Nature Journaling | Stay Motivated
‘How do I stay motivated in my Nature Journaling journey?’, is a question that a follower asked recently. What a great question, and an issue that I’m sure we all struggle with from time to time. I know I certainly do. Let’s jump right into the why’s and how’s of staying motivated.
Finding Your ‘Why’ Is Key to Staying Motivated in your Nature Journal
Finding your why — terminology coined by Simon Sinek, a motivational speaker/entrepreneur. Catch his TED talk on the topic at or read his book ‘Start With Why’. In a nutshell, dig deep and figure out why you want to keep a nature journal in the first place. Make sure it’s not just another thing to tic off of your, ‘I should do this’ list.
There are many ways to connect with nature besides Nature Journaling. Our brains balk at the ‘shoulds’ in our life. Your own personal ‘why’ will help keep you motivated naturally.
How A Growth Mindset Keeps You Motivated to Nature Journal
A fixed mindset is another way we ‘should’ ourselves.
I believe that we often underestimate the power of the words we speak to ourselves. Think about it for a minute. Words can be used to sell, to motivate, to inspire, to belittle, to degrade, to uplift, . . . and the list goes on.
How we speak to ourselves matters!
A ‘fixed mindset’ might say, ‘I should get out my Nature Journal and create a page. It’s been so long since I’ve done one.’ Notice the ‘should’? See the way that those words conjure up shame and guilt? That’s not motivating, and yet most of us speak to ourselves this way all the time. Shame and guilt are never going to motivate us to create that nature connection that we’re looking for.
A ‘growth mindset’, however, might say, ‘I get to go Nature Journal for a while’, or ‘Woohoo, I have time to work in my Nature Journal today!’ Just a few tiny little words, but what a difference in perspective and staying motivated in your Nature Journal!
Learn to use the power of words to your advantage to build yourself up rather than tear yourself down.
How Time of Day May Affect Motivation
Are you a morning person? Do you have a day job and come home too exhausted to do anything else, much less get out your Nature Journal? Have you really drained all your energy, or are you, perhaps, a morning person?
No matter what time of day you feel most energetic, that’s the time of day you can try to carve out a bit of time for Nature Journaling. That’s when you will find it much easier to get out and explore! Find times that work for you.
- Get up just a bit earlier in the morning.
- Carve out morning time on your days off.
- Are you a night owl? You can Nature Journal at night too! Sketch a star map or work on cut flowers and fruit at your kitchen table.
- Take your journal with you to work and slip in some sketching time during your lunch hour.
Baby Steps to Staying Motivated
‘An object in motion tends to stay in motion, while an object at rest tends to stay at rest.’ Newton’s first law of motion.
Most of us are probably familiar with that part of the law of motion. But do you know the rest of that statement? The rest of that law states: unless acted upon by an outside (unbalanced) force.
So what does this have to do with staying motivated with your Nature Journal?
It only takes a teeny, tiny change in motion to get you re-motivated. Start with a tiny commitment. Just 5 minutes. You can do anything for 5 minutes, right? Get out your journal and sketch something simple — an apple, for example. Set a timer. If, after that 5 minutes is up, you don’t feel like continuing, give yourself permission to put it away.
Keep those 5 minute appointments with yourself. You’ll be surprised at how often that 5 minutes turns into 10, 15, or 30 minutes.
Set out on a stroll. Take your Nature Journal along, but don’t plan to get it out. Just enjoy your stroll. Often for me, I’ll head out in a bad mood and as I stroll along, I find myself noticing the bird sounds. Pretty soon, my mood has lifted and I get my sketchbook out. I allow myself to just stroll and enjoy, however, without any expectation of Nature Journaling that day.
So much of the time, the goals we set are unrealistic. We are ambitious, which is a good thing; but when we fall short of our goals, we end up feeling like failures. We beat ourselves up. (Think New Year’s resolutions — and ‘the shoulds’.)
Expectations Can Block Your Nature Journaling Motivation
Do you expect a perfectly executed sketch or painting in your Nature Journal when you head out for the day? Does your finished page live up to your expectations — whether it’s the artwork, the lettering, how well you identified species?
Nature is unpredictable! So, it follows that predicting an outcome in your journal may also be unpredictable.
Go back to your why. Why do you want to keep a Nature Journal? If your why is to create beautiful works of art on your pages, then you need to adjust your journaling to accommodate that goal. That kind of page takes much more time, more tools, and more practice than say, a journal page that is more of a diary of your encounters along the way.
Make sure that you’re enjoying the journey of creating your pages — not just looking for that perfect end product. Don’t let BIG expectations steal your ability to stay motivated!
