Nature journaling is having its moment in the sun. This is not surprising as the practice is even attracting academic research due to its ability to mitigate social isolation among older adults and foster a deeper sense of awareness of the natural world for younger generations.
There’s plenty of evidence that shows that connecting with nature calms minds and makes people happier and healthier. Keeping a nature journal helps us to focus on the world around us and provides a direct connection with our fellow species.
It’s something you can do on your own or with a group of classmates or friends. It doesn’t involve expensive equipment, and you can start the practice in your own garden or local park.
Here are some tips and activities for inspiration:
- Find a favourite spot and compare the differences in the colours, flora, birds, insects and animals at different seasons. Illustrations, observations and photographs can be used.
- Creativity opens up vistas and ideas but don’t forget to take note of some practical things: the location, date and time. This makes your journal entry an historic record.
- See the world up close – try using a magnifying glass to take note of the tiny veins in a leaf or a feather, for example.
- Find inspiration from your favourite books on nature – children’s books are a great source. How has the writer or illustrator captured the essence of nature?
- Pay attention to your senses – what can you see, hear, feel?
- Integrate leaves, seeds, colours from nature into your illustrations.
- Rubbings from bark or leaves can create lines and shapes to inspire.
- There are fantastic resources to help you – see below. A wonderful one is johnmuirlaws.com. For example, in episode 24, he relays four drawing tricks to help you draw faster and more easily. He stresses that it is not about ‘pretty pictures’. It is about a picture being useful to prompt you to notice things or to remember it or think differently about it. As he says: ‘Let go of pretty pictures. We want pictures that are useful. If you let go of having to draw pretty pictures, you get better and better at drawing. His four tricks are: 1. Start with a light blue ‘gesture’ or indicator sketch. 2. Make parallel lines and guides. 3. Draw line variations within and 4. Draw shadows to make the structure more apparent.
As we say at PlantingSeeds to students, when outside, try to move quietly and patiently, look high and low and near and far.
Taking the time to carefully look at what is around you when you are outside and to pay attention to the details, are skills that will benefit you in so many areas of your life.
Some inspirational resources
https://www.lilyandthistle.com/how-to-start-a-nature-journal-today/
Article by Dr Judy Friedlander and Geraldine O'Brien
Illustrations by Elise Leano