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Bible Drawing Ideas

Deal one scene, symbol or verse to letter, from the burning bush to the river of life, with its book and chapter and the shape to get right.

Bible Drawing Ideas

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  1. Elijah's chariot of fire in the whirlwind2 Kings 2. A chariot of fire and horses of fire part the two men, and Elijah goes up by a whirlwind. Reds on dark.

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Old Testament 18

  • A dove carrying an olive leaf back to the ark Genesis 8. She returns in the evening with an olive leaf in her mouth. One teardrop body and two swept wings.
  • Abram looking up to count the stars Genesis 15. He is told to number the stars if he can. Keep the figure small and low and give the sky most of the page.
  • The ark of the covenant with two cherubim on the lid Exodus 25. A gold-covered chest carried on staves. Two cherubim face each other, wings stretched over the lid.
  • Baby Moses in a basket among the reeds Exodus 2. The basket is laid in the reeds at the river's edge. Overlap tall blades in front of it to tuck it in.
  • The burning bush that is not consumed Exodus 3. The bush burns with fire and is not consumed. Keep every branch visible inside the flame shapes.
  • Daniel seated calmly among the lions Daniel 6. The lions' mouths are shut. Draw the lions lying down with heads low and the figure upright in the middle.
  • David's sling and five smooth stones 1 Samuel 17. He chose five smooth stones out of the brook. A sling is two cords and a pouch; the stones are ovals.
  • Jacob's ladder rising from a stone pillow Genesis 28. He sleeps on a stone and dreams a ladder to heaven with angels going up and down. Steep perspective.
  • Jonah inside the great fish in cutaway Jonah 1 says a great fish; the word whale is not in the book. A big oval, a small seated figure, waves above.
  • Joseph's coat of many colours laid flat Genesis 37. The King James wording is a coat of many colours. Draw it flat like a sewing pattern and stripe each panel.
  • Noah's ark with paired animals on the ramp Genesis 7. They go in two and two. Draw the ramp first, then each animal as an overlapping pair, big ones at the back.
  • Ravens bringing bread to Elijah by the brook 1 Kings 17. Ravens bring bread and meat, morning and evening, at the brook Cherith. Black wings on pale rock.
  • The Red Sea parted into two walls of water Exodus 14. The waters are a wall on the right hand and on the left. One-point perspective down a dry sea bed.
  • Ruth gleaning barley behind the reapers Ruth 2. She gleans in the field after the reapers until evening. A bent figure, a bundle of stalks, long low light.
  • The seven days of creation as seven circles Genesis 1 and 2. Light, sky, land, sun and moon, fish and birds, animals and people, rest. One circle per day.
  • Seven ram's horn trumpets before the walls of Jericho Joshua 6. Seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams' horns. Curve one horn well, then repeat it along the wall.
  • The tower of Babel half built in brick Genesis 11. They bake brick and build a tower toward heaven. Stack shrinking tiers and leave the top unfinished.
  • Two stone tablets of the law side by side Exodus 31. Two tables of stone. The text gives no outline, so rounded tops and square tops are both fair.

New Testament 20

  • A city set on a hill at dusk Matthew 5. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Stack flat-roofed blocks up the slope and light the windows.
  • A house built on rock in a storm Matthew 7. Rain, floods and wind beat on the house and it stands, founded on a rock. Slant every rain line one way.
  • A mustard seed beside the tree it becomes Matthew 13. The least of all seeds becomes a tree and birds lodge in its branches. A dot and a tree on one page.
  • Broken bread and a cup on the supper table Luke 22. He takes bread, gives thanks and breaks it, then takes the cup. A small still life: torn loaf, plain cup.
  • Fishing nets left on the shore of Galilee Matthew 4. They straightway left their nets and followed. An empty boat, a heap of net, nobody in the picture.
  • Five barley loaves and two small fish in a basket John 6. A lad has five barley loaves and two small fishes. Draw flat round loaves, not a sliced tin loaf.
  • Gold, frankincense and myrrh in three vessels Matthew 2. They open their treasures: gold, frankincense and myrrh. A box, a bowl and a jar, each a different height.
  • The good Samaritan lifting the traveller onto his animal Luke 10. He binds the wounds, sets the man on his own beast and brings him to an inn. Two figures, one animal, one road.
  • John baptising in the River Jordan Matthew 3. Two figures stand in the Jordan and the Spirit descends like a dove. Ring each figure with ripples.
  • The manger with swaddling clothes inside Luke 2. The child is wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. A feed trough on short legs, straw spilling.
  • Palm branches held up on the road into Jerusalem John 12. The people take branches of palm trees and go out to meet him. Fan each frond from one centre rib.
  • Peter stepping out of the boat onto the waves Matthew 14. He walks on the water, sees the wind and begins to sink. Catch the first step, one foot still on the rail.
  • The prodigal son met on the road by his father Luke 15. The father sees him a great way off and runs to him. Two figures in an embrace, the house small behind.
  • Saul lowered down the city wall in a basket Acts 9. The disciples take him by night and let him down by the wall in a basket. Tall wall, one rope, small basket.
  • The shepherd carrying the lost sheep on his shoulders Luke 15. He leaves the ninety and nine, finds the one and lays it on his shoulders. Hold the legs at his chest.
  • Six stone water jars at the wedding in Cana John 2. Six waterpots of stone stand ready. Line up six tall jars and practise the ellipse at each mouth.
  • The sower's seed on four kinds of ground Matthew 13. Seed falls by the way side, on stony places, among thorns and on good ground. Four panels, one hand.
  • Tongues of fire over the gathered disciples Acts 2. Cloven tongues like as of fire sit on each of them. A small flame over every head, all lit from above.
  • Wise men following the star in silhouette Matthew 2. The text names three gifts and never counts the wise men. Dark figures on a ridge, the star high.
  • Zacchaeus up in the sycamore tree Luke 19. Little of stature, he climbs a sycomore tree to see over the crowd. Half hide the figure in the leaves.

