Supplies – PENS For Bible Journaling
When picking out pens for using on bible paper, there are a few things to consider for…
1. No Bleed Through: you obviously want ink that does not bleed through to the other side. (there will always been “ghosting”, but the “bleed through” is what we like to keep out. (of course you can “prep” your pages with Gesso and then use a wider variety of pens. But for now, we are looking at just bare bible paper and pens)
2. Black vs Colors: you will want to start out with a black “fine liner” (either called fine, superfine or extra fine) which is for fine detailing, outlining and fine writing. Then you can branch out into colored pens, and then finely the Gel Pens
3. Get to know the SIZES, measured in millimeters (mm).
Prismacolor and Micron brands typical sets include tip sizes: .005, .01, .03, .05 and .08 fine tips, a chisel tip and a brush tip. You can think of it as a .05 tip is the “medium” size of pen, then sizes below .05 are “thinner”, and the numbers above .05 as “thicker”.
With the Uni-ball own coding. Signo 151-28 is .28mm fine, the 151-38 is .38mm regular and the 153 is 1.0mm thick
4. Once you get ANY new pens, TEST them on a back page of your bible (I use my lengthy “concordance” for practice) Just because someone SAYS that a certain pen doesn’t bleed in their bible, doesn’t mean that it won’t bleed in YOUR bible.
5. IF you DO have bleed through, consider the options… leaving it as God’s masterpiece with “flaws and all”, use a paper tip-in or other sticker on the back side, making it not visible, or if it’s not in the text area, paint over the back side with white gesso.
Here are three favorites…
Susan, CBJ – “I have found if I have these three sets of PrismaColor Pens, I have everything I need… A package of black pens with various tips, a package of primary colored pens with Fine Tips and a package of primary colored pens with Brush Tips. I like how the primary colors in the fine and the brush are matching.”
Joan, CBJ – “My go-to gel pens are the Muji Gel Pens, love them for everything. I have a set for home and one for traveling.”
Traci, CBJ – “I use the Faber Castell Stamper’s Big Brush Pens for stamping in my bible. The India Ink that Faber Castell uses does not bleed through like traditional ink stamp pads.”
Joanna, CBJ – “I love my Sharpies, just make sure to get the “no bleed” kind and wahla, they don’t bleed.”
If you are interested in ordering from Amazon.com, please click on any of these ads to be directed to their site. Any purchases, while there, will give us a small bonus, at no extra cost to you. This will help fund the CBJ ministry here on the web. Thanks ~ Susan
PrismaColor and Micron (Both in Assorted Black, and .05mm Colored)
Faber Castell Pitt Pens (Extra Super Fine for detail to Big Brush for Stamping)
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Muji Gel Ink Pens and Sakura Gelly Roll Pens
. . .
Uni-Ball Signo Gel Pens
Sharpie Art Pens, No Bleed
At nearly £45 for the prisma premier fine liners from amazon UK that is far beyond my means for a set of pens !
Betty, depending on what set of PrismaColor products you were looking at, the price varies. I went to Amazon.co.uk and found the same set that I use from Amazon.com in the USA
Sanford Prismacolor Marker Set 7/Pkg-Mixed Tips – Black
UK Price: £23.92 & FREE Delivery in the UK.
USA List Price: $20.19
USA Sale Price: $15.24
So, except for the fact that Amazon USA is running a sale on these pens, the prices are about the same.
Please let us know if you have any questions about supplies or anything else.
I’m scared to try pens due to NOT wanting the bleed thru. Thanks for the suggestions!
Nioka, all the pens in this “suggested supply list” will not bleed through bible paper. (they will “ghost”, but not bleed through the paper. I have used all of these.
The two BEST ways to deal with “not knowing” how any media reacts to your bible paper…
1. Use your concordance in the back of your bible to try out new media.
2. Buy a used bible at a local thrift store and use that as “practice paper”
The Uni-ball Metallic Gel Pens are great. They roll super smooth with strong color and metallic, how can you go wrong! I used the three colors above (gold, silver, white) in the “Project #1 Butterfly Stencil” and was very Pleased.