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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Field-Bag for Nature Journaling
Backpack vs. field-bag; here’s why I think the field-bag is a big win over a backpack if you’re on a nature journaling adventure.
Wait, What is a Field-Bag?
Technically, any bag that you carry your work or hobby-related items in, is a field bag. That means that a plastic bag from the grocery could be your field-bag. (I actually used that idea for the grandkids on a spur of the moment trip. It works, though it doesn’t last for more than one trip!) That means that your backpack could be called a field bag if you’re out hiking and nature sketching. And that is a perfectly acceptable bag for toting your hiking supplies and your nature journaling supplies all in one convenient spot, leaving you hands free to explore and draw.
Why a Cross-Body Bag is Better
For a long time, I simply tossed all my supplies into my backpack and took off for the nearest trail. It worked pretty well and I didn’t have to purchase another bag. If that’s what you have, by all means use it! However, I found myself more and more often, frustrated with my backpack solution. Every time I wanted to snap a quick photo or stop and do a quick sketch, I had to take my backpack all the way off and root around trying to find the supplies I wanted. It can be disruptive and take enough time that your subject flies, walks, or runs away!
A much better solution is a cross-body bag. If you wear your bag at hip level, on the side of your drawing hand, you’ll have quick access to your sketchbook. It works kind of like a holster, but for your sketchbook! Gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘quick-draw’!
Not everyone has the desire to make their own bag! A great option is a waterproof laptop bag. Most have plenty of pockets for your supplies, an adjustable over the shoulder strap, and are a great size for most sketchbooks. They come in all price ranges.
What to Carry in Your Field-Bag
Ultimately the choice is up to you, of course; but here are the things that I find essential to carry in my field-bag:
Make sure to visit My Favorite Supplies page for links to my specific favorites!
- My favorite sketchbook — This is a very personal choice and one you’ll need to make depending upon what types of tools you prefer to sketch with. I have settled on a spiral-bound pad of 98 lb. mixed media paper. There is just enough tooth to the paper to hold on to my media of choice — graphite — with very little smearing. It’s also thick enough to take a light watercolor wash so that I can capture accurate colors in the field.
- A mechanical graphite pencil — I prefer a mechanical pencil in the field — no need to worry about stopping to sharpen a pencil in the middle of sketching! I always have a container of graphite refills also.
- A small, portable watercolor set — I have a 12 color half-pan set. That’s more than enough colors for me to mix whatever I need.
- A water brush — This is a watercolor brush that holds water in the brush handle. I prefer a small round brush.
- An old bar-mop towel (or old tube sock) for cleaning out the waterbrush.
- Colored pencils — I carry a non-photo blue for quick, light under-sketches and a white or cream that I use under watercolors to keep lighter areas light. (ie: white or light colored veining in a leaf.) I also carry a small pencil sharpener for these.
- A permanent ink pen — I carry an 02 or an 03 size pen for detail. Permanent ink allows me to draw both under and over watercolors without smearing.
- Insect Repellent — OK, so this is not technically a sketching supply, . . . or is it? I keep a small spray bottle of DIY insect repellent in my kit also. It’s tough to sketch when you’re being eaten alive!
There are tons of insect repellent recipes out there, but here’s a quick run-down on my recipe for safe DIY insect repellent: start with a small spray bottle. Fill it about 3/4 full with 1 part water and 1 part witch hazel. Add in a TOTAL of 20 – 30 drops of at least 2 of these essential oils: lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, and tea tree. Shake well before spritzing, and apply as needed. **Disclaimer — ALWAYS do your own research on essential oils. Although usually safe, occasionally people are allergic to certain oils and a few can cause sensitivities in pets and children.
What Type of Bag?
The tools and supplies you carry with you when journaling will dictate what type of field-bag you need. I hunted around for a couple of months and couldn’t quite find one that fit the bill for me; well, at least one within my budget! So I scouted around on Pinterest looking at patterns for messenger bags and cross-body bags and every other type of bag you can imagine. OK, I admit it, I’m a Pinterest junkie! I felt like Goldilocks. One was too big, the next one too small. One didn’t have any pockets. Another required a zipper — to hard to get quick access. I was ready to give up. I figured I was just being too picky.