Symbols 15

  • A clay oil lamp set on a stand Matthew 5. A lamp goes on a stand, not under a basket, and lights all the house. A shallow lamp with one flame.
  • A crown of thorns resting on a stone Matthew 27. They platted a crown of thorns. Twist two or three stems into a ring, then add thorns pointing outward.
  • A deer drinking at a stream Psalm 42. As the hart panteth after the water brooks. Front legs splayed, neck stretched down, a ripple at the muzzle.
  • A descending dove with spread wings Luke 3. The Spirit descends in a bodily shape like a dove. Wings up and wide, tail fanned, head pointing down.
  • A lamb standing on a small green hill John 1. Behold the Lamb of God. A cloud-shaped body on four short legs, head turned to look out of the page.
  • A potter's hands shaping clay on the wheel Jeremiah 18. The potter works on the wheels and remakes a marred vessel. Two hands round one spinning cylinder.
  • A shepherd's rod and staff beside still waters Psalm 23. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. A hooked crook and a straight rod crossed above a flat pool.
  • A ship's anchor drawn upright with a short chain Hebrews 6. Hope is an anchor of the soul. Ring at the top, stock across, shank down, two arms ending in flukes.
  • A vine with branches and hanging grapes John 15. I am the vine, ye are the branches. One thick twisting stem, thin side shoots, grapes in hanging triangles.
  • An eagle rising with wings fully spread Isaiah 40. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. Spread the long feathers like fingers at each wing tip.
  • The armour of God laid out piece by piece Ephesians 6. Belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet and sword. Lay the six pieces flat like a museum display.
  • The golden lampstand with seven lamps Exodus 25. Six branches come out of the sides, three each way, and it holds seven lamps. Draw the centre shaft first.
  • The Greek letters Alpha and Omega side by side Revelation 1. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending. A capital A beside a horseshoe-shaped omega.
  • Two sparrows perched on a branch Matthew 10. Two sparrows are sold for a farthing, and not one falls without the Father. Round bodies, short beaks.
  • The wolf dwelling with the lamb Isaiah 11. The wolf is with the lamb, the leopard with the kid, the young lion with the calf. No lion beside the lamb.

Verse lettering 13

  • Be still, and know that I am God, inside a circle Psalm 46, King James wording. Set the words inside rings of calm water ripples. Suits a journaling margin.
  • Fear not, in tall capitals with a starry fill Luke 2. The angel's first words to the shepherds. Draw hollow capitals and fill them with small stars.
  • The fruit of the Spirit as nine lettered fruits Galatians 5. Nine are named, from love to temperance. Draw nine different fruits and letter one word on each.
  • God is love, in three stacked words 1 John 4. Three short words, one per line. Centre them and give the middle word the smallest letters.
  • He is risen, arched over a sunrise Mark 16, King James wording. Arch three words over a half sun and keep the rays clear of the letters.
  • The joy of the LORD is your strength, in brush script Nehemiah 8, King James wording. Make joy and strength the two big words and keep the rest small between them.
  • Let there be light, in rays from a rising sun Genesis 1. Four words, so make them big. Letter them in capitals and run straight rays out from behind.
  • The LORD is my shepherd, lettered along a crook Psalm 23, King James wording. Bend the line to follow the hook of a shepherd's staff. Good for a card front.
  • Love never fails, on a ribbon banner 1 Corinthians 13, World English Bible wording. Fold the ribbon into three sections, one word on each.
  • O give thanks unto the LORD, inside a wheat wreath Psalm 136, King James wording. Draw the wreath of wheat ears first, then fit the words to the space left.
  • Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, under a small lamp Psalm 119, King James wording. Draw the oil lamp above and let the text sit in its pool of light.
  • Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, in stacked capitals Proverbs 3, King James wording. Stack the words in a block, square both edges and vary the letter widths.
  • We walk by faith, not by sight, along a footpath 2 Corinthians 5, King James wording. Let the line of text be the path and wind it back into the distance.