Partner Up
Accountability. It’s not the perfect word here, but stay with me for a second. Having Nature Journaling partners, keeps us motivated to get out there if for no other reason than we don’t want to disappoint or let others down.
There are times when I’ve committed to a Nature Journal outing with other people. Like most introverts, the day comes and I think to myself, ‘I really don’t feel like doing this today.’ Because I’ve let others know I’ll be there, I force myself to get it together and go. I am never sorry that I followed through! But left to my own devices, on those days, I guarantee I would not have gone by myself.
There are Nature Journal groups and clubs all over. Jack Laws has graciously created a page on his website where you can search for one near you. If there isn’t one, he also teaches you how to start one where you are.
Be Kind to Yourself
Be kind to yourself! We are literally living in unprecedented times — our brains are filled with the chaos and fear of what’s happening around us. It drains us of energy and focus. Although spending a bit of time connecting with nature through our NJ can help with that, ‘shoulding’ all over yourself will only add to your chaos!
Nature Journaling, done right, should be a relaxing, engaging hobby — don’t make it your job!
So there you have my take — 6 ways to increase your motivation to keep Nature Journaling; or doing almost anything else for that matter!
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Step-by-Step Field Bag from Cargo Pants
Here it is — for those who have been asking! Honestly the YouTube video where I talked about my field bag made of cargo pants is my most watched video! Crazy!
Many have asked for more specific instructions than I gave in that quick-look. So hang on, . . . here we go!
First you need to find a pair of cargo pants. (They don’t need to be long pants–cargo shorts will work just as well) I’m fortunate that I live near the largest Salvation Army thrift store in Ohio. I can almost always find cargo pants. This pair had a price tag of $3.99 on them, but I was there on 1/2 price day, so I paid only $2.00 for these. If you can’t find cargo pants at your local thrift store, it’s still cheaper to buy a pair than a pricey pre-made bag.
Wrangler Authentics Men’s Classic Twill Relaxed Fit Cargo Pant, Black, 36W x 32LI also picked up a small kids bag. Why? This particular bag had a nice, sturdy web strap with a buckle adjustment. It was priced at $1.99, so again 1/2 price day, I paid $1.00 to get a strap — MUCH less than it would have cost for a new strap from the fabric store + the cost of the adjusting buckle.
Let’s measure and cut out the body of our bag. Most cargo pants have pockets on both legs, so you’ll have to decide which pocket you’re using for the body of your bag and which you’ll use for the flap.
First Time Sewing: The Absolute Beginner’s GuideOnce you’ve decided, lay the pants leg flat with the pocket centered (and the other leg tucked up out of the way). In the photo, I’ve drawn a line above the pocket that just misses the crotch seam. You can feel this through the fabric. I want as much fabric above the pocket as I can get.
For the bottom cutting line, I laid down the largest sketchbook I carry to decide how far down below the pocket I wanted to cut.
Repeat the cutting for the other pocket. This one will become the flap for your bag — this one you’ll only need the top part of the leg with the pocket. You can cut off the back part of the leg.
Cut lining fabric for the body of the bag as well as for the flap. For the body of the bag, lay your cargo pants piece down onto a doubled piece of your chosen lining fabric. (I happened to have this piece on hand, but you could buy a small piece, or if you want to stay with the thrift store items, a large men’s button-up shirt should work.)
Cut a single layer of fabric to line the flap. In the photo, you can see that I’m using a plate to round the edges of my flap. This is just a personal preference — I think it looks more finished than a square edge.
Stitch around the sides and bottom of the lining fabric, right sides together. Leave the top open. Make sure you know which is the top and which is the bottom of your bag lining. As we’re working with a pants leg, it’s usually a bit tapered.
Flip the body of the bag inside out and stitch the bottom edge. 
Place the lining inside the body of the bag and set aside. Stitch the flap lining to the flap. Place the flap lining right sides together with the flap. Stitch around 3 sides, leaving the top side open.
Pin the flap to the back 1/2 of the body of the bag. Now, with right sides together, stitch the flap to the back 1/2 of the body of the bag.
Stitch the strap to the sides of the bag. Make sure to stitch this down in several places — make a square or an ‘x’ or both, as the strap will take a lot of punishment with use.
I’ve chose to finish the raw edges with double fold bias binding. There are many ways to finish off the raw edges that you’re left with. Since, for me, this isn’t a high fashion bag, it’s a bag I carry on hikes, I’ve chosen the easiest method.
I purchased some ready-made double fold bias binding from my local Walmart. (You should be able to find this anywhere that sells sewing supplies.) It’s easy to use; you simple sandwich your raw edges inside and stitch it down! Easy, peasy.