Then one day as I was wandering through clothing racks at my local thrift store, I got an idea! I bought a pair of men’s cargo pants with tons of pockets! Then, I created the bag and the flap out of the pocket areas and used a plain part of the leg for the back of the bag. I pieced together random scraps of the pants for the strap. Then I lined the whole thing with fabric I had left over from another project. An old laptop bag (also purchased at the thrift store years ago) supplied the buckles and hardware. Voila! A custom-made field bag that I created for about $5.00 U.S.!
Me cheesing with my NEW custom made bag! (I may be a little too excited about this) Now, making your own bag may not be your thing. I get it! There are tons of great field-bags and messenger bags available out there. There is one for every budget. The point? Find something that works for you — and get busy exploring and sketching!
If you’d like to have a go at making your own field bag, the instructions and YouTube tutorial can be found HERE.
New to nature journaling? Check out ‘Keeping A Nature Journal’ on the blog. Also grab a FREE copy of my Quick Start Guide to Nature Journaling from the Freebie Library.
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Nature Discovery in Your Own Backyard
Nature discovery is such a natural thing to do in the summer. I remember those days as a kid — summer stretched out before me. Endless days of warmth with nothing to do! Is there anything better? I spent every waking minute outside in those days. We didn’t have air conditioning, so there was no reason to stay inside. Cooling off meant a kiddie pool in the backyard or eating a popsicle under the big shade tree.
Endless Nature Discovery in Your Backyard
Lest you think this is a post about ‘the good-old days’, we’re just here to borrow a few ideas from the past that still work today to help us discover nature all around us. I spent most of my summer barefoot. My grandkids are doing the same today. Barefoot means that you can feel the grass between your toes. Stand still for a moment, you may feel an ant crawl across your ankle. Sit down in the grass and watch the anthill.
Lots of discovery is possible just from going barefoot for a little while. Step it up a notch. Allow yourself an hour — put it in your schedule if necessary — to just ‘be’ outside. Sit on the ground. Use all 5 senses to connect with the nature within your little space.
- What can you see?
- Is there only grass?
- Are there weeds, flowers, vegetables nearby?
- What about ‘critters’ — birds, insects, family pet?
- Lay back and watch the clouds.
- Close your eyes. What do you hear? Train your ears to pick only one sound out of the chaos.
- Birds calling?
- How many different bird calls can you hear?
- Are they ‘chillin’ or are there calls of alarm?
- Dogs barking?
- Insects buzzing?
- Birds calling?
- Can you smell anything?
- Flowering plants?
- Herbs?
- Dog poo? (yes, that’s part of nature too!)
- What can you touch?
- What does the grass underneath feel like? Spiky, soft, cool, damp?
- Is there a breeze?
- Can you feel the sun beating down on your back?
- Is there anything edible? (Be super cautious here — never taste anything unless you are absolutely sure it’s edible and you know it hasn’t been sprayed with anything toxic)
- Think ahead and bring a snack outside with you.
Nature Discovery Through Journaling
There are so many ways to journal. Find something that works for you. I like to sketch. It helps me to notice things about plants and birds that I’m drawing, that I never would have noticed. You have to look very closely and for an extended amount of time to really sketch something.
Maybe you are more drawn to words; storytelling, or poetry perhaps. I was scrolling on Instagram the other day and discovered a woman who writes a haiku on every nature journal sketch. Brilliant! She’s doing her own thing. You do you. Whatever helps you connect to the nature around you!
Your Extended Backyard
While there is plenty to stay occupied in your literal backyard, there’s no need to be too stuck in one spot. Make time in your schedule to check out parks and public areas near your home. You’ll find even more ways to make those local nature connections.
The more time you spend in local nature, the more you’ll fall in love with her! That’s just the way it works. We invest ourselves and our time into something/someone, which makes us care more for them. We learn their personalities, their good points and bad, their quirks and their personalities. Our love grows deeper.
My Grandchildren & I at a park just 20 minutes from home. Nature Discovery: A Few More Tips
- No need to travel to exotic locations — there’s so much to discover right where you live. We see locally every day, but we don’t really ‘see’ it. It becomes nothing more than background noise.
