Nature Journaling Supplies: My Picks
Here are my picks for Nature Journaling supplies. They may not be your favorites, but purchasing your first supplies can be an absolutely overwhelming prospect. There are so many choices! Everyone will develop their own ‘favorite supplies’ over time, but it can be helpful to know what other people are using to get a reference to begin. These are my current favorite supplies and will probably change over time!
Paper & Sketching
The first thing in your nature journaling supplies kit should be paper.
My favorite sketchbook is the Canson XL mixed media . I love this line of paper because it is smooth enough to work well with dry media, graphite and colored pencils, but also heavy enough to take a bit of watercolor and ink. It comes in multiple sizes. My favorite is the 5.5 X 7.5 as it fits easily inside my field bag.
For sketching, I have used Derwent graphic/sketching pencils from the beginning. I have tried a few other pencils, but in my experience the Derwents are much smoother and lay down graphite like butter!
Derwent also makes a water-soluble graphite that is loads of fun. They work like any other colored pencil. Sketch with them, then add a bit of water to create shading and shadow on your drawing.
The Sakura micron pigma pens are one of my go-to supplies for nature journaling! I keep them in every nib width. They’re great for outlining sketches, drawing bounding boxes on my journal pages, writing notes and metadata, and even for straight up sketching.
The Sakura pens are great, but I often rely on the Pitt Artist Pens with India ink. They make a nice, dark line and the ink is very smooth on the paper.
Adding Color
Prismacolor Premiere colored pencils — I’ve been using these for most of my artistic career. I have spent countless hours creating colored pencil paintings with these, from tiny pieces to large 16 x 20’s! They are soft and buttery — a joy to work with.
I am a BIG fan of using a split-primary color palette. (Check out my Skillshare class, ‘Color Theory: Get the Color You Want, When You Want It’ for more information.) This artist grade watercolor kit from Daniel Smith is perfect! You can literally create any color you want using this palette of colors. If you’re not sure what a split-primary palette is, also check out a book that changed my life as an artist! ‘Blue and Yellow Don’t Make Green’ by Michael Wilcox
There are lots of different palettes out there. I prefer a small one like this Empty Watercolor Half-Pan Tin. The half-pans are refillable and removable, so you can create your perfect color palette — one that is specific to the way you work and where you nature journal.
Waterbrushes are amazing to work with in the field! It’s so convenient to have the water in the brush. No more need to carry empty containers for brush washing — can be refilled on the spot from your drinking water. I like having the variety of brush tips in this set.
My Favorite Resources
I’m kind of a ‘bird nerd’. There are a few Nature Guides that I use on a regular basis. There are sooo many of them out there, but I really like the Audubon Guides. I use the North American Bird Guide to identify birds as well as learn how to sketch and color them. There are guides for localities around the world as well as guides for trees, mushrooms, mammals, and other natural elements.
I recently stumbled upon this really cool book that teaches you how to identify bird calls and songs. I am in LOVE with this one. It’s called The Backyard Birdsong Guide. Most of the time when I’m out and about Nature Journaling, I hear the birds before I see them. Knowing who is making which sound often helps me to locate them in the trees. There are different guides for different parts of the world as well as a simplified one for the kids!
An all-time favorite book for me is The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. This is a book made from the real-life journals of a woman at the turn of the Century, filled with her diary notes and beautiful wildlife paintings. It’s such an inspiration!
Nature Journaling: Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling This is a perfect book for anyone who wants to learn more about Nature Journaling and how to sketch and draw almost anything you find in nature. This one is a top pick for most Nature Journalers.
What’s Next?
Now that you have supplies covered, why not pop over to my classes page and sign up for some fun instruction? And don’t forget to check out my favorite barefoot trail shoes below!
My Favorite Trail Shoes
In addition to art supplies, here are my very FAVORITE outdoor shoes for hiking in all kinds of weather and terrain. I personally own 5 pairs of Xero Shoes and they are the best! They are ‘barefoot’ shoes, meaning that there is extra room for toes to expand and grip. The heel is a negative heel — keeping your posture in a more natural state. Personally, wearing these shoes while out hiking, I have noticed much less knee & ankle pain than when I wear my heavy, clunky hiking boots! The soles are super flexible, allowing you to feel the earth under your feet, but still be protected from sharp objects. Click on the Xero Shoe banner below to check out all the styles!
*I am an affiliate for Xero Shoes — I receive a small commission should you purchase shoes using my link at NO EXTRA charge to you!
