Start Nature Journaling: Five Tips
One. Find tools that work, but don’t stress about having the perfect set-up.
I often use mixed media paper, which isn’t ideal for watery watercolors but can handle a little bit of paint. Sometimes I have two separate watercolor palettes and a few Micron pens; sometimes I have just a couple colored pencils at the bottom of my pack. Play around. Find what works for your budget and taste. (P.S. — Because I often get asked and because I love them: my journals are usually Handbook brand, but you can journal on anything!)
Two. Mistakes are rad! Don’t hold your art to factory-made expectations.
What makes this fun is that your journal shows your handiwork. Think of slip-ups as marks of resistance against a culture of perfection. Focus on finding joy in the process over the end result.
Three. Journal for yourself.
What do YOU want to capture? Your subject doesn’t have to seem grand to be worth putting on paper. Try not to edit as you go, or to think about what others would think. Quieting your inner critic can be challenging, but is so important! Would you create differently if you decided first thing that you were not going to share it with anybody?
Four. If you’re into specific prompts, try these.
What would it look like to make a map of a recent adventure? A colorful scene captured in just one hue? A page that includes both zoomed-in and zoomed-out elements of a landscape? A journal entry that includes both organic and synthetic subjects?
Five. Play with writing in addition to drawing.
What quotes from your favorite author are forever stuck in your brain? What adjectives come to mind when you look at the view from wherever you are? Can you grab a nearby book or magazine and write your favorite sentence from the last page you read? Words can add a different dimension to your pages and give extra grounding details to remind you of how you felt in a place.
I would love to hear if these tips are useful, and I’d love to see what you create. You can tag me on Instagram, send me an email, or tell me in the comments. Happy doodling!
You can see more of my past illustration work here.