In October, Crossway released the ESV Illuminated Bible, Art Journaling Edition, a unique Bible designed to draw readers’ eyes to the beauty of the Word of God itself through the addition of artwork. This Bible places the full ESV text alongside over 500 elegantly hand-lettered gold ink illustrations by renowned American lettering artist Dana Tanamachi, whose exquisite typographic murals ignited the worldwide chalk-lettering trend. Her previous clients include Instagram, Target, Google, Time magazine, Nike, and West Elm.
The ESV Illuminated Bible features a Smyth-sewn binding and comes in four different formats, including Hardcover, Cloth over Board, TruTone®, and Top Grain Leather.
Dane Ortlund, executive vice president of Bible Publishing and Bible Publisher at Crossway, says, “The Christian church enjoys an ancient tradition of embellishing the Bible in elegant, artistically dignified ways as a means of bringing out the unspeakable beauty of the Scripture itself. The ESV Illuminated Bible stands squarely in this historic tradition, integrating beautiful and fitting artistry into the biblical text, providing an edition of the Bible that can be used for journaling or simply for reading and enjoyment.”
Printed on thick, cream-colored paper, the Bible’s single-column text setting and wide margins provide generous space for additional notes, prayers, and designs, inviting readers to creatively engage with and reflect on the beauty of God’s Word.
Read more about the ESV Illuminated Bible at https://www.illuminatedbible.org/.
Review
Upon receiving the new ESV Illuminated Bible, I was pleasantly surprised by its beauty. Each book of the Bible has a full-page illumination, with other smaller ones throughout the other books. I have enjoyed searching through the 500 illuminations to see their amazing insight and elegant gold artistry. My favorite depiction changes each time I look at it. Today my favorite is the Old Testament book of Micah, which shows a radiant sun with shadowed mountains on a field of flowers.
The ESV’s pages have wide margins so you can add your own art or journal as you meditate on Scripture. But this edition is so beautiful, I won’t be able to mar its pages! It is a delight to read and marvel at God’s artistry in His words and in the skillful work of the artist, Dana Tanamachi. This Bible is truly a treasure.
— Stephanie Overman, pastor’s wife and homeschooling mother of two
