If you’re looking to Bible journal with gel pens, there are a few things to consider before you get started. Depending on your choices as well as the thickness of your Bible journal page, you may get bleed through or ghosting on the other side of your page. To reduce this, make sure you either prep the page or buy a set of the pens we recommend below.

In this review, I demonstrate three gel pen brands that might work well for you. Here are the ministry affiliate links if you’d like to purchase them and support our ministry:

• LolliZ® 48 Gel Pens Tray Set:http://amzn.to/2oBJwi1
• LolliZ® 70 Gel Pens Tray Set: http://amzn.to/2pT39Ux
• Sakura Gel Pens: http://amzn.to/2oiu671
• Unibal Gel Pens: http://amzn.to/2pTJfvn

The Best Pens for Bible Journaling

The best pens for Bible journaling are thin nib pens or gel pens. Gel pens are made of pigment and water. There is more water in a gel pen than a standard ink pen which uses solvent instead of water. The downside is that gel pens don’t last as long. A standard ball point pen will last almost eight times longer. However, the gel pen is made of less hazardous material which makes it better for the environment.

How to Bible Journal with Gel Pens

Step One: Page Prep May Be Required

You may decide to prep your page before using the gel pens that you have. Feel free to test the pen on a blank page in your Bible or on a spot that you plan to cover with stickers. If they bleed through, you can apply two thin layers of gesso to eliminate it. Whatever you decide you’ll want to make sure the get pen is dry before you close your Bible page.

Step Two: Protect Your Bible Pages

Use a Bible mat or a thin hard surface under the page your drawing on. That way you’ll protect the other pages from bleed through as well as the indents you’ll make with the gel pen.

Step Three: Start Drawing

Once you’ve prepped your page, it’s time to Bible journal with your gel pens. Gel pens flow best with they’re held horizontally rather than at an angle. When I hold them like a pencil, they eventually skip. I have to hold them horizontally to get the flow started again.

Don’t press hard with your gel pen because you could accidentally add to much gel and rub it in with the nib until you puncture a hole in your Bible page. Lightly work the gel pen into the area you want using the least amount of gel as possible to reduce bleed through and ghosting.

Step Four: Have Fun

Gel Pens are fun to use in your Bible. I love using them in my Insprire and Beautiful Word Bible. They are an amazing medium to use to bring the line art in those Bibles to life. Plus with their fine nibs, I can get the gel into the smaller letters in the line art. Whatever brand you choose, have fun getting in the Word!