- Ie: I did not know until this past February that orchids are the largest plant group on Earth and grow in every climate! Huh, I had orchids in my backyard and didn’t realize it! On spring walks, I am looking with a different ‘eye’ due to this discovery.
- This spring we’ve had more rain than we ever have. Result? More plants, more insects, more birds. I’ve seen a couple of birds I’ve never seen here before!
- There are 4 seasons and 365 days to discover — you won’t get bored and you will never run out of things to explore!
- Try different times of day (and night). You might be surprised.
- Try the ‘string trick’ — you can only journal what’s in your designated circle. Start with a 5-foot string.
- Ask questions
- Do research
- Discover apps and websites that help
- Take art journaling classes
- Take drawing classes
- Try MeetUp or Facebook to find a group local to you — or start one!
- Do ‘themed’ walks in your area
- Mushrooms
- Spring flowers
- Birding outings (there are birding groups EVERYwhere!)
- Winter walks
I know how difficult it can be to find the funds and/or the time to get out to ‘exotic’ locations. We aren’t all fortunate enough to be able to take those special trips. Please don’t let that stop you! Look with ‘new eyes’ at all the wonderful nature around you and fall in love with the world in your very own backyard.
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- What can you see?
Nature Journaling Without Leaving Home
Nature journaling is on my mind now that summer is almost here! We had a nice, warm spring, but very wet, so I haven’t been able to get out to my favorite parks and hiking trails as much as I would have liked. I had big plans this week. My trails were all mapped out, my field bag ready to go. Then, mosquitoes. Yep, I slept with the window open the other night. It rained. Mosquitoes decided to feast on my feet! The bottoms of my feet! So now I’ve had to get imaginative and find things to nature journal without leaving home.
A New Plan for Nature Journaling This Week
Since I can’t comfortably hike until these bites heal, I’m dropping back to Plan B — nature journaling at home. While it’s nice getting out and about, why should staying home to work in my journal be any less an exciting adventure? Let’s take a look at what you might find to journal about during a week at home:
- My vegetable garden
- Bees on the flowers
- Birds hopping around the yard
- Plenty of squirrels to observe
- The neighbor’s cat prowling through the yard
- That interesting weed growing next to the fence
- One of my many houseplants
- The dog taking a snooze in the sun
- Pill bugs under a rock
- Cloud formations
So many ideas come to mind as I sit on the couch thinking and planning. I’m sure when I actually get outside, something else interesting will catch my eye.
General Drawing Practice: Without Leaving Home
Something else I can do this week while I’m sidelined; drawing practice! I can go back to the very basics and do a few value studies or shading exercises to keep my skills sharp.
This forced downtime is also a good time to get out a few books or comb the internet for anatomy to sketch. I’m really interested in birds, so I tend to draw them frequently. Drawings can be more accurate, if you understand the bone and muscle structure hiding under the feathers, so sketching the anatomy of a bird is a great way to spend some time this week.
As a matter of fact, time spent studying the anatomy of many of the common things we sketch in our journals is never a waste of time! Knowing not only the anatomy of birds and mammals common to your area, but also understanding plant structure will help you to ‘see’ your subjects more accurately and make deeper connections.
Live Camera Feeds: Africa in Your Nature Journal!
Practice your gesture sketching in your jammies! All you need is your sketching materials, your computer, and an internet connection. You can watch animals on live camera feeds from around the world! How cool is that?
Always wanted to go on an African safari, but don’t have the money (or the time)? Navigate over to AfriCam ( www.africam.com ) for a real-time glimpse of the fauna of Africa and sketch to your heart’s content. Or how about a scuba diving adventure? You can’t sketch in real life while you’re diving, but you can capture live sea-life by using Live Feeds! Try ReefCam (www.reefcamtv.com ) or BreatheBonaire, ( www.breathebonaire.com )
AfriCam 
EarthCam 
Explore
Find bees, birds, farm animals, and almost anything else you can think of at Explore ( www.explore.org ) and EarthCam. ( www.earthcam.com )
All of this drawing practice is a way to nature journal without leaving home. It’s not often that I have mosquito bites all over my feet but there are rainy days, sick days and days I just don’t wanna put pants on,… don’t judge me, you know you’ve had some “no pants kinda days” ha! With all these options and ideas at your fingertips, there’s no excuse for times when you can’t get out of your own house and garden!
