Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction.
E. O. Wilson
Sometimes, after I casually throw the term around, someone will ask me, “What is Nature Journaling? My spell check doesn’t even think that journaling is a correct verb!”
Nature journaling is a process or substrate for externalizing and recording the dynamic interaction between human curiosity and the natural environment. By making sketches, writing notes, and jotting down other information, the journaler engages with the observed surroundings. This process can be highly focused with a planned subject or it can be spontaneous and based on the unpredictable environment.
Nature journaling can be a solitary pursuit or it can be a communally-shared activity. It is a relatively new movement but clubs are being formed around the world, providing a support group, motivation, and sharing for people in the same locality who want to nature journal together. Nature Journal Clubs
A typical nature journaling club expedition might go like this:
It’s a beautiful Sunday morning at the entrance to a California park full of mixed oak woodlands, rolling hills, and blackberry covered creeks. A handful of people are milling about near the entrance with sketchbooks, binoculars, and hiking shoes. More people arrive; some know each other and some are totally new, some are seasoned artists and naturalists, others are just getting started with watercolors. The mixture of skill levels, backgrounds, and experiences benefits the entire group.
After a short round of introductions and maybe a motivational talk, the group heads off down the trail like a pack of curious kids. Occasionally, the group will slow down and someone will point out an osprey flying by or a snakeskin on the trail. Some people will capture a few quick sketches of the bird in flight and jot down some notes about the shed snakeskin. Then, the group will stop for longer, people will do a mini landscape painting or try to capture the details of a wildflower.
Once everybody has filled a few pages there is usually a chance for everyone to lay out journals on the ground. Now is the chance to see what others have been up to, share ideas, and borrow methods form each other. There is always something to learn from others.
After a few hours of journaling, most people have developed an appetite and there will be a break for a potluck lunch. Fun and educational conversations continue during the potluck and sometimes someone will read a poem or a quote or give a technique demonstration. If there is a facilitator or main organizer of the club they might ask for donations to help keep the group going.
After lunch, the group will continue their exploration; observing, sketching, recording. There might be another round of journal sharing before the group returns to the entrance of the park and everyone heads their separate ways.
I believe that nature journaling is the most powerful toolkit for learning about nature. It is affordable, accessible, democratic, and it can be modified and specialized in almost infinite ways. The process is also encouragingly cumulative; the more you do it, the more you will notice, the more you learn, and the more beautiful and meaningful your journal pages become.
For many useful videos on nature drawing and journaling, check out John Muir Law’s youtube channel: John Muir Laws
He is one of the main champions of nature journaling and is a storehouse of good information on drawing and natural history. He also has the most comprehensive book on the subject: Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling
