online links
Introducing a few nature journalers online – there are so many, it’s hard to know where to go, but these will get you started:
John Muir Laws, California.
He has a lot of information on nature journaling, even an entire section on drawing plants! https://johnmuirlaws.com/drawing-plants/
He is the author and co-author of several nature journaling how-to books for all ages. Check his calendar for a multitude of workshops and get-togethers online (some free, some paid, some with a suggested donation). Since the pandemic, he has expanded his online teaching and is the driving force behind bringing their annual conference online. Warning! There is a ton of material on his site and YouTube channel – just take it slow and follow your interests.
Cathy (Kate) Johnson, Missouri.
Kate is a woman of many talents: watercolor, watercolor pencil, author of over 30 books, and maker of many things. She taught on the Internet when tools were minimal. She has many different website presences, but for us, her YouTube channel will be most inspiring. Here is a tour of the mini-sketchbook that she keeps in her jeep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVXXAIplR4s&t=8s
Her YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/user/KateJosTube/videos You might also want to look through other artists’ images on the Flickr group she started: https://www.flickr.com/groups/nature-sketching/pool/
Pam Johnson Brickell, South Carolina.
Pam primarily works in vibrant watercolors, but also pen and often adds a calligraphic element to her nature journal pages. She is active online and also teaches a variety of nature journaling workshops.
https://www.creatingnaturejournals.com/
Donna L. Long, Pennsylvania.
She typically fills her journals with photos and words, also the occasional sketch. Donna shares a wealth of nature inspiration and information on her website, and her love of nature shines through her naturalist’s curiosity.
Here is a list of her spring nature journal prompts to inspire you: https://donnallong.com/spring-journal-writing-prompts/
Jeanette Atkinson, Florida.
A freelance writer, sketcher, and watercolorist, Jeanette’s blog is Florida Backyard Sketchbook, musings on her garden and the surrounding environment, sprinkled with drawings, small watercolors and photos. A long-time FNPS member, Jeanette has a deep knowledge of our native plants and environment, and is a member of the Florida Society of Botanical Artists (FSBA).
Clare Walker Leslie, Cambridge and Vermont.
Clare teaches in person, but it’s worthwhile looking at her sketches, recent nature journal entries are at http://www.clarewalkerleslie.com/new_work.htm. Author of numerous books on connecting art and nature through words and images, her books are the ultimate “how-tos” that started my love of nature drawing in the late 1970’s. That first book, Nature Drawing: A Tool for Learning, has been updated and reprinted and is a worth-while addition to any artist’s bookshelf. She is one of the reasons I do what I do today. Her home page is http://www.clarewalkerleslie.com/new_work.htm.
Elva Paulson, Oregon and Montana (frequent visitor to northern Yellowstone).
Her blog has numerous sketchbook entries, photos, and watercolors interspersed with her easy-to-read prose. She and her husband Dale are naturalists and highly knowledgeable about plants, animals, and birds in their area. She recently published a soft-cover book with her Yellowstone sketches, and is active online but does not teach.
http://elvafieldnotes.blogspot.com/
Roseann Hanson, Arizona.
Roseann and her husband led many exploration adventures around the world, and teaches online now as well as being active on John Muir Laws’ website. You can find her in several places online, but the best place to see her sketches is on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/roseannhanson/ or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/roseannhansonexplore.
International Nature Journal Week, June but available year-round
Visit the blog for sketches and words by all levels of nature journalers throughout the world! https://www.naturejournalingweek.com/blog
Wild Wonder Conference, June
https://johnmuirlaws.com/wildwonder/
They just held their 2021 annual conference for this nature journaling international event. If you really love nature journaling and want a deep immersion, this is for you!
You can see some snippets of the 2019 conference on YouTube, including the main speaker Clare Walker Leslie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSld-LMNmfc&t=2s.
A Nature Art Journal
NATURE FOR EVERYONE