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I recently retired and am spending more of my time at my second home in Maine. The property is part of a larger farm on which I grew up and includes a pond that recalls lots of childhood memories of watching the birds, frogs, etc. I am definitely a beginner in my sketching, but wanted to chronicle the nature and changing seasons around my pond, woodland and meadow. Especially interested in the birds that are about the property and at feeders.
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1. I am an artist and a naturalist, I have been drawing from my own photographs (plants, birds & fungi) for a few years, but have increasingly become frustrated with the amount of time this requires in front of a screen. While it has been very useful to create detailed drawings, I'd like to introduce nature journalling to expand upon my time outdoors, to slow down and really study things in 3D (movement, behavior, habitat, emotion, etc.), rather than recreating a flat image. 2. I appreciate the looseness of the some of the sketchbooks, as I tend to focus on detail, I am hoping this course will help me loosen up, to create a more free flowing record of what I'm observing. 3. Additionally I want to include notes on sounds I am hearing.
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1. When I was younger I would draw nearly daily. Boredom in class was often remedied by simply sketching on the paper as I took notes. Sometime in middle school I just seemed to walk away from it even though it had been a defining activity for me since kindergarten. Even today when I put pen to paper I get compliments about my rough sketches or quick cartoons that I whip up, but I don't find them as satisfying as the drawings I once did. When I saw this class I felt the urge to join and try to bring that love the drawing back to life. 2. I take a camera with me when I'm birding, so at first these stories of sitting for hours drawing or painting a single bird seemed a little odd to me. I can take a picture and look at it later. But as I listened I thought maybe I'm missing out on some experiences or insights on the birds by simply snapping a photo and checking my list and moving on. I think this journal will require me to slow down and get to know the birds I'm sketching, I look forward to that.
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I have been trying to draw most of my life and even managed to squeak through a college BA in Fine Arts degree program. However I never feel satisfied that my drawings , still life snippets from nature, are art. Part of my retirement hours are filled with watching birds at the many feeders in my backyard. Of course I occasionally try to draw these birds with little satisfaction with my results. These creatures move around a lot. When I saw the introduction to this course I realized journaling might be an answer to my dissatisfaction. Why do I have to put pressure on myself to draw a finished piece of art. I realized what I enjoyed about drawing is being in the moment, observing nature and revisiting the drawing to enjoy the moment again. Soon we will be traveling out west, USA through National Parks. Journaling seems like an excellent way to document our travels. I also want to learn more about nature and through observation and drawing what I see then researching and documenting with words in a journal I believe will be a good learning tool for me.
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I absolutely love spending time in nature and observing the details. I don't know how to draw, so am taking this course to help me capture the things I see and experience. I love words and am interested in combining drawing with poetry. I'm scared spitless, because I honestly don't feel I can draw! But I took inspiration and courage from someone who said they were in the same boat as I, and that our instructor was really good with beginners. I figure I'll be able to discover some creative ideas that will work for me. Wish me luck! So here's a question from a newbie: when she says write in your nature journal, is she referring to the moleskin art watercolor album? Thanks.
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It seems she may mean the spiral notebook(?)
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@Nancy It's a little confusing but thanks for responding!
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1 I trained in math and chemistry. I noticed with one small flower, I couldn't really see what I was seeing. I tried to teach myself drawing to improve my observing skills. Drawing slows me down and forces me to observe more carefully. I don't know how to judge essential lines and distracting detail in drawing. I have trouble getting proportions right. 2 I like the draw and redraw approach. I think it gives me freedom to experiment. I also like the color from water colors. I don't know how to control the spread of the color. I like the idea of picture first, annotations around the picture. Objects sharing a page helps fill the page. 3 Whenever I open a new notebook, I number the pages and leave the first page blank for a table of contents. The last page is for an index I create when I have filled the notebook.
