What inspired me?  I wanted to slow down. I love to hike, stargaze, camp, etc but I tend to set expectations that are too time-based...get to the next camp by XYZ, how many miles are we doing today?  I prefer to wander rather than hike, but I let the organization "me" take over. My goal for taking this course is to let the joy of observation take the driver's seat.

I live in a predominantly oak and maple woods in Wisconsin. Last summer I was laid up, waiting for a hip replacement, and spent more time on the deck and gazing out the windows into the trees, and watching the natural progression of the blooming of the prairie flowers.   Dozens of hummingbirds and bees and spiders and caterpillars visited in the summer to keep me company, and now in the winter, birds visit the feeders surrounding the house, giving continual entertainment. This course was a present from my husband and will be a great joy!

I'm looking for a way to look at the natural world differently, being more engaged rather than just moving through it when on a walk or hike. Also, I've volunteered to be part of a phenology project at a local nature preserve and thought nature journaling might help me in my observations and recordings of those observations. I may start with DJ O'Neill's journaling, which seems to be capture what you see as quickly as you can. I'm sure my approach will evolve as I get started, as another of the journalers mentioned.

I've always enjoyed capturing aspects of nature, both through (ethically) collecting and photography. I also really enjoyed drawing as a kid, but kind of fell out of it over the years. I wanted to find a new way to capture nature, develop a new hobby, and reignite my love of drawing all at once. I really liked the idea of doing a daily sketching journal, complete with notes on what I find/see

I really enjoy making art but often need guidance because I tend to make the experience more complicated than it is. I like the idea of a nature journal because the stakes are low and it seems more about the process than the product. I prefer to have a laid back journal that will just morph with time. I will include a date and place.

I've kept a conventional journal off and on for most of my life and I love being out in nature. Several months ago, I did a water color draw along Belted King Fisher with Liz. The first take came out decent and got me interested in doing more with water color. The idea of a nature journal seemed like a good next step. As to the type of journal, I have no idea. I like the idea of having the date, time, weather and place as well as having both pictures and descriptions of what's going on at the time so I can remember. I'm a teacher, so there's not generally a lot of free time during the school year, but I would like to try to add something to the journal about once a month. I feel like it would be a way to be more observant, to learn a new skill - getting better at drawing and using water colors, and just to relax and enjoy nature even more.

I want to try nature journaling as a way to expand my love for nature.  I often take pictures of my garden, but actually drawing and painting what I see will give me a deeper appreciation of the subjects.  I liked Holly's journal style the best, a feast for the eyes.

I love the idea of capturing a moment from your perspective alongside words of emotion, thought, and wonder. I'm certainly no artist but I absolutely love experiences which make me feel closer to nature. I loved Shayna's approach to journaling where there were equal distribution of text and drawings. For me, this feels less intimidating and more accessible as someone who doesn't feel overly confident in drawing/painting (yet?).

I am so inspired by nature and how it flows with the elements of weather and time. For example, I live by a lake and the birds are up by 5 am and fly to their destinations for the day. And by the evening, they are back by 6 pm perched on their branches ready for sleep and to repeat the process again tomorrow. How amazing is are they? The same applies to the flowers are of the field. They grow, give their bloom and fragrance for the insects and birds and then they withered by next season.  Nature follows the cycle of life effortlessly.  This is what caused me to want to draw them and analyzed them. I like drawing them first in graphite pencil and then I use gouache medium to apply color.  I will submit a color image when I work on this project.

Nature journaling combines many of the activities I enjoy most -- birding, being in nature, walking, and drawing.  But it was the intense sense of engagement that caused me to fall in love. I am comfortable drawing from a photo, but prefer the experience of nature journaling in person because of the profound connection I feel to a place and object when I am directly observing. I was happy with the drawing, but didn't know how to differentiate the colors when it came to watercolors.

1. I was drawn to nature sketching and journaling because I think it is so beautiful to be able to capture the world around you in bright colors and cool facts. I hope to be able to draw and paint in my field journal and capture what I am seeing. 2. I really love the way Shayna had their journal laid out. I loved the vibrant paintings along with the factual words that hugged the picture. I hope that I will be able to do this even though I do not have much artistic ability.

1. I am an avid birder, but am teaching a course on Flora and Fauna on the Bible and the World Around Us, encouraging participants to get out and observe.  Partly for my mental health, and partly to learn more about the fascinating world around me, I thought nature journaling would be a good idea.  2. I love the month of sketches on one spread!

I am hoping that by journaling what I see in nature will help me to slow down and really observe behavior and characteristics of fauna and flora adding to my knowledge as a master naturalist.  I never thought I could draw so this should be an interesting journey for me, and I hope I don't get too discouraged.  I love to take photographs while I'm out hiking and also capture what I'm seeing with words, so I see nature journaling as a natural extension/progression of those activities.