Jetec 1/2 Inch Double Fold Bias Tape Bias Binding Tape Wide Fold Cotton Tape for Sewing Seaming Hemming Piping Quilting Projects (Black,30 Yards)And there you have it! A finished field bag that will hold tons of art supplies, nature adventure tools, your sketchbook, sunscreen, and insect repellant!
So what are you waiting for? Grab your bag and get out there with your nature journals. No more excuses that bags are too expensive!
There are so many other ways that you can re-purpose older things! What ideas can you come up with?
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Page Layout: Make It Engaging
How do I create a pleasing page layout?
This is a question that I see often from beginners who are tentative about getting out there with their nature journal. They do a few pages and they’re really unhappy with the way it comes out.
There’s no pre-planning involved.
Are you ready to start creating Nature Journal pages with a little forethought? Here are a few basic rules that you can follow to help you create pages you’ll love.
Page Layout Using The Golden Ratio
The first rule that we should pay attention to is Fibonacci sequence. The Fibonacci sequence is a mathematical formula that defines the shape and the pattern of everything that we see in nature, including people. Since we see these patterns in our everyday existence, it’s very pleasing to our eye.
Almost everything in nature follows the mathematical formula of the Fibonacci sequence The Fibonacci sequence is a complex mathematical formula but artists, photographers, and graphic designers use what’s called the ‘Golden Ratio’.
‘The Golden Ratio’ is a simplified version of the Fibonacci sequence that we can use as Nature Journalers to get that ‘pleasing to the eye’ effect. Simply divide your rectangular page into nine equal sections; three by three.
Any place where those lines intersect is a great place to put a focal point. You should, in general, avoid putting anything smack dab in the center of a page. That center positioning tends to create kind of a dead spot in your page.
Instead, what you want is to create little pockets of interest in multiple different spaces on your page. Placing your sketches and text blocks on the line intersections or even stretching them along the lines will give you the kind of interesting Nature Journal page you’re trying to create.
Little pockets of interest sit on the lines — nothing sits exactly in the center of the page Face the Center
Here’s another compositional thing that you should think about. Say you’re drawing a bird and you’ve decided to put him on the left hand side of your page. He should be facing forward or to the right — the center. Why? When you have faces, whether it’s a person, a bird, or even a flower facing into the center of your page, they’re seen as part of that page.
To our brains, it appears as though they’re looking at the rest of the page — and enticing the viewer to do the same. They lead your eye to bounce around between different elements, back and forth and stay on the page. If, however, you have them facing outwards away from the page, it leads the viewer’s eye off of the page — following their gaze to see what they’re looking at! (We are curious by nature!) You want to avoid that most of the time unless you are trying to create a specific look for that page.
‘Faces’ face the center of the page! See how your eye bounces back and forth between the birds? Odd Numbers
An oddity about the way our brain perceives things: we are especially pleased with things that are arranged in odd numbers! We are particularly fond of things that come in threes.
Use this to your advantage when planning your page layout! Arrange the sketches on your page in groups of 3 or 5.
Our brains are really pleased with elements in groups of 3 Using the Triangle in Your Page Layout
Another compositional trick to keep your eye bouncing around the page: triangular placement. In other words, put your main page components in a triangular arrangement around your page. If you’re using the magic of 3 elements on a page, you’ve automatically got a triangle!
The sketches should all face the center of the page. Bonus points if your sketches kind of face each other in a diagonal arrangement. This causes your eye to bounce around the page, taking in every detail.
The Importance of Negative Space
Last but not least, let’s take a quick look at negative space. Negative space is a place or places on your page where there are no words, and no pictures. It’s a resting place; a spot for your eyes to take a break for just a second. It should be carefully placed so that it doesn’t cause your eye to bounce right off the page! Without negative space, your eyes and brain quickly become overwhelmed. The viewer isn’t sure where to look! Negative space can be a very powerful element on your page — make sure to include some.
Don’t crowd your images too closely — a bit of negative space creates a resting spot for they eye. Phew! That’s quite a bit of information to absorb! Don’t let the overwhelm get the better of you. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel yourself. Inspiration for page layouts is everywhere!
Finding Inspiration for Page Layouts
Look to the graphic designers and artists who’ve already done the heavy lifting for you! In other words, pick up some magazines, copy the way they have words and pictures laid out on their pages. They know what they’re doing. They know how to make your eyes bounce around the page. Check out a few graphic novels (modern-day comic books) from your local library to see how they pair pictures and words together.
Creating dynamic, engaging Nature Journal pages is within your reach! Choose to incorporate one or two of these compositional rules on your pages and make them pop!
New to Nature Journaling? Grab your Free copy of my Quick-Start Guide to Nature Journaling from the Freebies Library!
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Hand Lettering in Your Nature Journal
Creating fun hand lettering on your Nature Journal pages can really take your pages to the next level! Take a quick look at this video to see how easy it can be.
