If you’re new to Bible journaling these definitions will help you understand the many terms that you’ll encounter along your journey. If you’ve decided to get into this very inspiring practice, you’ll definitely want to read through these Bible journaling definitions.
Bible Journaling Definitions
Acid
A chemical compound that causes paper to discolor, become brittle and degrade, found in some ink, paper, etc., that can ruin art related projects.
Acid Free
Supplies and other products that are “acid free” meaning they won’t damage your photos and supplies.
Adhesive
A sticky substance used to seal envelopes, attach accessories, photos and other embellishments during art and other projects. Choose acid-free adhesives like gel, paste, liquid, glue sticks.
Adobe Photoshop
A photo manipulation and editing software that provides a wide range of features including editing photos, creating intricate digital drawing, paintings and more.
Alkaline
The complete opposite of acid, alkaline is added to products that contain acid to neutralize acid that has a pH level of 7.0 or more
Altered
Changing the composition or character of something, typically in a relatively minor but significant way. As a Bible journaling definition, “altering” would mean embellishing the Bible to reflect a creative idea based on Scripture.
Archival
As it pertains to art, “archival” means something that is safe for long-term contact with important material/objects.
Bleed
The result of too much paint or ink being applied during a project and being absorbed by fabric or paper, causing it to spread.
Bible
The Bible is the word of God, a collection of sacred scriptures written at different stages since the beginning of time.
Cardstock
Heavy scrapbook paper that is thick and durable, available in a selection of weights
Chalking
An artistic process using chalk to enhance die cuts, paper, embellishments, etc.
Collage
An art form that involves applying various materials like paper, fabric or photographs onto a backing.
Colorfast
“Died in” colors that won’t wash out or fade.
Color Wheel
An illustrative collection of color shades displayed in a circle, showing the associations between primary, secondary and tertiary colors, etc.
Colored Pencils
An art medium available in different formats including watercolor, pastel and colored leads used in mechanical pencils.
Complimentary Color
Pairs of colors that, when combined, end up canceling each other out.
Copic Pens
These are considered the world’s highest quality alcohol markers used in a wide variety of art forms.
Corrugated Paper
A material that is made from layers of dense paper, with a top layer that is alternately ridged and grooved to add rigidity and strength.
Cropping
The action of trimming away the unnecessary edges or background of images or items. You can also use specialized scissors to add an attractive “cropped” border to photos, etc.
Die cut
Patterns and shapes created by a form of cutter or die cut machine.
Digital Image/Stamp
An image or stamp made up of dots or pixels that is created or obtained from a computer or software program.
Embellishment
A decorative special feature or detail added to something to create flair, making it more visually appealing.
Embossing
The act of creating of an impression of some form of decoration, design, pattern, lettering on a different surface like metal, leather, cloth or paper.
Journaling
A written record of a person’s observations, experiences and thoughts.
Layout
The way in which photos, text, etc., are laid out on a page, in an uncluttered manner.
Lignin
A complex form of organic polymers, Lignin is a destructive acidic substance when it comes to paper, causing it to break down and become brittle.
Lignin Free
Free of lignin, an acid based substance that deteriorates paper, discolors photos, etc. When doing art projects, it’s important to use lignin/acid free materials.
Matte
A piece of cardboard that’s placed on the back of a photo or a color, paint or surface that is flat, dull, without shine.
Memorabilia
Objects that have been collected because of the historical or emotionally connected interests.
Mixed Media
The usage of an assortment of media in works of art or entertainment. In relation to art, an example of mixed media would be a combination of ink, paint and collage on canvas.
Monochromatic
Using or containing one color. Monochromatic color schemes come from a single base color that is extended by using its tones, tints and shades.
Mounting
A support, setting or backing of an item. In art, “mounting” is the process attaching a painting, photo, embellishment, or memorabilia to a canvas, paper, etc.
Paper Piecing
A technique that is used to pierce small holes into cardstock or paper to create a design/border.
Paper Tearing
A form of art where paper is torn instead of being cut, giving the edges an imperfect, handmade look.
Paper Trimmer
Innovative cutting tool commonly used in art projects to make decorative edges around photos and paper.
Photo Safe
Materials that don’t contain any acid, including Lignin, that can destroy photos, paper, etc.
Punch
A tool that is used to cut (punch) shapes through paper. Punches are available in a number of shapes and sizes.
Sticker
An easy to apply, decorative embellishment used to enhance creative projects.
Stamps
In the art world, stamps are used to create a mark of pattern to decorate paper and other artwork bases.
Stamping Ink
Necessary for stamps when it comes to art projects, stamping ink is available in a variety of colors and available for both porous and non-porous surface areas.
Tape Runner
Commonly used in paper craft projects, a tape runner is a form of glue tape that is easy to use.
Template
Also referred to as a stencil, a template is typically made out of cardboard, sturdy paper or plastic and used to trace shapes.
Tip-in
In relation to books, a “tip-in” is a page that is imprinted independently from a book’s main text, yet attached to it. A tipped-in page or embellishment may be taped onto a regular page, or even glued in the binding along with the other pages.
Vellum
A form of fine parchment created from calf skin. Today you can purchase smooth writing paper that imitates vellum.
Washi Tape
A high quality masking tape available in different patterns and colors, originally made of rice paper, which is actually made out of short, durable plant fibers.
Now that you’ve read through these handy Bible journaling definitions, you’re ready to get started on an inspiring journey, made even better with friends. Are there other Bible journaling definitions you’d like defined? Let us know in the comments below!