1. This course is a Mother's Day present from my children, their spouses and families. My daughter -in-law came up with the idea because I love watching birds, I had feeders for years ( I am now in an apartment) and I have gone on birding trips, plus I do watercolor painting. I have kept watercolor journals on some trips. Now that I am in a new setting, journaling will be a great way to get to know parts of it more intimately. 2. I liked all of their ideas. I, especially liked the first journaler with her boxes and the changes she made later. The young woman who journaled every day was very ambitious and she did it all so beautifully. A monthly one seems more practical for me. 3. No new ideas yet, I will let you know.

I've always loved starting new journals and notebooks with various themes and intent, often taking a lot of time at first with them, only to lose interest, put them down, and eventually just store them in the closet. The closet is packed with half-started notebooks. I'm hopeful that Nature Journaling will me get outside, appreciate the small things, improve my art and writing skills, and help me to actually finish a notebook.

1. What inspired you to begin nature journaling? Nature inspires me- and my own forgetfulness- when I see such amazing things, I guess I want to keep a record to look back on and spark the memory and wonder.  Curiosity also inspires me- I like to find out more about what I find and keeping a track of that is cool- it makes me feel like I understand my environment more. We have just moved to a little town near the ocean on the southern coast of Australia and have a mix of beach, rockpools, coastal brush and local rainforest to explore- so much to capture! 2. Now that you’ve heard from several other journalers about their processes, and had a peek at their journals, which ideas or approaches do you want to try? I loved Shayna's journal- she has a focus on the visual, but plenty of observations and questions and I think I will do the same of filling in information afterwards.  I also liked her page with multiple ferns - the idea of creating your own field guide- I can see that working for me for so many different organisms in my environment- ferns, shells, starfish, pine cones- endless. I also loved Holly's journal- her pictures are so gorgeous, that one really inspired me to create beautiful pictures, but also the idea of capturing the changing seasons came across really strongly in her journal and I liked that alot too. In Liz's journal I loved the landscape captures- how such vast landscapes could be captured so beautifully in miniature is really inspiring to me- I had always thought more about drawing small things, but will definitely try and capture some big landscapes in miniature now. In DJ's journal I loved the repetition of drawing the same species over and over again but capturing all different details and postures- I mostly draw birds once- usually the first time I see them- and dont really draw common birds like seagulls, but see through DJ's work how trying to capture different aspects could be great to make me a better drawer and to discover things about their behaviour.

I have been receiving the Cornell Uni emails about birds for a few years and I get so many I usually skip them...sorry! However, Liz's one-hour demonstration of drawing a black and white warbler caught my eye and was very enjoyable, and I noted the offer of this course. Well, I looked into it and signed up. Here I am, happily. I am an artist and a birdwatcher, with very few paintings of birds to my name...so far. However, I have been enjoying painting mushrooms, leaves, blossoms and flowers. The idea of nature journaling appeals because I love plein air painting. It allows me to slow down and just be peaceful, note what is going on, see birds come and go, and watch weather changes and light and shadow play over water and headland. I like the idea of journaling each day for a month, and I like the idea of journaling to capture the essence of a trip. I think I prefer vivid pictures of varying sizes together with notes and arrows pointing to specific details, plus writing that runs around the pictures and down the page. I also like the idea of identifying what I have found and adding that information later. Briony Penn published her nature journal and from what I recall it was exquisite. (Here is a link to her book. It is not quite a nature journal per se, although, perhaps it is. Anyway, I think it looks exciting.)

I started nature journaling because I've always loved drawing animals. and when I got into birds I found out about nature journaling and Audubon. so later on I found bird academy and for weeks or months, I was thinking of starting a class. then I asked my mom and she said yes today I just started the class.

I signed up for this course two years ago.  For some reason, unknown to me, I put it on the back burner, meaning to get back to it any day now.   Two yrs went by.  Today, I watched Liz on a podcast & she got me energized again to get out my course supplies & start over.  I was surprised the the little amount of drawing I had done 2 yrs ago showed me that I did actually pick up some knowledge even though I didn't get very far.  So, now I'm beginning again.  I walk every day either in the forest behind our house or along the bluff trail that juts down into the ocean.  Lots of sea birds.  Even though we live in a constant drought here on the central CA coast, there are lots of little wildflowers that I'm going to attempt to draw.  Today I saw some CA Quail running under the brush in the forest.  They are extremely shy & run like the wind so I don't know if I can capture them, but I'll be on the lookout.  They do sometimes come to our back yard to check out our feeders. I'm excited to get back into this course & onward I go.  It's so well taught & Liz is so low-key I think I can do this without being judgmental of my work -- something she stressed on the podcast. Ps: I raise Monarch Butterflies so I will practice drawing their beautiful lines & spots.  They never leave the yard & are very friendly so it shouldn't be too difficult getting them to pose :)