To pick up the free tutorial on the lettering styles shown in the video click here to sign up for the Freebies Library.
My favorite pens when I’m Hand-Lettering on my journal pages. The ink is archival, meaning it won’t degrade the paper over time. These are my go-to when I want to outline letters — when they’re dry you can watercolor over them with no bleeding or smearing. That’s the reason I use them for any notes or observations also. The non-smearing effect means I can highlight text with watercolors!
I want to give you a super-quick overview of how and why you should create ‘just word’ pages in your Nature Journals.
Sit-Spots and Nature Journal Pages
I have been practicing ‘sit-spot’ for a while now. A sit-spot is a place that you can go, preferably at home or at least very close to home. You visit your sit-spot on a regular basis. Visiting your sit-spot without an agenda, without your phone, without your sketchbook will allow you to just get quiet and make a real connection with nature.
Over time, you will find that you are becoming familiar with the wildlife at your spot. You recognize the calls of the local birds and notice how their calls and songs change when they are looking for a mate or are warning each other of a potential threat. You’ll follow the progress of the seasons in the trees, perennials, and annuals that live near your sit-spot.
I do this on an almost daily basis. I’ve watched sparrows nest, lay eggs, feed the nestlings, and then finally watched the nestlings fledge and fly off on their own. These are the things that I write about in my Nature Journal pages after the fact. Since I’m not drawing as I’m watching, I use only the words. I do, however, help to tell these stories with creative Hand-Lettering on those Nature Journal pages that are words only pages! For me, it makes those pages so much more interesting and more like a story.
If you haven’t tried just sitting still in nature without any agenda, I urge you to give it a shot and see how it can change you!
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New Sketchbook Anxiety
New sketchbook anxiety is real for most of us! It used to be a real stumbling block for me. Purchasing a new sketchbook is always a rush — thinking about all the potential in those blank pages was thrilling! But all of that imagining always gave way to crippling anxiety when actually facing that first blank page.
It’s an all or nothing mentality really. It goes something like this: ‘If I mess up this first page, the whole sketchbook is ruined. Why do I even bother?’ We make those tentative first marks, and our prediction has come true! We failed to create a masterpiece!
Remembering What a Sketchbook Is
For me, the first step in overcoming that anxiety is remembering why I keep a sketchbook in the first place. My sketchbook is for exploration and experimentation. It’s for taking notes and for planning out the occasional larger finished artwork.
Remembering the purpose of my sketchbook takes lots of pressure off of that first mark on that first page.
My favorite ‘go-to’ sketchbook is Canson’s Mixed Media. The paper is just heavy enough to take watercolor in the field. I also find that it has just enough tooth that I don’t have a bunch of trouble with graphite smearing. I also love that it’s wire-bound so it lays flat when I’m working. Plus it comes in several sizes!
New Sketchbook Anxiety Busters
Here are a few more tricks I’ve learned along the way:
Muddy boot on page became my title page after outlining and a bit of lettering! - Don’t buy expensive sketchbooks! I am much less ‘precious’ about a sketchbook that hasn’t cost me an arm and a leg. On the occasion that I want a more expensive one, I try to buy in advance and on sale!
- Create a title page on the first page. Do some nice hand-lettering. It’s all about creating those first marks.
- Drop your book on the ground – yes, you heard me correctly! Drop it on the ground, step on it. Create a doodle from the marks.
- Make pre-set layouts for the first couple of pages. Draw smallish rectangles or squares — they’re much less daunting than an entire blank page.
- Tuck a couple of scrap papers between the pages. Do your warm-up sketches (ie: the uglies) on the scraps before you work in your new journal.
- Create reference materials on the first few pages.
- Value studies
- Color wheels
- Write or paste a copy of a favorite inspriational poem or quote on the first page.
- Choose a theme you’d like to explore. Write that theme at the top of a couple of pages.
- Who says you have to start on page 1? Flip your sketchbook to a page in the middle and get started!
- Take a cue from bullet journalers and create:
- A moon chart
- An index
- A sketching habit-tracker
Color-Mixing Practice & Value Study/Color Wheels These are but a few ideas to get you started. Try one or two or come up with a list of your own ideas! Most importantly, don’t let new sketchbook anxiety win — get started on that new journal!
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Nature Journaling in Public: Yikes!
Nature Journaling in public can be a daunting prospect for most of us. Planning a nature journaling trip to a museum, zoo, or aquarium sounds like a great idea! That is, until you get there — it’s crowded, and you’re now too nervous to get out your sketchbook. Today I’m sharing tips to help you get over your fear of nature journaling in public.
