If you’ve got something awesome to share then I really don’t mind if you think it comes off as “self promotional.” If it’s awesome then it’s awesome!
[UPDATE: Check out the full Old Testament here!]
For example, Jim LePage dropped me an email a while back and I didn’t mind a bit, because after he had spent some time describing his vision and project I was hooked.
The design project is called “Word” and is where he’s creating original designs for each book of the bible. He started it because the Bible had personally seemed a bit boring so he wanted to combine it with something that personally excited him: Design!
He tries to post a new one every Friday and adds a reflection to each one. His goal? To learn more about the Bible and make cool designs so share with people the fact that there is “more to Christian art than Thomas Kincade.”
Check these out:
Pretty sweet, right?
Got a favorite?
Those rock! I would love to see poster-size prints of some of those. Love Job and Esther! What a cool idea.
YEAH! I’m going to have to go with …1 Chronicles, or Ecclesiastes! What amazing talent, and what an “A”rtistic way to put it to use!! (+14pts)
This guy just blew my mind. I can’t pick just one! These would be perfect for sermon series type stuff as well. And posters like the other commenter said. Wow.
I think the Judges one might be my fav, though. I love the “Philistines Suck” tattoo! hahahah
Wow, pretty sweet. Love the Job one.
Sorta offended/disturbed by the feel of the Psalms. I’d hate for that to be in my word at the beginning of the book of Psalms. Sorta betrays the overall feel of the book in my opinion.
Thanks for the feedback, Cole! I hear you on the Psalms designs and I jut want to give you a little more background on the designs in general.
The designs are not meant to completely represent the books. Sometimes they may turn out that way, but that is not my goal. Rather, the goal for me has always been to find something in the book that is interesting, weird or just screams out to be visually interpreted. In other words, the passage or story I choose to design is a completely personal and subjective choice and I’m not thinking about how well it represents the overall book. (I say a little more about this on my site if you follow the link above in the post).
So I completely agree with you that my Psalms designs betray the overall feel of the book, it’s just that that’s never my intent.
Hope that makes sense.
Just a thought… I think it only betrays the feel of Psalms if you are identifying with the perpetrators. Most of the Psalms, David (& others) are crying out to God as victims… if you identify with a victim, with someone who is being hurt and abused and killed, God coming to the rescue sounds a little different.
I agree that it’s stark, however.
hah. I didn’t see the first one about Babies!
These are awesome!
very!
love the Rally in the Valley
Very sweet! Anyone know if he’s willing to let people use them for sermon series jumping off points? I’m with the other guys as well…poster prints. I could see putting a few of these up in the office.
These are awesome.
Love the vintage poster feel as well.
oh my WORD! I LOVE these! 2 Samuel, Deuteronomy and then all the rest tie for third.
Freakin’ coolest designs for the bible EVER!
I LOVE the DvG one.
I agree with Tim’s (first) post. Ester and Job just hit me so hard. I was moved. I think I even said “That’s beautiful” out loud to Ester, and “Cool” to Job.
Thanks for collecting these. I’m gonna go check out the original site now
Thanks to John for the post and thanks to everyone for the comments! I feel SUPER encouraged by all the feedback.
Several people asked about prints of these. I’m starting to look into getting prints made, so that will eventually happen. If you’re interested, just keep an eye on my blog for more info.
Thanks again!
I run a church-oriented print shop. Please hit me up at service@tree-fox.com and let’s talk about printing these! Gorgeous!
wow. wow. wow.
peace | dewde
So hard to choose a favorite. LOVE Ecclesiastes and Job, with Esther, Judges, and D vs. G running close behind. Laughed out loud at the male/female Genesis…brilliant. Thanks for posting these.
Amazing work! I agree with Psalms…I want something that reflects the joy in the sorrow. Psalms is so hopeful and worshipful and while I understand it’s not your intention, it left me feeling unfulfilled. Joshua disturbed me, however, I think that’s the power of it. Pick a favorite? Hmm, that’s tough… I love Nehemiah, except I want the sword in their somewhere…they worked with bricks in one hand and swords in the other… Lamentations is adorable. Job is stunning and probably my favorite if I was forced to pick one. I also love Ezra, though… the dichotomy of the Old Testament and modern mapping software, pretty genius. Thanks for sharing these!!
I have to say i think that Joshua is probably my favorite cover.
It appears a few might need editing but for the most part they are very intriguing.
