Getting Started With Nature Journaling – Part 1: What is Nature Journaling?

For the New Year, I decided to start a series of posts about starting nature journaling. But before we dig into the tips and tricks, I figure it is best to start with a short explainer.

What is Nature Journaling?

Often times, when people think of nature journaling, they tend to think of detailed drawings, accompanied by deep prose and poetry or detailed data collection. But in reality, it is so much more than a pretty picture. It is a way of capturing the things that make us curious, that bring a sense of joy and wonder, and what we learn in the process. And truthfully, there is no “right way” to do nature journaling, though it does often have some common features.

In the community, nature journaling is often described as the practice of recording observations about nature through words, pictures, and numbers. But what could that look like?

Start With Observations

While we often think of nature journaling as the same as it’s visual end-result, it is important to remember that it should begin with observations. Which means we first need to get outside (though I will talk more about this in a later post). I think it can be tempting to rush to put pen or brush to paper, but we can miss so much with this approach. Instead it can be helpful to just take a moment to pause and take in what is around you. Without taking the time to observe, we miss out on all the incredible things around us and maybe some fun journaling opportunities in the process.

Write That Down

Again remembering that there is no “right” way to do this, I often like to start with taking written notes on the page. Mostly because I am still a much quicker writer than artist (though I am working on my live journaling). Also, it allows me to capture a lot of the key details that will be used for other parts of my journal entry. There are obviously lots of different forms that writing might take, including:

1. Title
2. Headings
3. Labels
4. Description
5. Narrative
6. Poetry

Regardless of the form(s) we use, writing can add much needed detail to our entries for ourselves and others, should we choose to share them.

Let Me Count The Ways

For a lot people I have encountered, using numbers in nature journaling is not something they immediately think to include. But for me, collecting specific data can be one of the more interesting elements to look back on and to share with others. Additionally, there are lots of different ways to do this:

1. Count – How many are there?
2. Measure – How big (or small) is it?
3. Time – A very important aspect, which often appears as part of our metadata.
4. Organize it – make a table or graph to help show visual connections between the data

Pencil It In

For me, my drawings are often the last piece I finish, but the first to be started. During the winter months (which here are often the rainy and cold months), I try to get a general map of my page down while in the field, but add details at home where it is warmer and drier. But like the other two aspects of nature journaling, drawings in a nature journal can take on lots of different forms.

1. A quick sketch – everything does not need to be detailed and hyperrealistic. Quick sketches can communicate lots of information in a short amount of time.
2. A detailed drawing – For other entries, we may want to include more detail – especially when used with the other two formats.
3. Map It – When trying to capture information about a path taken, including a map can provide valuable information.

Next Steps…

As this is only the first entry in the series of posts, stay tuned for future posts about how to start your nature journaling practice!