‘Fear is not a rational response to whatever challenges stare at us in life. And it is all in our mind, within us, and not anything external to us.‘
from Think Simple NowPrepare Your Mind Before You Go
Before you head out remember, everyone else is usually busy doing THEIR thing as well. Look at how many people are texting or talking on their cell phones, chatting, talking with a friend, having lunch or tea or a drink in the pub, shopping, sightseeing, taking photos, or reading… most often they’re going on about their own business and won’t even notice that you’re nature journaling!
There are basically two strategies that we’re going to discuss: avoiding interactions with other people and how to handle situations when people approach you anyway.
Tips for Avoiding Interactions When Nature Journaling in Public
- Wear headphones or earbuds and make sure they can be seen from a distance! Most people are reluctant to approach someone who is listening to music. Of course, you don’t actually have to be plugged into anything! Just tuck the end of the cord into your pocket — they’ll never notice!
- Use a smallish hardbound sketchbook. It looks more like a written journal or diary and people won’t be as inclined to look over your shoulder.
- Don’t bring every art supply you own! That will definitely call attention to what you’re doing! Choose your favorite sketching tool: a pencil, pen, or brush marker should do.
- Look busy — concentrate. This may be the appropriate time to bring out your resting bitch face if you have it! People don’t often interrupt someone who looks totally engrossed in what they’re doing.
- Use the buddy system. Bring a friend, or join a group. You won’t be as nervous if you aren’t alone! Also people are less likely to approach a group of people involved in an activity.
Tips for Times When Someone Approaches You
In spite of your best efforst, there will ocassionally be someone who breaks through your defenses. Although these encounters will be few, it always helps to dispell that fear if you have a plan in place in advance.
- Relax and breathe! You are allowed to be a beginner — give yourself that permission. You can be an expert artist and an old hand at nature journaling, but new to dealing with people looking over your shoulder as you work. That is a learning process as well!
- Do your warm-up sketches in the car so you aren’t worried about doing those first few wonky sketches with an audience.
- In my experience, most encounters are positive. Remember that most people think that drawing is magic! If someone does approach you with a comment, say thank you for the feedback (whether positive or negative), then put your head down and get back to work. You will have acknowledged them politely and shown them clearly that the interaction is over and you’re getting back to work.
- Look at an encounter as an opportunity to be an ambassador for nature journaling! You are in love with nature or you wouldn’t be out here trying to capture it in your journal. Don’t be shy about sharing your passion!
Lastly, getting over that fear is just like exercising a muscle. The best way to get over the fear of nature journaling in public is to, . . . nature journal in public! Just get out there and do it!
Make sure to take a look at some of my favorite Nature Journaling tools.
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10 Tips: Your Winter Nature Journal
Keeping your winter nature journal can be tough when you live where winters are long and harsh. We’re talking multiple feet of snow and temperatures below 0 F. Difficult but not impossible! I’m going to get you started with a look at 10 ways you can continue your Nature Journaling even in harsh weather!
Tatuo Women Convertible Glove Cable Knit Glove Half Finger Mitten with Cover for Cold Days (Burgundy)
Tip #1: Work on Improving Skills
- Practice sketching from photos, your own or online. If you use photos that you’ve found online, make sure you understand copyright laws before sharing your sketches!
- Explore.org is a great online resource full of live video camera feeds from around the world. It’s more like sketching in the field with animals moving rather than a stationary subject in a photo. Perfect for practicing your gesture sketching!
- Take a class! Winter is the perfect time to sign up for that drawing or painting class you’ve been wanting to take. Check local art centers or online sources.
- YouTube is a great resource for free tutorials on drawing and painting techniques. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for videos on general Nature Journaling topics as well as drawing and painting tips, with new videos uploaded every Friday.
Tip #2: Bird Feeders are a Natural For Nature Journaling in Winter
Granted, if it’s super cold outside there won’t be lots of birds but there are a few hardy souls that stick around even in the coldest weather.
A bird feeder or two outside your window will be a favorite hang-out for them! Get out your nature journal and sketch away while they have a snack!
Tip #3: Field Trips
Field trips are a go-to for winter journaling! Find a few local indoor spots where you can get out your sketchbooks in a heated environment.
- Aquariums
- Conservatories
- Natural History Museums
- Zoos with indoor exhibits — my local zoo has indoor exhibits for many of the animals, including big cats, reptiles, insects, nocturnal creatures, and an aquarium.
Watercolors are not an option when it’s really cold out! In winter, I travel light and carry only a graphite pencil and a permanent pen.
Tip #4: Local Nature Programs
Check the events calendars of your local public library, parks systems, and rescue organizations. Many offer programming with live animals in indoor settings in the winter! Even better, find a way to volunteer and get up close and personal with them!
