I’m excited to say that the Bible Mural Project is finally on my work table and I’ve starting drawing/inking Panel 3 (of 12).
After a lot of deeper layout work/planning, I’ve decided to do 12 panels instead of 9. This is to allow for better grouping/placements of some of the 66 books of the bible. For example, some panels may have as many as 8 books, and two of the panels will feature just one book…and one panel will feature 4 books…
(For those trying to guess…I decided the 4 Gospels will go on one panel–lots of illustration potential–and the Books of Acts and Revelations each will have their own panel.)
At the end here, I will put each Photoshop placement (basic arrangement) layout, but some are still in progress with their details.
As you notice, Panel 1 has the books measured/placed ascending and then reversing on Panel 2 and so forth. When I first initially envisioned this, I thought they might be distributed in more of an “all over” placement. More thought led me to decide this aspect would make it more cohesive (a rhyme and rhythm for the placements and a sense of sequential advancement through Old/New Testament.
These finer-tuned layouts also permit more flexibility in calligraphy/illustration spaces that are more clearly associated (above/below) their book.
It’s hard to see in my video, but I have looping “threads” going in and out of each book and tying them together, too, indicating each biblical book belongs to the whole collection we know as “the bible.”
I had help from a friend (using Excel) in finding a method to help depict the spines of each book in their approximate ratio (thickness) in order to convey how large the book of Jeremiah is in comparison to some of the smaller NT books, for example. I took the generated bar graph into Photoshop and am using it to help me create the representative book spines in their “width.”
Since some books are quite large, I decided to make their covers horizontal rather than vertical. Some of the perspective in Photoshop involves “eyeballing” some things. I then print it on very cheap newsprint paper and cut them out, so I can trace around them.
So far, I have about 75 hours into this project, and anticipate at least 1000 (plus materials cost) hours of time investment by the end of Phase 3. This first phase/campaign is to produce all the panels with the bible book covers, loops (for illustration space and text) and calligraphy of any scriptures. At the end of this phase, the project will also have been scanned and “black and white only” reproductions on canvas will be available (a youth group could then take this basis of initial work and spend time painting/illustrating their OWN unique version. (Please let me know if your church youth group might have interest in this–I can work remotely to coach it through and could see this being a great community-building project with multi ages over a longer time span of months to a year. Also a Christian campus group might want to take this kind of thing on).
Phase 2 will have a smaller campaign, and during that phase I will do the pen and ink illustrations that work into the mural design. Phase 3 will then involve adding watercolor to each panel, and locating the “forever home” of this work.
WHY SHOULD YOU PARTNER IN A WORK THAT CURRENTLY HAS NO EXACT “HOME?”
Because…it will! As others see it evolve, perhaps someone will come forward and suggest a Christian location interested (and sufficient in display space) to want this original work. BUT…it gets better!
The original art you PARTNER with me in creating will then be available in smaller scale to a number of potential locations, AND, perhaps someone who is good at dialoguing over such things might come forward and help (taking a commission) and then…there is a potential for further “job creation” if even some side thing for someone working from home who has good promoting skills.
Ultimately, the completion and future “seed bearing” into numerous potential places/derivative works will hopefully help kindle/re-kindle an interest in the Bible.
I’m hoping that others in the body of Christ will keep coming forward to partner with me in this endeavor! (Bible Comes Alive Educational/Visual Mural Campaign)
Also, this Panel 3 contains the books of Psalms and Proverbs.
PLEASE comment below with some of your favorite go-to verses from both books, for my consideration. Some books, like the book of Esther, are easy to pick one or two most-known quotations…others like Psalms…that is going to be a challenge. I do have space for both calligraphy and illustration flowing from those…but…still limited.
I did decide in this panel that the Book of Job was going to get some heavy, artistic, presentation (the lengthy reply God gives to Job starting in Chapter 38, ending with Job’s reply).
Part of me wonders if a main Psalm might be one to echo Job’s reply at the end, in essence…(humbling before God)…it might tie the panel together some…but…there are also so many other flavored Psalms…that will be a toughie 
I am grateful to the 19 people that have partnered in this so far!
Thanks for reading, and please feel free to share online or to mention to your church elders or Christian schools/bible camps you may be connected to.