I absolutely love it. The Job one made me lol
Great work. These are very nicely done. I can hear the words of the books as I look at these. Thanks. Stay blessed…john
Agree wit Rodlie…. This would make a wonderful sermon series to talk about…
I love the one for Judges, it’s my favorite book of the Bible, and the Story of Samson is my favorite out of that book. Awesome.
These are sweet! I love the designs. And the way you did these really makes the words of the bible feel more tangible in a sense.
Also, the “Phillistines suck” tattoo for Judges made me laugh..
Great stuff…Keep it coming
So I jumped the gun on releasing prints, but Exodus, 1 Samuel, Esther, Job and Daniel ARE available now:
http://jimlepage.com/word-designs/order-word-prints/
Beautiful. Job.
These are really great! I especially like the Song of Solomon ones =) Keep up the good work!
How about numbers 31:15-18? How about a nice bloody graphic of infanticide and rape? At least you would be objective…
“Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. 16 “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD’s people. 17 Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, 18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
For everyone who asked about posters, I just made another 5 designs (now a total of 10) available as prints:
http://jimlepage.com/featured/new-word-prints-available/
Thanks again for all the great feedback!
Is there a way to order prints?
Hey Chris – You can find out more about ordering prints on my site:
http://jimlepage.com/word-designs/order-word-prints/
The art is nice, but I feel sad for Jim LePage that he feels the Bible is “a bit boring.” When the Spirit makes the Word come alive, there is nothing better. Jesus is “the Word,” and He is pure excitement.
amazing!
Wow. That is all I have to say. What a creative, interesting, accurate, and beautiful perspective on each book. I am amazed. Thank you for doing this.
I am inspired.
Nehemiah’s
*pokes the religious with sharp sticks and laughs*
GROW UP!
Hey man,
I really loved these designs, i was wondering if you sold some of these in a poster size?
JH
Thanks, Jacob! I now have prints available for all the designs I’ve done, up through Matthew. You can find out more about ordering prints on my site here:
http://jimlepage.com/word-designs/order-word-prints/
niiiice!!
my favorites are Job, Isaiah and Jeremiah
excellent job!
The art is very interesting, but it feels like it is a bit of a mockery towards the Bible. The Bible is a sacred holy work and to poke fun at it is not something that one should do in my opinion. It is also sad as someone said before that the creator of this finds the Bible “boring.”
Thanks for your feedback, Lindsay. I assure you my intent is not to mock the Bible, but to understand it better. I can see how some folks may be put off by the sarcasm and humor that I use. In my life, the people I am most sarcastic and humorous with are the people I know the best. I want the Bible to feel that way to me. It’s definitely sacred and holy, but I want it to feel like more like a good friend whose company I enjoy.
Personally, I think that sarcasm and humor can serve as a good entry point to understanding something that can seem really complicated and confusing for many people (like the Bible). I’m not saying my way is THE way. I’m just saying that it’s worked for me. Whenever the Bible becomes more alive to someone, it’s a good thing, right?
I’ve never said that the entire Bible is boring to me. But there are parts that are. Do you find Leviticus exciting? I hope to someday, but at this point in my life, that is one of the most boring books I’ve ever read. The Gospels on the other hand are very exciting to me.
If you wanted to get a fuller representation of my Word project, I’d encourage you to check out the “About Word” page on my site:
http://jimlepage.com/word-designs/about-word/
Again, I appreciate the feedback. Thanks for taking the time to look at my work!
These are fantastic! I love the song of solomon one at the end. In Chapel we talked about how the context of the love interest was different. We all laughed when he called his lady’s hair that of a goat!
I’d love for you to check these out and let me know what you think. They are part of my devotions: scaturro-design.tumblr.com
Wow, these are really really cool! This is a super way to get oneself interested in the Bible. Very nice art. I’ve never seen the Bible portrayed so creatively. Nice interpretations.
Beautiful, very inspiring art.
flawless. the Jeremiah was just brilliant. all of them absolutely stunning
Hmm. As a writer married to an artist I am always keenly interested in new expressions of “biblical” art. I see a mixture here. Some are simply brilliant (David v Goliath, Song of Solomon, Judges) while Job and Deuteronomy are “minimalistically brilliant”, some are offensive (Psalms, Joshua), some border on being “too clever by half” (Ezra). Overall, you have an amazing gift of conceptualizing and illustrating. Keep up the “often brilliant” work (and simply work on the rest!). Blessings, Maurice