Tip #5: Nature Journal in Winter Around the House!
There is truly nature all around us, all the time. We just take some ordinary things for granted!
- Produce from your kitchen — Yep, ALL sketching will improve your skill-set! So, draw that apple or that pepper before you eat it!
- Houseplants — if you don’t have any, get some! Added bonus: besides being great to work on your drawing skills, they help to clean the stale air in your home if you’re stuck inside during a long, cold winter!
- Grab a bouquet of cut-flowers from your local florist. Choose flowers with different shapes to ready your drawing skills for spring and summer!
- Pets — Live models ready and waiting for you! And they stay still enough for you to sketch them in different positions — well, some of them anyway!
Tip # 6: Field Guides
Most nature lovers have at least one field guide on their bookshelf! Practice sketching your favorite bird, plant, mammal, or tree! Learn their common markings and traits, so you’ll be ready to live-sketch them in better weather.
No field guides at home? Check your public library. They usually have several to choose from.
Tip # 7: Anatomy Books
Although most of us don’t have bird and mammal anatomy books hanging out on our bookshelves, you can find plenty of these at your local public library as well. You’ll be surprised at how much better your live sketches become when you understand how to draw the underlying bone and muscle structure of your chosen subject.
Learn to sketch how a bird’s wing folds and where the feathers lie.
Tip # 8: Taking a Trip to a Warmer Climate?
Are you heading out to visit relatives or perhaps you have a business trip scheduled in a warmer climate? (or at least slightly warmer) Don’t forget to pack your nature journaling kit and take advantage of those spare moments!
Tip # 9: Foraged Items in Your Winter Nature Journal
- Shells saved from your beach vacation
- Interesting sticks, rocks, and twigs saved from your last hike
- Found bird feathers
- Fallen leaves, acorns, and pinecones
All of these items can be sketched in the comfort of your warm home — in your pajamas!
Tip # 10: Practice Hand-Lettering Techniques
Learn and practice new hand-lettering techniques to enhance those journal pages. Once again, online resources abound!
Check out Pinterest and YouTube to find tutorials on every type of hand lettering and calligraphy that you can imagine!
Get my Hand-Lettering for Nature Journalers FREE pdf booklet from the Freebie Library to get started.
Bonus Tip #11: Play Around with Layouts in your Winter Journal
If you’re anything like me, you scroll through Instagram, Pinterest , or your favorite Facebook group, and oooh and ahhh over the amazing (and organized!) page layouts that some of your favorite nature journalers come up with. Study them, copy them, and layout a few pages in advance. Find the layout ideas that work for you.
I’m certain that there are many more ways to continue your nature journaling practice even in the harshest of winters, but these 11 tips are a great starting place! Can you think of any others? Share them in the comments!
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Nature Journaling in Winter
Nature Journaling in winter? Absolutely! With just a few minor adjustments to your tools and routine, winter journaling can be tons of fun and a great learning experience. Today we take a look at the things you need to adjust to make your nature journaling excursion a success.
Nature Journaling Field Kit: Winter Style
How does a winter kit differ from a summer kit? In summer, I carry a small watercolor set with a fillable water brush for adding color to my sketches. Where I live, winters have many days that are below freezing — making watercolors difficult or impossible. So in winter, I switch to colored pencils.
But, how do you carry and sift through all the colors you might need, you ask? Most of the time, I carry only 6 colors — 2 sets of the 3 primaries — one warm and one cool. That way I can create almost any color I might need.
Aside from switching to pencils, I tend to carry pretty much the same things. I do eliminate the small junk book I carry for pressing leaves and flowers. Winter cold makes things too brittle to press most of the time. I also leave the insect repellent at home. Yay! I add a tube of lip balm in its place.
A Change of Clothing
There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.’
~ Sir Ranulph FiennesSo, what to wear out in the field in winter is really the biggest change you’ll probably need to make. Dressing for the weather is really not as difficult as we like to make it!
Keep your core warm, and the rest of your body will be warmer as well. Layers, layers, layers — my mantra for all seasons! No matter what you’re doing, where you’re going, or how long you’re planning to be out, layering is the way to go. As your body temperature and the air temperature fluctuates, it’s easy to add or subtract layers as needed.
Cover your ears! There are not a lot of nerve endings in our ears to register temperature changes; but ears, fingers, and toes are the first body parts to be damaged by prolonged exposure to the cold. Choose thick socks and appropriate footwear. Look for fingerless gloves so that you can sketch, but make sure to cover your fingers when you aren’t sketching.
But Winter is Boring; Just Brown, Gray, and Dead!
Well, . . . OK, I get that. I used to think that too. Used to.
