Welcome to Drawing with Data. We are Chris and Karola Woods and we created the Gospel Journey Planner.
The project began when Chris reflected on how many stories in the Gospels are referenced across the four books. He wondered if he could map these patterns visually. Would it work to use the analogy of an underground transport map? And so the Gospel Journey Planner was born.
As committed Christians, we wanted to create a unique piece of art that allows people to see the beauty and connections in the Gospels in an entirely new way.
How we Worked Together
The project was a joint effort drawing on our unique skills. Chris is a data visualisation designer who specialises in transforming complex information into meaningful images and animations that tell a story. Karola is a writer who provided the vital research foundations for the work.
The Creative Process
The Gospel Journey Planner was a nine-month labor of love, moving from an abstract idea to a finished piece through a rigorous technical and creative process:
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Initial Concept & Prototype: Early prototypes explored two versions: one with straight lines that looked like a cross, and another with curved arcs reminiscent of a tube map. We shared these with friends, and the consensus was for the curves.
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Intensive Research: As the complexity grew, Karola stepped in to meticulously document every miracle, parable, teaching, landmark event and reference to Jesus’ identity. Each Bible verse was recorded in a Google Spreadsheet, along with supplementary data and notes that allowed us to categorise, filter and review the numerous entries to ensure the final piece was both accurate and beautiful.
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Technical Build: To transform this data into the art you see, Chris built an application in Javascript. This allowed him to precisely plot the text, sweeping paths, and junctions you see in the design.
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Iteration & Challenges: Both the researched material and the technical application went through hundreds of design and data changes. One of the biggest challenges was the sheer volume of stories—much more than in the original concept. Chris used the application to re-order the stories to maximise the use of space while ensuring all connections remained perfectly lined up. He used an idea from one of the reviewers to use Matthew as the ‘Datum’. So these are now in chapter order with the other books as close as possible.
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Review: Before final publication, we sent copies to trusted friends for feedback. This resulted in further stories being added and ensured the piece was ready for publication.
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Finishing: The final image was finished in Figma, where Chris added the headings, legends and applied typography to complement the overall design.
A Premium Giclée Product
We wanted the finished product to honour the source and reflect the time we had invested into it. We have partnered with a specialist UK fine art print studio to offer a truly premium product. Each planner is produced using Giclée printing, which uses a wide range of light-fast, pigment-based inks. This results in sharper resolution and prints designed to last for generations.
Art with a Mission
Our ultimate hope is that this art serves as more than just decoration. Whether it hangs in your lounge, kitchen, church or bible college, the Gospel Journey Planner is designed to be an evangelical tool—a conversation starter that points toward the true destination: Jesus.
By showing how the stories of the Gospels weave together, we hope to highlight the unique characteristics of each book and the central identity of our Lord, Jesus Christ.