Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

Greetings beloved Illustrated Faith Family!

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with big things?   Heavy stuff that threatens to bury you under it’s weight.   Things you can’t change.  Things that immobilize you and threaten to take your breath away if you focus on them too long.   Stuff that makes you feel weak in the knees.

The other day, I found myself doing just that and God put this quote in front of me –

Be faithful in the small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

Mother Teresa

It was like a road map from heaven, a release from solving all the big stuff that was piling up around me.    The key has always been in the little things.

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much…

Luke 16:10 ESV

 

Sometimes, all God asks is for us to open our eyes to the little things we can do; and then one baby step at a time, we make our way along the road.

The big stuff is still there but because our eyes are always looking for the next little thing, we are moving bit by bit, praising Him in the small details, making progress, seeing changes, moving ahead.

The big stuff loses power.  It can’t bury us in darkness and the immobility of the impossible.

And I thought, I love how God weaves so much in the little details — songs of the birds, the scent of flowers, the shapes of leaves, and the clouds filtering the sun — and I exhaled.

I can faithfully live in the little things for a bit until He shows me what I need to do with the big stuff.   I can listen to the birds sing and praise Him.  I can sweep my floors and thank him for crumbs.  I can lift prayers of petition and thanksgiving over all I see and over all whom I love.  I can let my eyes appreciate the design of a tulip.  I can do a load of laundry and praise Him that I have a washer and dryer.  I can let kind words fall from my lips.  I can read the next chapter in my training books.  I don’t have to solve everything, and I don’t have to always understand.  Sometimes my job is to just do the next little thing God puts in front of me and draw strength from each small step.

Let’s journal truth friends –

 

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I adore flowers.  They make me happy to look at and to paint.  They are a little thing God uses to bring joy to my heart.   I decided to paint a simple bouquet to illustrate the truth of strength in little things.  I started with puddles of color on my white board.   It’s sometimes fun to just pop out the little trays from your Illustrated Faith palette.

I made a puddle of pink and then combined pink and orange to make a more coral color.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

Next two greens.  The first is straight up spring green and the second is spring green mixed with the teal.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

I love the Zig travel brush because the bristles are springy and hold lots of color.  Simple little flower buds are just strokes of color laid down in a circular motion.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

When you press into your brush into the paper, your strokes become wider.  A light stroke is thinner.  Varying the pressure gives the petals a more natural look.  After I laid down the initial petals, I went back in and dropped in saturated color straight from the pigment tray.  Examples of dropping in color can be found here https://www.illustratedfaith.com/watercolor-tutorial-leaning-no-beginning-no-end/ and here https://www.illustratedfaith.com/watercolor-tutorial-leaning-teach-fly/

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

Drying in between colors is important if you don’t want the colors freely mingle.  In these flowers I wanted my petals to be more distinct.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

Next up I added my coral strokes.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

A few lines of green for the stems.  I used a long straight brush and stroked down the spring green first and went back in while the lines were still wet tapping in a few places of tealish green.   Last step was stroking down some pure spring green straight from the pigment tray.  Remember with watercolors, layers are your friend!

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

Adding some fountain leaf strokes for whimsy.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

And there you have it, a simple little bouquet of happy blooms.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

Now to add Mother Teresa’s quote.  Pencil first.  Illustrated Faith precision pen next.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

A close up of the blooms.  I love how you can see almost every stroke of color.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

I highlighted the text and added a few taps of straight teal to the stems and leaves.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

Tabbie time!  The Illustrated Faith You are Loved designer clip and tabbie are perfect.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

A bit of Illustrated Faith Criss Cross Washi, some hexies, and a Seeds of Faith enamel button!

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

Am I done?

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

Could be… but that Criss Cross Washi tape!  Those beautiful little dashes of color — they led me further into more small details.  I first added some black scribble contrast lines with my Illustrated Faith precision pen to the lettering and the flowers along with a few white lines to the flowers with my Uni white gel pen.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

But that washi, it kept whispering color, more colors!  Do supplies ever speak to you?    Hmm… maybe it’s just me!  Anyway, I pulled out some colored gel pens and added more little details of rainbow color.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

It’s like little bits of rainbow promise all over the bouquet and scripture.  Little details.  Perfect.

Watercolor Bible Journaling Tutorial | Leaning In - Faithful in the Little Things by Amy Bruce

I hope that on the days things are too big, you remember Mother Teresa’s wisdom and just keep your eyes on the next little thing.  If you illustrate this truth in your Bible or make a bouquet, tag me on Instagram @designsbyamybruce — It makes my day to see your creations!

So many hugs,

 

amy bruce

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Ranger Heat Tool | #6 Princeton Select Flat Wash | #2 Princeton Select Round | Zig Medium Tip H20 Travel brush|  White Board | Uni-ball Signo White Gel Pen | Sakura Souffle Gel Pens – Orange, Pink, Blue and Yellow

2 Comments
  1. Monika 7 years ago

    Even in still shots, I love watching you carefully paint the little things. Such a tender reminder of God’s love for us. Thank you for this encouraging word–sending this right now to my loved one who is still battling with some big things. Hugs and love to you!

    • Author
      Amy Bruce 7 years ago

      I love that Monica – and that my painting reminds you of His tender love for us makes my heart fill with gratefulness to our Lord. So many blessings and hugs sister!

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