HCSB The Illustrator's NoteTaking Bible

Seems like the latest trend for Bible readers, is called Bible Journaling. It combines coloring and note-taking into one within your Bible. Rather than simply jotting down notes, readers are doing far more than simply drawing simple pictures in the margins of their Bibles and Bible publishers have taken notice.

I had the chance to review one such incredible Bible for those who love the coloring concept taking over the Bible trends but perhaps may be like me, a bit artistically challenged in defining what they might want to add to their Bible. HCSB or Holman Christian Standard Bible has created The Illustrator's Notetaking Bible. Filled with over 600 images including text designs, images and filigree patterns along with adjoining pages that still provide you the ability to create your own designs or utilize them for note taking as well.

These illustrations are done in a light grey allowing you to personalize them in any way with your own color choices or design elements. There are everything from famous scriptures verses, random doodles, florals or leaves, to detailed elements pertaining to a particular passage or chapter that anyone can design to their own personal artistic tastes.

The Bible comes in a brown leather like cover, with ribbon place holder perfect for keeping track of your daily Bible reading. The illustrations were done by Kristi Smith, an award-winning illustrator and hand-letterer at Juicebox Designs, a graphic design firm in Nashville, TN. Her work can be seen in their online porfolio and retail store, the Juice Bar, located at juiceboxdesigns.com.

The only downside I can see on this, is despite all the markers I have tried, they ALL bleed through even highlighters if used repeatedly, to say highlight a particular passage of Scripture and want to deepen the shade of the color. I would LOVE it, if I could find something that works with the quality of true marker colors and hues, but for now, the only thing that I would recommend is coloring pencils of any brand and maker.

The font size is 7 pt and comes with colored maps at the end, a presentation page if you were to give this as a gift to someone, God's plan of Salvation, Commonly Used Abbreviations, Bullet Notes, Daily Bible Reading Plan and a Concordance. Truly this would make a wonderful gift to anyone who truly loves God's Word and adding a bit of color to their Bible alongside their note-taking. The words of Jesus are not red-lettered and the edges are gold tipped.

I received HCSB The Illustrator's Notetaking Bible compliments of B and H Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside for a free copy of The Illustrator's Notetaking Bible in exchange for my personal and unbiased review of the product. Now all I have to do is manage to pick up another one of these because my 17-year old daughter absolutely has inherited this for her own and even takes along a package of coloring pencils for those times when you arrive early to church and need something to do. Well worth all of the 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. There are two color cover choices, tan or purple so there is one for every member of your family who loves to color!

For more information about HCSB The Illustrator's Notetaking Bible, Kristi Smith or where you can pick up a copy of this Bible today, please click on the links below:

HCSB The Illustrator's Notetaking Bible

You can find Kristi Smith at the JuiceBox Designs on Facebook. 

To read more reviews on HCSB The Illustrators Notetaking Bible, please visit B and H Publisher's Facebook page.