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Overcome Your Fear of the Sketchbook
Fear of the sketchbook. Fear of the blank page or the empty canvas. Writer’s block. It’s the same for artists and writers alike. As someone who keeps a nature journal, I sometimes suffer from both!
‘Don’t wait for you life story to be perfect before allowing yourself to be happy.’
sketches in stillnessAn ‘Ugly’ Sketch is Simply a Problem to be Solved
Many of us believe that you are born with the ‘gift’ or talent of being able to draw. On the rare occasion when we do try to draw something, and are disappointed with the results, we fall back on, ‘I just don’t have that gift.’ We crumple up the paper, toss it in the trash, and decide never to try again.
“Ahhh… What is this” 
“What am I doing with my life”
‘The reality of the creative process is that it often requires persistence, the ability to stare at a problem until it makes sense.’
Jonah LehterLet’s try something different next time. Don’t throw your next sketch away. Leave it. Walk away from it for as long as it takes you to get your emotions about it under control. Now come back to your page.
Sit with this sketch you don’t like. Analyze the sketch — not your talent! Is there anything you do like about it? What — specifically do you not like? You must take the time to do this analysis in order to get better at sketching and drawing. It’s an exercise in problem-solving (not in evaluating your worth as a human). If you can identify the problem areas, you can work on them and improve.
It’s Practice, Not Talent That Makes an Artist
I get it. We all have that fear of facing a blank page. We want everything we create to be of ‘professional artist’ caliber every. single. time. Here’s a revelation — you only get to see the best of the best pages of most professionals! All artists have ugly pages in their sketchbooks; pages they aren’t proud of and don’t want to share with others.
Pro-Tip: If every sketch, every drawing, every painting is successful and perfect, you’re not stretching yourself enough! Stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to grow and learn new things!
Whether you’re keeping an art journal, a nature journal, or some other type of artistic journal, it’s the practice that makes ‘perfect’. Sketch something every day, even if it’s a tiny, 5-minute doodle. Overcome your fear of the sketchbook 5 minutes and 1 doodle at a time! Make ugly art — lots of it.
The Art of Getting Started
Getting my practice in, I’ve noticed a SERIOUS improvement! Ways to Push Through Your Fear of the Sketchbook
There are tons of ideas out there to jump-start creativity. Here are just a few of the ways that work for me when I get stuck in ‘fear of the sketchbook’ mode.
Canson XL Series Mix Media Pad, 5.5” x 8.5”, Side Wire Bound, 60 Sheets (400037134) (2 Pack)- Purchase or make a sketchbook that begs to be picked up! Yes, that seems a bit superficial, but I am a ‘paper junkie’! I love looking at beautifully crafted journals. I love the way a pencil glides across certain papers.
- Build a relationship with your sketchbook — like any human relationship the more time you invest, the more in love you become!
- Choose a limited color palette to work with for a given period of time. Or use just a pencil.
- Remember why you want to keep a sketchbook
- This is a place where only fun and experimentation exist
- Leave your inner critic behind
- Leave expectations of the outcome behind
- Your sketchbook is not for creating finished works of art — it’s where you play with ideas, take notes, and plan for a finished piece later on
- Your sketchbook pages do not need to be shared with anyone!
- Start your session with a couple of quick ‘no pressure’ doodles — my first attempts for the day are often wonky and ‘ugly’. I need to give my brain time to make the connection that ‘we are drawing’ so that the correct muscle memory pathways kick in.
- If you’re on Pinterest, there are tons of ‘30 day drawing challenges’. Pick one and use it for your doodle practice
- This is my go-to trick. Start small – commit to just 5 minutes at first. Pick up your journal, set a timer for 5 minutes. Most of the time, after that 5 minutes is up, you’ll want to continue. There’s something in our brain (fear of failure/fear of success??) that makes getting started the hardest part. Then once we get into ‘flow’ mode, it’s hard to stop!
