The Nature Journaling Approach That Works For Me
Small, Fast, and On-the-Go!
What is the journaling kit and approach that is best? What sketchbook - size, format, and paper? What pens or pencils? What watercolors are best? Should I use colored pencil? Should I do a preliminary sketch? Do I collect objects and draw them at home or in the field? Do I draw from photographs? I’ve spent a lot of time investigation these questions. I’ve invested in many books about nature journaling. I have several by Clare Walker Leslie, John Muir Laws’ The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling and Jude Seigel’s A Pacific Northwest Nature Sketchbook. I also have many books devoted to drawing and painting more generally.
Over the past couple of years or self-study, I have learned that sketching small, fast, and on the go is what works best for me. It’s what I can maintain as a regular practice. I admire the pages of other nature journals that contain lovely, true-to-life illustrations of plants and animals and are accompanied by meticulous notes on climate and biological data. I CAN produce such illustrations. I’ve created this type of journaling in the past and enjoyed it.
In 2008 I drew a sketch of a nest of barn swallows (shown above). At the time, I was going through another wave of trying to establish a nature journaling practice and spent many days working on this one piece. I love this sketch. I remember well my joy and excitement upon discovering the nest, climbing on a ladder, holding the camera in my outstretched arms to get the photo. I’m almost certain I traced the general outlines then enjoyed the process of building up the values slowly. But I haven’t reproduced this type of work (much) since. Obviously, this level of detail requires a longer investment in time and I have gravitated away from it, life being already full of time-consuming and necessary tasks.
Since restarting my practice a couple of years ago, I have learned that I also enjoy creating looser and more spontaneous drawings and, over time, this has become my regular practice. In part, this happened because over the last couple of years, the walking has been as important to me as the drawing.
I take two types of walks, both out in nature, but for one, the primary reason is for spinal realignment, cardio-vascular health, and chronic pain reduction. In this type of walk I try NOT to stop. This is my “exercise walk.” For the second, my “journaling walk,” I stop as many times as I wish. I’m sure few readers would be surprised to learn that simply getting out and walking in nature, doing either type of walk - in the woods, at the beach, in my neighborhood - gives me an immediate lift in mood. I’m sure it has the same effect on many people. I revisit my favorite walks often and notice changes over time. Many times, this is all I do. Many times it is enough and no sketching is necessary.
When I’m out walking, the next level of benefit to me is the journaling. When I stop and give my (almost) undivided attention to something it becomes a form of meditation. Drawing or painting is the perfect accompaniment-accomplice for this. When I’m out journal walking I DO take photos using my phone. I know that some have suggested powering down or putting a phone away but I don’t have a problem with being sucked in to social media or emails while out walking. That happens at other times. Besides, for me, and my aging eyes, it’s adaptive technology! I like to use my macro lens and zoom in to see small things better.
When I find something I want to sketch, I go right in with pen or an ink brush, bypassing any preliminary sketch and just start. I do this because I know two things:
I’m a perfectionist and need a way that will stop me from obsessing over the “perfect” sketch. As it happens, I find that I enjoy loose drawing and painting. I like the spontaneity and the element of surprise and I like that the viewer is asked to use their imagination to complete the meaning of what they are viewing.
No one ever needs to see what I draw. I decide, ultimately, to share/show my work or not! If a sketching strategy doesn’t workout, I can simply turn the page and try again. Because my sketchbooks are small, it doesn’t take long to find out if something doesn’t work and I don’t feel too bad about wasting paper. I get a lot of practice this way.
In order to take advantage of moments when I do want to sketch on my walk, my kit needs to be light and easy to carry. Getting my materials out has to be easy as well. I have to be able to sketch or paint while standing if necessary, and I have to quickly pack everything up again. I have several versions of “easy to carry” but my favorite and the one that I use most is just a 3.5 X 5.5 inch (8.9 X 14 cm) sketchbook, a small selection of watercolors, a water brush, a binder clip and a fountain pen. These fit easily into my back pocket. I carry a very small set of binoculars which also fit in my pocket. I don’t often use the binoculars for sketching but they do help with observing.
I know I am not the only one who does this - carry a very simple kit. I have to credit Clare Walker Leslie, John Muir Laws and Bobbi Heron who all encouraged me to find the sketching kit that is easiest to carry and use. I shall simply join the Choose-the-Kit-That’s-Easiest chorus and add that I had to try out many different combinations of materials and in many different situations to arrive at what works for me. This experimentation included sketchbooks of different sizes, orientations and paper; different pens and watercolor sets; a sling bag vs. my backpack vs. a hip pack (which my spouse insists in calling a “fanny” pack); in different types of weather. I am still experimenting.
I hope that sharing what works for me will encourage you to find what works for you in turn. Nature walking and nature journal is one of the easiest ways I know to access better mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual (a connection to wonder, awe and gratitude) health.
A Wild Braid Nature Journal is part of my A Wild Braid project in which my mission is to show ways that nature walking, nature journaling, and creativity can be easily accessible, especially for those who think they have no time or have no artistic skill. To learn more, please visit www.awildbraid.com.
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Thank you for reading!
Sincerely,
Alma
Wow . Beautiful journals.
I love that you have Jude Siegel's book, too - it's hard to find! I found one at Half Price Books and want to get one for a friend. I enjoyed your distinction between walks for fitness and walks for being present to stop and notice! I take a lesson from my dog as he is so curious and sniffs everything -- he's a great role model! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on sketching quickly -- I have been transitioning to that method, too!