the information listed here. If you’d like to see video of the new Illustrating Bible click here.
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