1.  I've been journaling for travel for many years, and have incorporated sketches of nature into this practice. I love the impressionistic aspect of sketching to spark memory and feeling, which is different from photography. I have family who are birders/naturalists, and in the last 2 years introduced me to bird identification, helping me to be more attentive to nature everyday -- not just when I travel. I just retired, so saw this course and immediately felt the time spent on it would enhance my enjoyment and appreciation of nature and art. I've not yet used watercolor for the journal sketches, so this practice will help me enhance them.  2.  I like Shayna Miller's style, which is akin to mine incorporating text and sketches. I also like the variety of subject matter. I'd also like to learn to use D.J. McNeill's use of geometric shapes for (especially) birds. 3. One of the discussion participants mentioned collecting samples to add to their journal. I've done some of this, and want to continue to add pressed flowers, leaves, bird feathers, etc. to the journal. It makes it more 3-D and tactile!

I love the combination of drawing and writing....and sometimes adding color! This will become my diary of 2023.

I have family who are artists and talented--that talent seems to have passed me by. I want to journal to help imbed in my memory the details of the species but also the moments and feelings when I enjoyed seeing birds and nature. I intended to journal only about birds, but I have become more keenly aware and appreciative of plants (which I also greatly enjoy). I now intend to journal not just about the birds but also the environment and plants as well.

I enjoyed seeing each and every one of these journals. Each person showed and explained their reasons for the picture they had drawn…. It meant something to them,.. it stirred a memory in time. I believe that is what  your nature journaling is supposed to do, or that is what it does for me…. What a wonderful presentation. Thank you all for sharing.

Hello! I like elements from both the first and the last journals (and journals). I love the idea of boxes and zooms from the first journal and the follow-up research that the journaler did post-nature encounter. From the last journal, I love the idea of daily journaling; however, I am also realistic about time constraints. Luckily, I walk through a wonderful park nearly every day to get to work, so I can still see and experience nature daily. My thinking is to take a smaller journal for notes and then work on the larger pages when I have more time. So, like the last journaler, I'll probably do monthly pages from these smaller notes. From both journals, my intentions for my journaling is 1) learn more about nature (especially birds!) and 2) build a lasting document of these experiences to share with others. Very excited to get started!

What appeals to you about this journaler’s style? I really liked the last journal. I can't draw at all and have an incredibly busy life at the moment. My word for this year is "notice" what if I just drew a petal, a rapid sketch of the crow sitting outside my office window? Something I could do in 5 minutes. What would you think are the goals of this journal? The goal seems to be regularly noticing and capturing what the journaler noticed. The daily discipline of painting something is appealing to me, though maybe 3 - 4 days a week might be more realistic. A page a week? What surprised you about the content? the amazing detail she captured with watercolor.  She made it sound like these pieces didn't take her long, but they look very time consuming. What elements has this journaler included that you might want to include in your journal? having many images on a page, regular documentation - daily, weekly or monthly.  I'd want to add brief descriptions as she did in the monthly pages.

I love that the artists’ journals reminded them of their experiences in way that photographs simply could not. There is a sweetness in each artist’s image/entry, perhaps because their personality is embedded in the images.

1. I have always wanted to learn to draw and paint. As an avid naturalist and informal science educator, nature journaling seems like a good place for me to start! 2. It was very helpful to see a wide variety of journals. As a beginner artist, the polished journals filled with perfect watercolors are beautiful, but a bit intimidating. It was nice to see that simpler approaches also look great! My favorite approach is a mix of images and text, focusing on close studies of individual organisms. I would love to do a full record of an animal over an hour or so, documenting all of it's behaviors. 3. I would love to try incorporating actual specimens into the drawings. For example, if I painted a bird on a branch; I could mount a sample of that branch on the page and incorporate it into the painting.

