Nature journaling is a wonderful intersection of art and science, an activity that encourages you to get curious and connect to the world around you, and a way to build memories of a place or experience.
How do I start?
You can start with supplies as simple as a blank sheet of paper and a pencil, or a mixed media sketchbook and watercolors. Part of the fun is experimenting with different materials and supplies! What works for one person may not work for another.
Some things to consider when you are selecting your materials:
- Where will you be sketching? If you'll be hiking, you may want to choose to take fewer supplies -- perhaps a travel palette, pocket sketchbook, and water brush. If you'll be working in your own backyard, you might choose larger sketchbooks or a full set of colored pencils.
- What types of materials do you prefer? If you enjoy adding watercolor, you might use pencil or water-resistant inks and use a sketchbook with thicker paper. If you plan to stick with colored pencils or crayon, you can use a lighter paper.
- How will I carry them? A sketcher with fewer tools may be able to take a waist pack, while others may prefer carrying a crossbody bag or backpack -- although with a backpack, consider that it's harder to grab your materials on the go.
Spend some time observing your surroundings, sketching outlines and writing down thoughts about the world around you and your experiences. On your page, make a note of the date, time, and weather. You can look at the whole landscape in front of you or zoom in on the tiniest details of what’s around you.
Throughout this process, you'll want to ask yourself a very important question. Are you enjoying it? If you find yourself feeling uninspired or struggling to finish a sketch, that’s OK! Is there another, more interesting subject you'd like to move on to? If you’ve been writing, try sketching something; if you’ve been sketching, try writing a little poem. Maybe it's time to call it a day and head back inside or on to another activity. Remember, it's much more about the process than the product.
Additional activities that do not require writing or drawing, for younger or differently abled individuals:
- Go on a color hunt! Choose a crayon from a box and take a walk in your neighborhood or just sit in your backyard or at a window and look for that color.
- Compare sizes of similar items. Find one small leaf and one larger leaf or look for things smaller and larger than the individual.
- Count numbers of berries or leaves on a plant, number of petals on a flower, or the number of different bird songs you can hear.
Whether you’re out all day or just a few minutes, any time spent in nature is time well spent.
Resources
- Attend one of our Nature Journaling Workshops! Poet Mary Oliver, opens a new window's advice for life is to "pay attention, be astonished, and tell about it" -- learn how to incorporate this practice into your everyday life and into your travels!
- Browse our book list to find more inspiration!
- Want to venture beyond your backyard on a larger nature journaling excursion? Check out a day pass for Foothills Nature Preserve, a Santa Clara County Park, or a California State Park!
- Another alternative is sketching at area zoos or natural history museums. Find attractions and get free passes through Discover & Go!
- View incredible large-scale watercolors done in the field at The Foster Museum in Palo Alto. Artist Tony Foster travels around the world and creates amazing paintings on-site. You can see not only his works, but some of the tools he carried to create them. Free admission by appointment.
- John Muir Laws is a premier artist and author who, through the Wild Wonder Foundation, has popularized nature journaling and provides video tutorials and live classes.
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