Painting 14

  • A fire of coals with fish on the shore at dawn John 21. In the morning on the shore: a fire of coals, fish laid on it, and bread. Orange coals against a blue dawn.
  • A fishing boat in the storm on Galilee Mark 4. A great storm of wind, waves beating into the ship, one figure asleep on a pillow in the stern. Greys and foam.
  • The bow in the cloud over the ark on Ararat Genesis 8 and 9. The ark rests on the mountains of Ararat and the bow is set in the cloud. Wet bands, red outermost.
  • Calvary at dusk with three crosses in flat black Luke 23. The place is called Calvary. Paint an orange to violet wash, let it dry, then add flat black shapes.
  • Elijah's chariot of fire in the whirlwind 2 Kings 2. A chariot of fire and horses of fire part the two men, and Elijah goes up by a whirlwind. Reds on dark.
  • The empty tomb at sunrise with the stone rolled away Mark 16. They come at the rising of the sun and the stone is rolled away. Dark doorway, yellow sky, violet rock.
  • Fields white for harvest under a wide sky John 4. Look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest. Pale gold strokes below, two thirds sky above.
  • First light divided from the darkness Genesis 1. God divided the light from the darkness. Two wet washes, one warm and one dark, meeting on a soft edge.
  • The new Jerusalem with twelve gates of pearl Revelation 21. Twelve gates, each one pearl, and a street of pure gold like clear glass. Gold, white and pale blue.
  • Olive trees at Gethsemane at night Matthew 26. From the mount of Olives they come to a place called Gethsemane. Twisted trunks, grey-green leaves.
  • The pillar of fire over the camp at night Exodus 13. A pillar of cloud leads by day and a pillar of fire by night. Paint dark tents first and the glow last.
  • The river of life running clear as crystal Revelation 22. A pure river, clear as crystal, with the tree of life on either side. Leave white paper for the water.
  • Shepherds in the field under a sky full of light Luke 2. The glory of the Lord shines round about them at night. Dark hill, small figures, one burst of pale gold.
  • The star over Bethlehem in a deep blue night Matthew 2. The star stands over where the young child is. Lay a dark blue wash and leave the star as bare paper.

How it works

These Bible drawing ideas come with their references. Eighty scenes, symbols and verses to letter sit in five groups: Old Testament, New Testament, symbols, verse lettering and painting. Every hint names the book and chapter, then the shape to get right, so a card, a journaling margin or a church poster starts from the text. Show all 80 puts the list on screen to print and tick off.

Read the full guide

Read the chapter before you draw

The text is often plainer than the pictures you remember. Matthew 2 names three gifts and never counts the wise men. Jonah 1 says a great fish, and the word whale is not in the book. Isaiah 11 puts the wolf with the lamb and the young lion with the calf. Where the chapter speaks, these Christian drawing ideas follow it.

Five groups and three levels that combine

The 31 easy ideas are mostly single objects, such as David's sling and five smooth stones. Most of the 16 hard ones put figures or animals in a scene. For Bible verse drawing ideas, tap Verse lettering: 13 layouts with wording taken straight from the King James Version or the World English Bible. Painting holds 14 Christian painting ideas that lean on colour, such as orange coals against a blue dawn.

  • Count the letters in each line of a verse before you ink it. Put the longest line in the middle and the block balances itself.
  • Turn figures away or draw them small, in plain tunics and cloaks. A back view is respectful and far easier than a face.
  • For a poster, pair one symbol with one short line. A lamp and eight words read from the back of a hall.

Questions and answers

Which ideas suit a beginner?

Single objects. Good first picks are A dove carrying an olive leaf back to the ark, one teardrop body and two swept wings, and Two stone tablets of the law side by side. Both fit a card front, and the Easy group holds 31 like them.

Which translation do the quoted verses come from?

Twelve of the 13 lettering layouts use King James wording. One, Love never fails, is from the World English Bible, since the King James line reads Charity never faileth. Each hint names the book and chapter, so you can swap in your own translation.

Is it Saul or Paul in the basket at Damascus?

Saul. The escape down the wall in a basket is in Acts 9, and that chapter calls him Saul, so the list does too. Likewise the tree in Luke 19 is a sycomore, the King James spelling. Every reference and quoted phrase was compared with the full King James Version and World English Bible.

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