1.) I have dabbled with sketching most of my life. Every summer I try to do something new and about seven years ago I decided I would try to keep a nature journal. It was about the same time that I also got reacquainted with the outdoors. I have spent most of my life sitting in offices staring out at neighboring buildings through windows. I decided to make a concerted effort to return to the outdoors as much as possible. When I was a child I would never go inside. At first I focused mainly on butterflies and a few messy landscapes. In time, however, I shifted my main focus over to birds. Even though I have pushed on for seven years, I am still not overly satisfied with my efforts. A large part of this is because I tend to take photographs when I am in the field rather than sketch. 2.) Holly Faulkner's style is probably most like my own. I tend to catalogue birds or animals I have seen rather than report about a specific outing that I have taken. I do like her style very much, but I would also like to try to tell the stories of trips into the forest the way the other journalers did. I would like to get more focused on creating reports from specific trips. Have done some of this, but oo often I will jot down species I run into in a small notebook to log them into eBird later on. I rely too much (probably) on photography to help me identify birds I see in the field.

I have never drawn a thing in my life aside from elementary school art classes and I've always dreamed of being some type of artist. Finding myself with a lot of extra time these days I wanted to try something new. Spending time every week participating in Feeder Watch, this sounded like a nice accompaniment. Art classes keep being put off but I am reminded of advice I once read in a silly newspaper advice column where an older student asked a question - I really want to become a doctor but med school will take 4 years and by then I will be 35. The response was something like "How much time will have passed in 4 years if you don't do it?" It stuck with me because time passes regardless of whether we follow our dreams.

I am a certified California naturalist and I keep a "digital" field journal on my blog (https://chubbywomanwalkabout.com/) with type-written text and photographs.  I'm taking this class because I'd like to get more hands-on with my observations, and learn to focus more on details rather than big-picture images.  I'm hoping that once I get more comfortable drawing in a journal, I can pass what I learn onto my naturalist students. Hard-bound art journals seem too confining and limiting to me, however, and they can also be bulky and heavy, so I've decided to start with small sheets of watercolor paper that I can carry with me in a pack with some watercolor pens, pencils and permanent markers. That may change as I continue on this journey, but it's where I'll start. I also really liked the verbalized notation in one of the videos that mentioned submitting images drawn in the field to iNaturalist.  I thinks that's an awesome idea  and a great way to inspire others and let them know that their nature journals are IMPORTANT to science and USEFUL to others. Here is what my current digital journal looks like:

I was inspired to take the nature journaling course as a primary teacher. I have bird feeders outside my classroom in New Hampshire. By taking the course I can refine my drawing and painting skills. Then I will feel confident to teach my students how to nature journal using watercolors. In the past the students have had nature journals but the drawing were rudimentary. To start my challenge is to draw the  birds at the feeders when they are moving.

I have been nature journaling for many years but have never really thought through the process of what makes a journal interesting and a good reflection of the day or hours spent outside. I'm looking forward to the techniques and discipline of staying the course.

I love to draw and paint but never quite made an actual nature journal. I think my intention is to draw and paint more often. I’m starting to become interested in birding and I saw this course and felt inspired. A recent trip to Belize where my friend and I birded also inspired me. I liked all the journals that were in the videos. I think my style will be some text describing the subject I’m illustrating. I loved how the one journal used interesting graphics for the month and date text.

1. Recreate the biomes and creatures in my sketchbook. 2. The water colors, having so much details in the drawing and observations/ 3. Patience

I love to be outside and observe nature. My desire to journal is to learn how to be more in the moment and to develop drawing skills. The  style of dating the page and location and started with shapes makes sense. I like the drawings with descriptions of what people are seeing and thinking about.

I love nature, especially birds.  I feel I have an artist in me and this would be the best way to discover my talent.  The process seems to be relaxing and low-key.  Journaling can be done anywhere.  I am analytical by nature, so I like the blocking technique with sketches and information about the sketch arranged on the page.  I'm sure over time I'll develop my own technique.

My goals in learning to do nature journals are two: to get back to the drawing skills I had when I was younger and/or improve them. 2. To acquire more accurate memories of my walks and hikes or just the times I sit at the window to watch traffic at my bird feeder.

I liked the thought of capturing my walks and journeys in a nature journal. I have recently been introduced to painting with water color and have always journaled, so I was excited to take this course to help guide me through this and motivate me as well. i loved all the journals and there uniqueness, I got several ideas for the start of my own.

I purchased this course because I find that having spend money on something obligates my follow-through.  I have many journals and sketchbooks from various periods in my life.  I'm not sure that I ever reached the 66 consecutive days mark.  According to the link in the Getting Started section to Gardner, Lally, and Wardle (2012), "missing the occasional opportunity to perform the behaviour did not seriously impair the habit formation process:  automaticity gain soon resumed after one missed performance."  Well -- for me, automaticity is elusive.  So... for this course my goal is TO DRAW/SKETCH, PAINT/ADD COLOR/ AND WRITE IN THIS JOURNAL EVERY DAY FOR 10 WEEKS IN ORDER TO FORM A HABIT.  I enjoyed the journaling highlights from the naturalist team.  I've done some journals similar to the one Liz shared of her trip to the Galapagos Islands.  The one item not mentioned that I will incorporate in this new journal is a photo of the subject of my entry.  When I paint en plein air, I almost always at least finish drawing and painting from photos, but I've never added a pic print to a journal.