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I took a sketching course this past summer and got really hooked. I was reminded while taking that course that anything can be beautiful if you really focus and see it, however, it takes practice and some skill to depict that thing beautifully. I have also taken classes on botanical art in watercolor and in colored pencil, and now want to combine this with nature journaling. I'm not very good at drawing plants and want to improve. I also want to learn about using a water brush for painting as I currently have difficulties controlling the water flow with them. I have also long been interested in birds and photographing them. However, I really don't draw them very well. I'd like to improve this as well. Finally, I want to acquire the habit of making some piece of art (drawing, sketching, painting) every day. I view art making as a form of meditation and want to expand my skills so that I can focus on seeing the object rather than on the mechanics of mark making.
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We all have too many art books, but the one that always stays on my table is The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds. It's an amazing reference for learning everything from posture to feather groups. It will also help focus field sketches.
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This course is a birthday present. I'm semi-retired now and use to draw, but got away from it. I've always loved nature and now want to return to being creative and noticing the beauty and nature around me.
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Happy Birthday! Mine too, was a BDay gift from my husband. This course is perfect as a gift or a gift to oneself. Enjoy!
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I have done a bit of journalling in the past. I've never been serious about it. Like other people, I started using a camera instead of sketching. I'd really like to get back to sketching. I will be going on a trip next year that I really want to document. So, I'm hoping this course will get me into the habit of journalling regularly and creating a style. I was surprised that the pages had several things on them. I like that and the notation of the weather. For my trip, I'll probably add the location; latitude and longitude as we'll be as sea. I'm really happy to have found this course at this time and I'm looking forward to getting into it and progressing.
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I’ve been an outdoors person for my entire life, following my dad fishing, wandering my tiny hillside in the foothills of the Apps in PA, going ‘down to the creek (crick)’ as often as I could to turn over rocks and look for crayfish and such. These days I am still outside as much as I can be, but my pace is hurried. I want to see and count ALL the birds. I move, a lot. This course will help me slow down and study the things that make me go, “wow, that’s neat,” and “Hon, I saw the coolest thing on my walk today.” I’m trading the camera for the pencil for a while.
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Question 1: I started nature journaling when I was about 12. I was inspired by the PBS show Hodgepodge Lodge, with Miss Jean. My drawings were not so good, but I loved the entire process. I was so proud of that first notebook. I resumed nature journaling a few years ago. I’ve been in Alaska since 2001, and live on a river, so this is a good spot for journaling. My drawings haven’t really improved a lot, but I’m still as excited about it as I was when I was watching Hodgepodge Lodge!
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Hodgepodge Lodge! That brings back memories.
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@Paige Oh how I loved that show. My folks would tease me ( lovingly), about my obsession with the program. Later, I was inspired by John Boy Walton’s nightly journal writings, on the Walton’s. My parents then said “ Nancy, you’re going to someday be a writer and illustrator!” That never happened, but I’m still loving sketching and journaling. It’s so fabulous for our minds and spirits, yes?
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@Nancy Absolutely! I love the Waltons too. I own the first 7 seasons (the last two got a little odd when so many of the original characters left).
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@Nancy Just googled it. Man, that theme song takes me back! Unfortunately, I found this in Wikipedia: "Unfortunately, most episodes of Hodgepodge Lodge have been lost because the master tapes were erased to save money by allowing the tapes to be reused. Of the over 760 original episodes, only about 30 remain. Maryland Public Broadcasting offers some of the surviving episodes on DVD."
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@Paige Hi Paige Wow ! What a shame! Too bad more were not kept. Oh that sounds great! Thank you for that info. She inspired so many of us kids. Nature was something we were “ in” everyday. I miss those days.
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@Paige
Hi Ellen
I bought mine through Amazon. It’s such a beautiful book! Enjoy! 😊
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@Nancy oops. This went to the wrote poster. Sorry.
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Hodgepodge Lodge! I remember watching that at my grandparents' house when I was a kid.
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@Amy Hi Amy That’s neat! Wasn’t it interesting? She held your attention for sure. I always wanted to live in her little house.
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Hi Ellen
I bought mine through Amazon. It’s such a beautiful book! Enjoy! 😊
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