Nature journaling is all about observation and connection, right? For sure, when I’m sitting at home looking out the window, most days are gray, cloudy and lifeless looking. But, trust me, when you get out there and begin to really look, you’ll see a whole different world!
With nature journaling in winter, it’s all about texture. The strong, bright colors of summer might be behind us, but they leave behind the structures of the plants — the parts that were hidden behind all those colors. You get to see the support structures, the seeds and how they were formed. And bonus — all those seeds now become winter food for birds and seed eating mammals. You can get some great sketching time as they come to dine!
Sketching textures can be a challenge, but challenging ourselves is good for the brain! And so what if your attempt at a pinecone is not a work of art! You spent time with that pinecone – observing. Did you hold it in your hand? Turn it over? Did you notice something you hadn’t before? Did you identify the tree it fell from? Congratulations! You’re a winter nature journaler!
Winter Nature Journaling: Yes, Virginia There is Color!
OK, so like we said, at first glance all you see is brown and gray. But, in order to successfully capture that brown seed, you’ll need other colors! Really. Look closely. I’m betting that you’ll see some form of purple in the shadows — not black like you thought. In winter, the light or highlight areas often contain a bit of blue.
Look closely at that mound of snow. Depending upon the time of day, you’ll see blues and purples as well as reflections from sunrises and sunsets.
Look up. There will be breaks in that bleak, winter sky! Sketch the clouds and that beautiful blue surrounding them!
And who doesn’t need practice mixing green colors? The other day, I stood in one spot at a local park and counted at least 5 different species of evergreen trees, all with wildly different coloring! One could spend an entire winter season sketching, studying, and cataloging just those trees and bushes!
So you see, at first glance, nature journaling in winter seems like a boring proposition, but just like nature journaling any other time of the year, it’s all about the closer observation! Are you excited to get out there?
Are you new to nature journaling (in any weather!)? Start HERE.
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Introduction to Nature Journaling
I’d like to introduce you to Nature Journaling. Are you feeling a bit disconnected? Life moving too fast? Do you feel anxious and stressed? Both spending time in nature and drawing can help you to slow down, decrease your stress levels, and even lower your blood pressure! Bonus — it’s FUN!
Me? I have always had a passion for nature and drawing. Nature Journaling was the perfect solution for enjoying both at once. I’m so excited to share this with you. Keeping a nature journal can be an amazing adventure!
Are you ready?
What is a Nature Journal Anyway?
The simplest answer: it’s an individual’s exploration of the nature around them. This exploration can be expressed in several ways:
- Drawings — this part goes without saying. It’s what most of us think of when we think about a nature journal. I know — you’ve been looking at other people’s nature journal pages online and you’re intimidated. Me too! Honestly, though, it’s social media folks! People only put the best of the best online — including artists! I promise that you CAN learn to draw the things you find intriguing in nature!
- Writing– can take many forms
- Metadata — Put the date, time, a quick note about the weather. That’s called ‘metadata’ and it’s science! This allows you to keep a running record from year to year about weather patterns as well as the plants and animals you encounter.
- Scientific names — you’ll learn these along the way as you become curious about flora and fauna you encounter
- Random thoughts — just like any other journal or diary
- Poetry — many people are inspired to write in verse to add to their pages
It’s your journal! Pick and choose what you want to include in yours. It will probably change over time. Experiment! Most of all — don’t forget to have FUN with it!
What Do I Need to Get Started?
Since this is an introduction to Nature Journaling, we aren’t going to get too technical. Personally, I like to keep things simple anyway. Think about where you’ll be journaling. Are you a hiker? Will you likely hike a few miles? Or are you more likely to park close to your chosen spot?
Make sure to grab your FREE copy of my Quick Start Guide to Nature Journaling from the Freebie Library.
Both are valid options, but may influence what tools you choose. I tend to be a hiker most of the time, so I like to travel light. A heavy pack full of lots of supplies is not something I would choose.
- Art supplies — choose your favorite media whether it’s pencils or paint, but carry only what you need. While it’s cool in the studio to have every color of paint, in the field it’s not practical. That bird that you’re trying to sketch won’t sit still long enough for you to rattle through your bag looking for the perfect color!
- Sketchbook — Choose one that’s small enough to carry with you. Pay attention to the type of paper. You’ll want heavier paper — perhaps mixed media if you plan to use watercolors. If you’re going to use mostly pencil, any sketchbook will do. I like to see beginners start with the least expensive option available. The reason? It’s best to not have to worry about wasting expensive paper! The more drawings you do, the better you’ll get!
- Clothing — this should go without saying, but make sure you’re dressed for the weather! Layers are best whether it’s the height of summer or the middle of winter.
That’s all you need to get started! And I’m willing to bet that you already have most of this at home without needing to go out and purchase a bunch of expensive supplies.
