How to Use Gelatos in Bible Journaling

In this Bible journaling video tutorial, I’m showing you how to use gelatos in Bible journaling. Gelatos are one of my all-time favorite Bible journaling supplies, because they’re so versatile, and they come in gorgeous shimmery colors! What’s not to love?

how to use gelatos in Bible journaling

{ This post and the photos within it contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking an affiliate link, my ministry gets a small commission, with no extra cost to you. See my full disclosures HERE. }

Ah, gelatos. These magical lip-balm-size tubes of color are fascinating…but, what on earth do you actually do with them?

I think the answer is, pretty much anything you can think of. I mean, within reason of course.

I’ve used Faber-Castell Gelatos in Bible art journaling, but also in card-making too. Pretty much any type of papercrafting is fair game.

How do you use gelatos in Bible journaling?

There are generally two ways you can do Bible journaling with gelatos… First, you can apply the pigment directly to the page. You can rub it on, smear it around with your finger, or swirl the colors with a wet paintbrush. And the second way, which is my preferred way, is to use the gelatos like watercolors. Just smear some of the pigment on a paint palette, get it wet, and use a paintbrush to apply to your Bible page.

how to use gelatos in Bible journaling

Of course, there are other ways for how to use gelatos in Bible journaling… For example, you can rub them onto to stamps, spritz with water, and then apply the stamp to the paper. And there may be other clever uses for them too, that I haven’t thought of. So, feel free to experiment!

Isaiah 43:19 & How to Use Gelatos in Bible Journaling

In this video tutorial, I’ll show you my Bible journaling techniques for applying the gelatos like watercolors. I chose Isaiah 43:18-19, because I really love how God basically says He can do ANYTHING. No matter how dry the desert, He can make rivers of living water flow through it! Such a great reminder for life, when things seem impossible, to remember that with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE (Matthew 19:26).

Right now, I’m seeing this most in what God is doing in me. Sometimes I feel dry as a desert (so many ways I still fall short!), but God is bringing His living water into me, and changing my heart. I’m realizing that the reason I fall short in loving Him and my neighbors better, is that I fail to have empathy and compassion…so we’re working on that together. Okay, mostly He is—I’m just along for the ride!

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

I promise, it’s super easy to learn how to use gelatos in Bible journaling, and you’ll be amazed at how fantastic these little tubes of pigment are.

SUPPLIES:

Bible journaling with gelatos - Isaiah 43:19

STEPS to Create Your Own Isaiah 43:19 Page with Gelatos

1) Use the gel printing plate to make a butterfly shape on the page. Smear the gelato pigment onto the gel plate, as liberally as you desire. In my case, I probably could’ve smeared more on, since the resulting pigment wasn’t very dark. So, be generous! Spritz water onto the plate, and then press it onto the page. The result will be very wet, so be sure and let it air dry or use a heat drying tool on it. Then, flip the butterfly wing over and repeat for the other half of the butterfly shape.

2) Paint gelatos onto the page. If desired, you may want to add more pigment your butterfly outline, and also another color for the background. To do this, just spread some of the pigment on a paint palette (either a disposable one like mine, a plastic one, or even a plastic or styrofoam plate would do). Spray with water, and use your brush to apply the watercolor-like pigment on the page.

3) If you like, add a butterfly stamp to further embellish your butterfly outline. You can use the gelatos for this step (using the same application technique as with the gel plate), or just use a regular ink pad. (If you’re new to stamping, you may want to check out my how to use stamps in Bible journaling post).

4) Use gel pens to outline (or underline) the verse and the butterfly. Of course, I really enjoy the glitter pens, but you could use metallic, neon, pastel, or whatever kind of gel pens you like for this step.

5) Write down what you want to remember about Isaiah 43:18-19. Take some time to reflect and pray about it…what do you feel God wants you to know or understand about it? Then, use gel pens to write your takeaway in the margin.

6) Date it, and add other embellishments as desired! Of course, you don’t have to stop there. If you feel like adding additional colors or embellishments to your page, then you should absolutely do that!

Bible journal - Isaiah 43:19 - close-up

And THAT, my friend, is how to use gelatos in Bible journaling. Easy-peasy, one-two-threesy! 😉 And fun too.

TELL ME: What’s your takeaway from Isaiah 43:18-19? How is God speaking to you through that Scripture?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top