I have always had a dream to draw and paint, and am very drawn to nature. I don't travel much but have a lovely sanctuary in my backyard. It is filled with birds, squirrels, chipmunks, the occasional raccoon, fox, deer, skunk - all attracted by various feeders. I learned something from each of the journals presented, but think I will do best with a simple approach. Since the idea of drawing is so daunting to me, perhaps only one or 2 sketches on a page to start will be possible. I also will share my thoughts and discoveries on each page. I also am drawn to the meditative aspects of this process. I look forward to this experience and learning from all of you.

I love all these journals!  What an inspiration to get out and document the earth!  I have so many pictures of wildlife on my phone and would love to have a documentation of the description but never thought of journaling at that moment!  It is going to be a great year to try and document my outer world.  I really am interested in finding out the scientific names and information on flora and fauna I see to remember so the scientific journaling appealed to me most.  I may print some pictures I already have and try incorporating them into the journal so I can document what they are and where I experienced them so I can have that to reflect on.

I was inspired to start nature journaling for several reasons. First, I am going to  expand my freelance work in science writing and I think that nature drawing skills would be a good adjacent skill to be able to include with my writing. Second, and probably more importantly, I like the idea of spending more time in nature as an observer rather than just passing through. I am a regular walker, hiker and outdoors persons. However  I feel that many times I miss interesting thing on my hikes because there is an expected pace that one keeps that prevents rest and observation. I like the idea of sitting and observing for an hour or two that several of the journalers discussed. And, taking notes to help me remember how I was feeling, what the day was like and also make connections (i.e. frog camouflage and dappled tree light) that spark futures ideas to research and understand.

May's favorite style was Shayna Muller's style. She liked the boxes around the writing and drawings. May also thought her sketches were beautiful. She also liked that Shayna took her time and added were she zoomed in to paint the details, May also liked the style of the date, and weather conditions. My favorite design was Liz's design. She put so much detail in the sketches and added specific colors in each place. I also liked the style of the writing, small and cursive. It made the book look professional sketch books you find in art stores. And my favorite part was the watercolors, all the colors had their specific place in the painting, and there was always a new color to see. Margot & May

I am an avid hiker and when I was younger considered myself an artist. I want a way to try to connect my dormant artistic talent with the nature I enjoy everyday. i like the idea of boxing things out and including questions and info you find later.

I'm a travel writer and would like to incorporate nature journaling into my practice. I think it will give me a unique perspective on my travels and the natural world within them. I would prefer to keep my journals somewhat open, with just one or two main sketches, as well as notes, per page. That said, I also really liked the journaler who practiced once per month and had several sketches per page. I'm eager to try sketching both animals and landscape formations, such as rocks and beaches.

I've looked at this course several times and have taken online classes with Liz and enjoyed them very much.  What tipped me over (besides the sale) is reading through the discussions.  Everyone seems to enjoy the course and take part of discussions.  Journaling is an excuse for me to go out by myself and slowly take in nature instead of a hiking pace with friends.  It gives me quiet time and I can concentrate on what is around me.  I've recently retired and am getting into birding so it all fits in together. Not sure what my journal will look like, probably mostly sketches.  Just whatever my hand is inspired to do!

1.  Wildlife photography is a hobby that I love.  I've wanted to start a personal journal and have started and stopped many time because I would loose interest.  I love the idea of combining art and writing.  I had just completed a bird photography course with Melissa Groos and came across this course and it seemed like a great way to incorporate my two interests. 2.  I really want to try the monthly journal.  I'm not sure if I could stick to a daily journal but was thinking I could definitely commit to putting together a monthly journal.  I take ALOT of pictures and thought I could use many of my pictures a reference for my nature journal.  I love the idea of having a reference at the end of the year to look back and remember different sightings thoughout the year.  I'm excited to try. 3.  I like the idea of using some of my photographs as a reference.  For example I took this picture of a female and male red belly woodpecker at my feeder.  Maybe using the image as a reference to draw them but doing research afterwards to learn more about these beautiful birds. 3.  I 