I liked the progression of start with a drawing, think, write what I am thinking, draw some more, write what questions are arising - it's dynamic, evolving.  I also liked telling a story (hummingbird hovering, spider capturing, securing, and eating prey) and recording colors, sounds, impressions, light, habitat sketches.

I live in NYC and want to find ways to connect with the urban nature around me. Also one of my teenage sons is a big walker, and I'm hoping to connect with him through his explorations of our neighborhood. He's promised to share his favorite nature spots with me. :) I'm a novice to nature journaling and sketching in general, so I'm a little intimidated by the expertise I see, but I remind myself that we all have to start somewhere! I do wonder though, when doing watercolor and sketching, which comes first? The paint or the pen/pencil?

1) I have been a photographer for years..dabbled here and there with sketching. I loved the idea of capturing birds and nature through another media. 2) I definitely appreciated all of the journaling styles and I think what spoke to me was the style that not only is sketches but information about the subject of the sketch as well.

I've been an amateur nature photographer for decades, and really worked at developing my photographer eyes. With film photography, every shot was an investment, so time spent seeking the best angles, noticing the tiny details in the subject, the lighting, and the overall composition and exposures was a critical part of the practice. Digital photography allows me to take hundreds of shots and choose later the one that appeals to my eye. I want to recapture the sense of composing the image, so what better way than to create the composition by hand?

This course is both daunting and exciting at the same time. For me, nature journaling, I hope will help me develop my sketching skills and remind me to slow down. I'm not sure what my process or style will be.  I respect the different styles and journals we've been exposed to and I think I will just let my style and process evolve as I go. This is all very new to me hence the daunting part since I am a total beginner and have no drawing skills whatsoever. It will be fun, I think to see how I progress over time and it will be a nice record of just the neat and precious little things that I will see and experience over the days, seasons and year(s), if I manage to keep it up. I'm really looking forward to beginning this and seeing where this leads to.

I just love nature and recording the beauty I see around me. I particularly love how when you create and image and look at it even years later how you are brought back to the place and memories of that day.  The journals here were great to see.  Thanks for sharing them, I saw a number of things I really like and will try to adopt and incorporate into my own journal.  I like the boxes and how the images came outside of their respective boxes.  I liked the magnification of certain details.  I likes how one person did a drawing each day, how she spread it about on the pages, the variety of things that she drew and how she numbered each page.  Everyone did such a great job,   Thanks for the inspiration !  

I want to slow down and be more observant of my surroundings outdoors and nature journaling will be the perfect way to do that.  I also need to be better at identifying plants and birds which this will also help me with.  Several years ago I was pretty good at sketching but have lost my touch and need to start over.  Looking at the journalers here, I hope to become as great as they are!  I like the tip to think of the fundamental shapes in nature such as circles and ovals which is an easier way to start sketching.  I also liked the patches of color that the journaler used on the pages to show all the colors in the place that was being observed.

As I do landscape watercolours for myself already...and love being out in nature...I think this course will inspire me to examine things in more detail and do quick sketches while I move around. I love the suggestions of using boxes, both for text and for framing pictures ( even when they grow out of the frame!). And the Zoom makes so much sense. Then living where I do on a remote island and not having taken art courses before, the opportunity of taking this course by internet is such a great opportunity... I am excited.

I want to try at the top or bottom to do the weather, the time, the day, and the location. I'm going to try and get in one picture anytime I can. And do a close-up where I zoom in on something interesting. If I can't get a great part in. Stella (Age: 7)

When I was younger, I took a nature journaling class from Claire Walker Leslie and loved how it helped to focus my observations or the natural world. When I began to teach middle school science, I used her teachings to have my students keep nature journals. I drew and recorded my observations to share with my students, but seldom found time to nature journal outside of work. Now, I have retired to Costa Rica, and I have still not made the time to keep a nature journal. I spend a great deal of time hiking and birdwatching, but rely on my camera to document my experiences. I am hoping this course nudges me into drawing and recording more detailed observations. I enjoyed all the different journal styles in the video, and will incorporate ideas from them all. I love how Shayna's drawings aren't actually contained in her boxes, but like the loose compartmentalization of sketches and descriptions. I want to make quick sketches to capture movement and behavior of birds to help me remember all the new species I am encountering here. I am struggling to remember field marks and identifying features of Costan Rican birds, and I hope to make my own personal field guide with drawings and descriptions of my own. I have not used watercolors with any success, and I am hoping that this course will improve my skills. I am amazed and inspired by the paintings people have shared here. Thank you.

I find the graphic ideas of others very interesting. A goal of mine is to revisit my  journal finding the information and design pleasing.