I have made many attempts to keep a journal, but never followed through for more than a few weeks.  Memory is so limited without additional cues, so I think a nature journal would remind of all the everyday little things I see and then quickly forget.  It would provide a space to record all the little details that are lost, or barely noticed.  I would also like for it to become a 'jumping off' point for doing more art work, even simple drawings and watercolors.

I like to draw, and I like nature so nature journaling an easy choice.  I liked the compliment of drawing and explaining what you're drawing so if the drawing isn't that great you still have your observations.

1.   My nature journal is an out growth of my wood carving. I wanted to improve my artistic and observational skills so that I can carve what I see and not be tied to ideas and impressions of others. 2. and 3.  At least initially I intend to use a loose approach focusing mainly on the art but incorporating more observations than I initially intended as well as the freedom to include general commentary and poetic license. . I like the ability to study the subject as well as having stunning art (I’m not there yet) but having commentary on the subject for future reference.

Loved the variety.  And the use of water color which I have always experienced as being very difficult to control. Love the comments below especially the one in español porque necesito practicar leerlo.

I was inspired to begin nature journalling because of my interest in ornithology and the natural sciences.  Because of this, I wanted to be able to draw little "snapshots" of whatever I saw, sketch out field guides for myself to learn identification of various plants and animals, and improve in the artistic craft.  I need to work on drawing small. I think I should like to use a style similar to Liz and D.J for my nature journaling, but have plenty of writing too.  I would like to include watercolour, but perhaps leave space for pencil only and wild sketches. I think that having a little side-sketch for anatomy and notes for a more finished piece of art could be fun!

1. I am inspired to nature journal simply to reconnect with nature. 2. the approach I want to try is to journal regularly. I am having a hard time at this. Work and life get in the way. Must plan to incorporate journaling more, even short sketches. (speaking of which, I started this course 3 years ago (!!) and never got passed the first part. I am determined to pick up the course. I have journaled since, but would like to complete this course. 3. Yes, adding maps. Maps are fun to draw and give an important habitat perspective to what we are observing.

I started Nature journaling as a way to improve my observational skills and decrease my reliance on my cell phone's camera while in the field as part of my nature guide studies. I realized that even if I take 20 photos of something interesting in nature, I rarely look back at the pictures with the same interest. However,if I spend even 20 minutes observing and drawing the same thing, I retain much more information about what I saw. Nature journaling is not yet as trendy in Belgium as it is elsewhere,so I find myself in a strange position of being a beginner and yet having more experience than others around me.

What inspired me to start nature journaling is wanting to capture every moment I observe from life in my art. I think that nature journaling is a great way for me to learn and help with artist block because it will get me in the flow to create and meditate by just observing birds, plants and insects. It’s also a way for me to feel connected and grounded with nature. A journal approach I would like to try are to mix watercolor paintings with ink drawing. I would like to paint a landscape in watercolor to remember the area I observe along with painting a detailed flower or close up of a bird. I would also like to mix quick ink drawings along with adding notes of what I observed, date, location, and time. I currently don’t have a different journaling idea. I think I’m  going to be pretty open and try some of the journaling examples that was shared until I find the one that fits best for me.

What inspired me to begin nature journaling was my three years of birding experience. I have been a very young birder since a little before the pandemic, and have always dreamed of using art to fully depict an emotional connection to natural life. I also think that my favorite approach to journaling would be relatively freestyle, but at least a constant theme throughout the book.

I like the bright colors, the different types of items that are sketched and journaled.  I like the idea of writing vertically or horizontally or at an angle.  Boxing in some information may be useful.  I loved the dates to be elongated and how monthly journaling could be extremely appealing as the seasons change and different plants grow and birds and animals migrate or appear.  I am happy that date and time, location and weather should be included.  When I look back at the journal I will be able to remember where i saw or found an item.. lastly the different water colors and detail appealed to me to the overall look of the journal. I have always had an interest in sketching and drawing.  And in various times of my life have written a journal but never sketched. As a veterinarian i have always had a great interest in animals, and nature, birds, plants and flowers.  The variety in nature journaling is extremely appealing to me because it helps me observe nature more on an intimate level.  Not so rapidly as in a photograph. Something i am curious about…has any one glued into their journal for texture, a flower petal? Or loose feather? Or plant part?

1. During Covid I took some online watercolor painting classes and enjoyed working with the paints and creating colorful art from photographs. I am now retired and have moved to a new area where I very much enjoy being outdoors, working in my garden, watching the antics of birds at our feeders and hiking at various parks. I'd like to take those painting skills I learned to the next level and apply to real life observations out in my backyard and while hiking. 2. I like the journal with drawings peeking out of boxes as a way to organize the work, and the notes about the observations and  follow up research. I plan to commit to a daily observation with drawing for the next several months and see where it takes me.

me inspira ver la naturaleza y la vida salvaje inmersa en ella, para tener una historia por la cual hacer memorias de mis aventuras y viajes explorando nuevos lugares hermosos que nuestra tierra pueda ofrecernos. me gustaría replicar inicialmente los diarios que he visto, me gusta su estilo luego iría adaptando a mi conveniencia.