I have always been drawn toward nature, spending my life on a farm and in the mountain wilds or the ocean with my grandparents. I feel calmer, healthier, in nature. For a long time, I've abandoned nature drawing because of self-criticism. I use a lot of zentangle doodling for relaxation, but I felt like I was missing out on something by never going outside and trying to draw in nature. I sincerely hope this class will help me reconnect in nature and release some of that criticism. I love the idea that there can be little blurbs all over a page- and that some of them may not be finished- but that by blending writing and illustration, a memory can be made (as someone with a TBI and difficulty forming memories, this is particularly alluring to me.) I think I'll try to include some lunar details on my page- what moon phase we're in, for example- because I love seeing if nature changes with the moon (tides, seasons, etc)

Professionally I was an engineer but on retirement I went back to college to do fashion and textiles. I have never been good at drawing but I particularly enjoyed fashion illustration and it's ability to quickly catch shape, texture and movement with great economy. I have always taken photographs but am inspired by the idea of hand worked journals, both for personal memories of visits to local woods and also as a means of better seeing. The guidance of this course looks perfect.

I recently retired and moved to the Pacific Northwest.  This new environment is uniquely different from the my California  origins.  I am learning how to sketch.  I am an avid hiker and would love to sit and draw something to remind me of what I saw, heard and felt.  I love the idea of formally keeping track of time, date, location and weather.  I also like the idea of writing questions that come up as I observe.  I have never journaled before, so I am not certain how it all works.  How do you sketch a bird who flies away as soon as you get close enough to sketch it?  I think I will start with plants that don't move very fast.

1.  A friend said he had started drawing and he believes anyone can do it.  I am retiring in 1 week and will have more time.  I love nature, especially birds.  Journaling may provide an opportunity for me to go deeper. 2.  I may want to enter the date and place, but do not want to get to data-oriented.  I spent most of my career deep into data.  I want to explore the feeling side. 3.  Maybe record how I am feeling when I start and how I am feeling when I finish an entry?

I nature journal with my children as it is part of our homeschool curriculum.  I am still exploring and refining my style as well as developing the technical artistic skills.  This introduction has been helpful in showing the various possibilities to incorporate in my journal.  I was drawn to the journals that balanced the drawings and word descriptions.  It's often difficult to do both at any given time.  I feel like I need to keep two separate journals.  One a quick /daily entry that gives me drawing practice and a less frequent but more detailed entry once a month that gives me time to delve into deeper observation and description.

I’ve been taking watercolor classes but find what I enjoy most is focusing on elements of nature—a bird, an orchid, leaves, rock walls—rather than fully realized scenes or landscapes.And I want to get better at drawing, and seeing, the details. I’m a nonfiction writer. Nature journaling might lead me in new directions; I’m intrigued by the posibilities in that. Daily journaling seems like too much pressure and monthly not enough but I like the idea of a discpline until it becomes a regular practice. I’ll begin with weekly drawing.

Being a decoy carver of shorebirds wanted to be able to draw better patterns so went online, found John Muir Laws site. Started watching a couple of videos on journaling and it looked like fun and have always enjoyed drawing.  Came across this course on his site and though it would be fun to take and make me do it instead of talking about it.

1. I've started a nature journal to chart the progress of a wildlife garden I began on retirement (2019) and have been developing since. Photos are okay, but they don't really encourage the fine attentiveness and enhancement of memory that journaling seems to cultivate. Here's a photo of my front garden in July 2021:

I've been an avid hiker (and mushroom forager) for years and as time goes on I'm focusing more and more on observing nature and learning while I'm outside--I've also been getting back into drawing and sketching, so nature journaling combines several interests of mine and gives me a way to slow down and process what I see and experience outside.  I was first introduced to nature journaling through Claire Walker Leslie's work and I've been inspired to learn more.  I look forward to honing my observation skills and learning new ways to translate my experiences into journal entries. One thing I'm excited to try is field sketching--currently, most of my drawing happens when I get home and sit down to look at photos and notes that I've taken.   I'm also excited to integrate watercolors into my journaling.