I was gifted this course by my partner for Christmas several years ago and am now finally taking it. I enjoy being out in nature and have been dipping my toes into birding - or at least learning to identify the birds around me using Merlin and eBird. Honestly, I had initially hoped for a course on identifying birds but looking into it further, I find nature journaling to be appealing (if not a little intimidating). I do like the idea of having a way to more fully and mindfully take in my surroundings - not just the birds (which, honestly, seems quite challenging given their movement) but recording the scenery and general observations when out spending time in natural areas whether for the day or camping. It provides  something "to do" to experience a place without having to be on the move (hiking, boating, etc) and creates a strong memory, both in your mind and one to return to on the page. I like the combo of using color and lines to draw the scenery and doing more close-up/individual studies along with words to help fully capture a place/time. I enjoyed many of the journals shown and can see how various methods can prove useful depending on my time and inclination. The one spread per month is appealing to build the habit especially when time is short. The previously mentioned method of notes+colorful scenery+close-ups would be nice when camping or otherwise spending longer days outdoors. The organization of the first journal felt appealing for a beginner like me, with boxes (albeit, somewhat free form). I appreciate how many of the journals were approachable works in progress. I look forward to honing my art skills and cultivating a creative and mindful way to experience nature!

1.  COVID hit and listening to the birds around me gave me so much peace.  I learned to identify many by their songs and then by their sizes, shapes and colors.  I wanted to connect on a deeper more intimate level by drawing them. I found I could draw with practice and now I want to improve my drawing/observation skills.  It is healing to contemplate the beauty of the natural world and to be in awe.

I love being outside and wanted to make a different record than is on my iPhone. I want to learn how to draw and describe the outside world. I am new to drawing.

I live in Stony Plain Alberta Canada, lake country! All seasons bring an abundance of enjoyment when out on the water and surrounding areas. I mostly photograph micro environments and paint larger oil paintings from them. I want to start recording more of the experience through a collection of  illustration, descriptive language, mark making, colour, prints and whatever means possible to tell a story about the places I encounter. It is my hope this will bring a rich layer of meaning to my larger work in the studio. Images included are some past sketches done from memory of places I visited, and a larger oil painting done in studio.

Living on top of  the grand canyon (830 feet)  the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers for 19 years, it's time to document the awesome change of the seasons reflected in nature, sky and river. I want to improve my powers of observation,  learn color with old eyes, explore line and shape.

I was inspired to start nature journaling because I wanted to become a better birder. I wanted to be able to identify the birds by sight, sound or even behavior. I wanted something tangible to carry with me to track my progress. I also wanted to learn how to draw my surroundings, so I could immerse myself more deeply in the natural world. More importantly, I just wanted to document my experience in nature. To have something to look back on, and maybe share with people. First assignment. draw the yellow warbler. It took me 40 min 😆

I was inspired to begin nature journaling because I love the blend of sketching, watercolors, and writing. I feel like this will be a wonderful way to express myself.

Hello fellow natural journalers! 1. I am currently enrolled in The University of Newcastle, Australia course called Drawing Nature, Science and Culture: Natural History Illustration. It was while searching online for the topic of field sketching (which is the third week homework) that I stumbled upon this Nature journaling course. I have always been fascinated with nature journals and the way they combine text and illustration. Seeing as I am used to drawing from photographs at home, what inspired me to take this course is the desire to get out, observe firsthand and finally create a nature journal of my own. 2. My idea is to try to focus primarily on landscapes, plants and various small natural objects that I run into. I know that I would like to combine several drawing (graphite pencil, colored pencil and pen) and painting techniques (watercolor and gouache) and quick gestural sketches with sustained drawings. I would also like to work on good composition, informative notes and accurate illustrations. 3. I like that some of the journalers recorded the date, time, weather and location in their journals and some colour notations. Not my idea but I have seen in other journals scale references and dissections of plants that illustrate their structure. These are some things that I would like my nature journal to include. I have attached an example of a page that I was recently working on for the above mentioned course. It is drawing natural objects and all of them were done at home on a desktop with desk lamp lighting. Additionally I scanned and arranged the drawings and hand written text in Photoshop. I look forward to starting my nature journal and seeing how the immediacy changes my drawings, my style, composition and most importantly the new ideas this experience will spark!  

I'm taking this journaling course to reconnect with my writing life and to create more vivid, personal memories when my husband and I travel.  I want color incorporated in my journal, which is now computer/word oriented, and though I have had little training in drawing and was frustrated with a watercolor course I took years ago, this course seemed perfect for trying out mixed media in a private space, with pinpointed drawing and painting techniques.  I'm hopeful this will become a spark for creative growth, and already I'm excited by the course content.  Things that spoke to me in this first lesson are Holly's two-sided explorations with nature and with art techniques, and her discussions and drawing/memories of her "encounters" with mushrooms, pine cones, birds, etc.  I also loved Liz's journal overall--it's looseness in form but kind of chatty quality which is very personable--and I especially responded to her reminder that even unfinished sketches have memories associated with them.  I can see that if I catch the habit, it will be for all seasons, and not just the special circumstance of travel.

