Join me on a nature journal adventure with my friend and fellow nature journaler JP! It was Superbowl Sunday but we decided to nature journal instead. We saw a dead whale, we saw mergansers, and we even saw a crawdad and cliff-growing succulents.
Just Start Somewhere
Nature journaling in a new element is not easy. I made a whole video about how to nature journal from a kayak and I am still not totally comfortable. You will see how I struggle even getting started when you watch the video. I paddle around looking for a better angle. What should I draw? Where should I park my kayak? Should I nature journal from the shore?
“Start before you’re ready.”
-Steven Pressfield
The most important thing is to just get your journal out and start getting something down on the page. Getting started can be especially hard under the following nature journal adventure circumstances:
- You are not physically comfortable
- The environment is distracting
- There are too many options to nature journal
- You are worried about your materials getting lost or damaged
- The art supplies you usually use are not conducive to the adventure
The best solution to all these problems is to clarify your intentions before you go, simplify your materials, and start making marks on your page as soon as possible.
I was really glad for the opportunity to go on this adventurous nature journaling trip with JP. To see more of JP’s work check out her Instagram. She also shares some of her professional calligraphy work on there. https://www.instagram.com/jpthistlecreek/ In addition JP is the leader of the Napa Valley Nature Journal Club.
Just getting started with nature journaling?
Need more tips? check out this post. It will walk you through how to nature journal in 10 steps.
Do you need help building your nature journaling kit and choosing supplies? Check out Nature Journaling Supplies: What You Need and What You Do Not