Take a look at my personal favorite supplies to get you started!
Your First Nature Journal: Getting and Staying Motivated
An introduction to nature journaling wouldn’t be complete without a motivational section! If you’re like most of us, me included, you’re going to start off strong. After a little time passes, you’ll lose the motivation that comes with the ‘newness’ of things. Here are a few tips to keep you going.
- Start small — habits are easier to maintain if you start with small commitments. Even 5 minutes a day of drawing will increase your proficiency! Create lasting habits — check out this video on Mini-Habits to get you started. Sketch while you have your morning coffee, or on your lunch hour. You can find nature everywhere! (Even in your kitchen! Sketch an apple, a pepper, or your houseplant.)
- Stay close to home. As appealing as it is, there’s no need to travel to distant, exotic lands to find interesting things to add to your nature journal. Your own backyard has plenty of journaling opportunities!
- Learn to adopt a growth mindset rather than a fixed one. Check out what Carol Dweck has to say about this in her TED talk on YouTube.
Nature Journaling is accessible to anyone! The supplies are inexpensive and easy to acquire. And one last tidbit of motivation. You’ve heard that it takes 10,000 hours to get good at something, right? Wrong! That number has been misquoted on site after site. It takes 10,000 hours to become a musical virtuoso or an Olympic class athlete. For the rest of us, studies show that it takes only 20 hours to get reasonably good at something new! How awesome is that?! You can do 20 hours — that’s easy, right?
What are you waiting for? Get busy and get those 20 hours!
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Nature Journaling: Leaves 5 Ways
Nature journaling leaves doesn’t have to be a daunting prospect! Let’s take a quick look at 5 different ways to include leaves in your journal!
Sketching Leaves in Your Nature Journal
Of course, for most nature journalers, sketching will be the the ‘go-to’ method for adding leaves to the nature journal. If you’ve been following me at all, you know that I firmly believe that anyone can learn to draw! But, I digress. Here’s a simple way to sketch a leaf:
Take a look at the overall shape. As in, would it fit better in a square, a rectangle, or perhaps an oval? Giving your leaf this type of boundary will help you with proportion.
Next take a minute to study the veins in your leaf. Is there one predominant vein? This one usually runs down the middle of the leaf from the stem to the tip. This is the best place to begin your sketch.
Most leaves are pretty symmetrical. I usually begin at the leaf tip and sketch lightly — alternating down each side until I get to the stem. Are your proportions off? This is the time to adjust.
Notice whether your leaf has smooth or toothed edges. Add that detail.
Lastly, add in any heavy veins as they appear. Add color and shading as you like.
Tracing
Here’s a ‘no-brainer’ way for nature journaling leaves!
If your sketchbook is large enough and your leaf small enough, you can simply trace your leaf. Wait, does this count as nature journaling? Of course! Nature journaling is not just about creating pretty art!
Simply trace the outline of your leaf into your journal. Add in the veins. Add a bit of shading and color. Voila! You’ve added a leaf to your nature journal!
Leaf Rubbing
This is an old tried and true method. For this to work, you’ll need to work with paper that is thin enough to feel the veins in the leaf. If you can’t feel them with your fingers through the paper, you won’t be able to capture them with a rubbing.
You also need a leaf that has pronounced enough veins to capture them.
Place your leaf, vein side up, under your paper. Use the side of a crayon or pencil and scribble over the surface until the image appears! This is a great option for kids to nature journal with leaves!
Printing Leaves with Paint for Kids Nature Journal
This is another popular option for kids. Simply paint the backside of the leaf with
watercolor or acrylic paint. Place wet paint side down on the paper and press. Voila!
Take your time and have fun with this one. Choose several leaves and using different
colors of paint, layer them on your page.
Want even more tips on Nature Journaling with Kids? Check out Nature Journaling with Kids: Part I (supplies), Nature Journaling with Kids: Part II – Let’s Sketch!, and Nature Scavenger Hunt.
Washi Tape
The simplest method of all is to simply use washi tape and tape the actual leaf into your journal.
The drawbacks? The leaf will eventually dry out and crumble. There are, however, several methods of preserving leaves. My favorite method is to iron them between sheets of waxed paper. The heat transfers the wax to the leaf and preserves it fairly well. While the wax does help preserve the leaf, it is still very delicate — handle it gently! Use washi tape to attach it to the page.
I believe it’s time for us to begin looking at nature journals a little differently. It’s time to think outside the box. Although sketching is my preferred method of working in my nature journal, not everyone wants to sketch. We all, however, really need that connection to nature. Journaling in any form forces us to lean in, to look a little bit closer, live in the moment, and make that all important connection to the nature that we, as humans, are very much a part of.
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