Retirement and Covid came at the same time for me.  I have been lucky to be able to be outside and love it, taking walks in our little woods and working on our little garden area.  I have taken many photos and having just discovered the macro mode on my phone  has invited me into the smaller worlds I might otherwise miss.  Drawing with journaling seems like a natural occupation for me because I often sit or stand for many minutes to visually explore and observe.  I especially liked the journals with repeated drawing of one subject as with the hummingbirds and thereby learning the significant features of the bird.  All of the examples sparked inspiration.  I need to learn about drawing techniques and can see that regular journaling with illustrations will help with that. I was so happy to find the course through eBird and am excited to get started.

1. I've always been interested in drawing but have had no formal training.  I'm a photographer as well, but have had the desire to sketch when sitting along the beach, looking at flowers, etc. The difficulty I've always had is trying to figure out how other people can sketch so quickly even if the subject is moving. Also, I've gotten frustrated with watercolors in the past, but I've always loved the look.  I'm looking forward to learn how to successfully use them. I definitely want to include the pertinent data of date, location, time, and weather conditions. That is what I do in my photography. I always strive to identify any object from nature as well -- seashells, plants, birds, etc. I will definitely include the identification. I want to use a looser style to leave room for my sketches and text.

I belong to a Pollinator Gardening Club where I live and I would love to learn how to draw/paint the many flowers, plants, bushes, bugs, and butterflies in the garden.  I have never drawn or used water colors so this will be fun to learn the process.  I like to make collages and I think this will help me to be more creative.  I love nature and being outdoors.  I look forward to recording the sketches and journaling my thoughts and observations about plants I am seeing.  I also look forward to the time being quiet and to enjoy and contemplate nature.  I really liked Shayna Miller's nature journal as she had order and structure on each page with the boxes and I think this will be helpful to me in learning to nature journal.

I have been interested in nature journaling for a long time, and have started them off and on for years. But I'd love to get more consistent with it! I volnteered for the Wild Wonder Nature Journaling conference last year and it was really inspirational.

I was introduced to nature journaling in 2021 when I took a quick lesson through Sketchbook Revival.  It was taught by John Muir Laws. I love nature and I love creating.  I am enjoying sketching and want to learn more about watercolour. To date I have mostly sketched and drawn birds from other’s photos.  I would like to be able to draw them from life.  The page above was easy for me because plants move a lot slower than animals! I also took part in International Nature Journalling Week 2021 and Wild Wonder 2021.  They were eye opening experiences for me. I have so much to learn!  There are so many different ways to do things! I liked all the journals shown in the video.  One thing that struck me was the difference in the amount of time required for each style of journaling. I have limited time, so Holly’s journal really appealed to me. I can do a page a month or a small sketch every day.  Last year I jumped with both feet and tried to do too much at once. I was going in all directions. This year I want to take a slower paced, more focused approach.

I am always looking for ways to learn and improve my creativity. I take a lot of bird and wildfowl pictures however as my collection grows something is missing and that is a more personal connection with my work. Some days I can take hundreds of pictures in a day but by adding journaling, I hope it will slow me down and allow me to connect more with the subject. Journaling should also help me improve my drawing and watercolour skills while adding something to my photographic skills. I haven't figured out how I want to keep my journals other than the basic of date, time, weather etc. but through practice and experience I will develop a process.

I've drawn on and off over the years but never with any discipline outside of a class structure.  I'm looking for an approach to help me to tap into that creativity and discipline. I've always been drawn to subjects in nature and am an avid hiker and camper and am now spending more time outdoors and traveling.  In looking for a class to jumpstart a drawing practice, coming across this course on nature journaling was a revelation!  It seems like exactly the approach I have been looking for and I'm really excited to jump in.

I want to begin nature journaling since I really love those birds flying through the sky and I enjoy the process of painting. I think nature journaling is a great way to combine these two interests and this process help me to enhance my drawing skills. As an beginner, I don't many specific idea on how will I deal with my journal, but I think that will be an excellent experiences to explore different style of journaling and find the suitable one.

My initial interest in exploring nature journaling was as a way to strengthen my sketching ability and provide possible designs for my art as a printmaker. Looking at others’ nature journals, I see that an observational journal could also be useful to me as a gardener. I also realized that not everyone is a skilled draftsman (one of my concerns, as I don’t think I am), but that useful information can be observed and recorded regardless of “artistic ability.” (I still want to get better at sketching, though!)

What inspired me to begin nature journaling is to both observe things more closely as well as improve my rendering skills. As with handwriting notes, drawing is a great way to reinforce learning so I think that’s what I’m excited about.   It’s hard to pick one style of journaling, but I like the idea of notations that go along with the sketches.