Nature Journaling
Nature Journaling and Outdoor Sketching
Bunker Hill Preserve, Niles, Illinois (Cook County Forest Preserve)
June 7, 2023
Instructor: Maureen Murphy
On June 7, 2023, Reed-Turner Botanical Artists member, Maureen Murphy, led a group of members in an outdoor sketching and nature journaling workshop. Members attending met at Bunker Hill Preserve in Niles, Illinois with sketchbooks, drawing supplies, chairs, and outdoor gear. Maureen began our afternoon by explaining the purpose of nature journaling and the benefits for botanical artists.
Nature journaling is different from sketching for botanical illustration in that the priority is to document observations and explore curiosities rather than complete a perfectly composed drawing. In fact, some of the drawings may be diagrams to help you remember and record what you witnessed in nature. A page may include notes on things such as: location, the weather, sounds around you, smells, thoughts about what you see, etc. There are no rules about how the page must be composed. Maureen recommends getting down as much information as you can on site, and then adding more notes or details to the drawings at home later. Things that are important to capture on site include: measurements, information on scale, color swatches, and observational drawings. Maureen stressed that nature journaling is for learning, reflecting, and remembering, and making errors is part of that process. So pages do not have to be perfect or complete at the end of the session.
To start, Maureen guided us through some exercises to engage our curiosity and help us get some words and drawings on the sketchbook page. Using the “I notice…I wonder…it reminds me of…” prompts, we were able to look at plants in the nature preserve with fresh, inquisitive eyes.
I notice….. (what do you see, hear, feel, smell, etc)
I wonder….(questions that come up while observing the subject)
It reminds me of…..(connections made to the object of your observations- memories, figurative language, etc.)
After receiving tips and taking a look through Maureen’s beautiful sketchbooks, everyone set out in different directions of the nature preserve to find something that sparked curiosity. Members set up their chairs and drawing supplies in various areas of Bunker Hill Preserve and worked for about 90 minutes. During the last 40 minutes of the session, we came back together and shared our pages. Members discussed their approach, challenges, and materials used. Nature journaling is a great practice to support botanical art. It promotes learning, observing, and making connections.
Nature journaling can be done individually and with the camaraderie of a group. To get information on upcoming nature journaling events with Maureen’s nature journaling club please email Maureen: maureenclare@gmail.com or subscribe to her newsletter on her website.
Also- read Maureen’s blog post here on how to get started in nature journaling.
Journal Page
Sharing sketchbooks
Summer plants in the preserve