- Daily Doodle — choose random words to doodle. Choose random adjective and noun combos — like MadLib. (Remember how fun those were when you were a kid?) Random Generators to jumpstart ideas:
I firmly believe that anyone can learn to draw. It’s a matter of wanting it badly enough to put the time in. It’s a matter of pushing past emotions that get in your way as you’re learning. It’s a matter of relaxing and allowing yourself to enjoy the journey, rather that looking only at the destination.
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Keeping A Nature Journal
Keeping a nature journal is a practice that can be as diverse as the journaler! If you do an internet search on nature journaling, you’re going to find, almost exclusively, articles and how-to’s devoted to homeschoolers using nature journals for science. While that is a very worthwhile endeavor, there is much more to keeping a nature journal than as a ‘science class’! And it’s certainly not just for the kids.
Nobody sees a flower, really — it is so small — we haven’t time, and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.
Gerogia O’KeeffeReasons To Keep A Nature Journal
Many of the reasons for keeping a journal of your nature adventures overlap with reasons to just be out in nature, such as:
- Mental health
- According to recent studies, time in nature can decrease depression by up to 70%.
- Boosts serotonin and decreases cortisol levels
- Allows you to process thoughts
- Can be a form of meditation
- Deeper connection to nature
- Forces you to focus on details
- Slows you down
- Teaches you to ‘see’ your surroundings
- Causes you to be in the here and now
In addition to the mental health benefits, keeping a nature journal can help deepen your connection to nature! Taking the time to sketch, photograph, or interact with nature (through things like leaf rubbings and collecting) forces your mind to focus on the here and now, and on the details that give you that deeper connection. You notice details that otherwise you might miss. Journaling gives you the opportunity to discover the ‘awe’ of natural things and phenomena. Personally, I’m always up for more awe and amazement in my life!
How to Keep A Nature Journal
Good news! There is no one right way to keep a nature journal. If you’re like most people, when we think of a journal, we picture beautiful, accurate drawings accompanied by scientific journaling. Those journals do exist, but the simple fact is most people don’t share their journals — they’re personal. They are filled with one person’s private thoughts and experiences. There is no need to worry about your drawing skills or writing expertise.
Here are just a few ideas for you to use in your own journal:
- Pencil sketches
- Watercolor drawings
- Words only — maybe you just want to capture with words what you are feeling as you observe a bird, sit by a babbling brook, or wonder why that cloud formation looks like an ice cream cone (For writing inspiration, find a list of nature writers in this article from the Sierra Club on nature journaling.)
- Objects
- Rubbings of leaves or bark
- Taping flat items to pages
- Pocket pages to hold not so flat items
- Photos — If photography is more your style, your journal can certainly be more like a scrapbook.
Tools & Supplies
The last thing you want when you’re out on a hike enjoying the nature around you, is a huge heavy backpack full of art supplies! Luckily, that’s not necessary. All you really need are a few basic supplies. I tend to carry just a smallish notebook and a mechanical pencil. Always having my phone handy for a quick snapshot so that I can remember colors for later is a big help.
Here are a few simple supplies you may want depending upon how you keep your nature journal:
- Notebook of some type — for me — smallish and easy to transport
- Sketching tools
- Pencil (mechanical — no need for sharpener)
- Watercolors – a very small, dry set
- Waterbrush – no need to carry water — this is a brush with a hollow handle filled with water — you can refill from a stream or your water bottle if you need to
- Graphite stick or charcoal for rubbings
- Baggies for collecting items — flat(ish) things like leaves can be taped right into your journal. A flower can be pressed and added in. You may want to include small pockets in your journal for collecting these items.
- Camera (phone camera)
Skills
More great news! You do not need any specific skills to get started.
- To begin, you need only to develop your skills of observation!
- Add in over time:
- Ability to sit quietly so you may observe/sketch skittish wildlife you may encounter
- A few basic drawing or photography skills are nice to have
- Walking with ‘soft eyes’ vs. ‘hard eyes’. Soft eyes means that you are just walking without any particular purpose or intent in mind. If you are focused and actively hunting for something, you will miss other subtle things along the way. In other words, soft eyes is relaxing and you’ll often stumble upon something amazing and awe-inspiring for your nature journal!
There really are as many ways to keep a nature journal as there are people who keep them. What’s your journaling style? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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- Mental health
