My Nature Journals
When my dog, Jess, stared up at a squirrel amongst a bed of dog’s mercury I began my nature journalling journey.
Jess staring at a squirrel.
I began my journals in 2017. This was a few years after getting my dog Jess. Being a Border Collie she was lively, but this time she sat under a tree, amongst the Dogs Mercury, looking up at a squirrel who seemed to be teasing her. The sketchbook I used had been in my bag for a few years, left untouched, mainly by me not having the confidence to make a start on a brand new sketchbook.
The thought of making a mess of this pristine new sketchbook was preventing me from actually using it! But sitting there and being present for that moment was a critical moment in me connecting with the nature around me. This sketchbook was a Moleskine Japanese Accordion Sketchbook that unfolds and seems to go on and on without any boundaries.
There is no single page that can be “messed up”. Finding nature to draw was also something that took me to “get my eye in”. ? But I did seem to be looking for subjects and don’t ask me why I drew a sun with such lovely lips!
An early entry into my first nature journal.
The beginning of my nature journal journey
At this time I was using a fineliner for my drawings. My line work was rather sketchy and perhaps a bit uncertain. Overtime the line seemed to gain more confidence and the notation became very much part of the illustrations. During the course of that Spring I began to note when sand martins arrived. I was looking up and down, seeing more and more of nature to draw. It was as if nature was drawn to me too.
This was demonstrated when a hare ran into me one day! And I saw a lizard along the riverside where I live - the first one I had seen and I have never seen another since! A unique encounter for me and a memorable one that still revisit in this first journal of 2017.
When a hare ran into me.
When a hare ran into me!
Moving on a few years and nature is still flourishing around me. Little things too. A black and orange beetle caught my attention one day - it turns out it was a burying beetle or sexton beetle. A fantastic little beetle with a fantastic life story. Even roof top factories carried a story for me. Still using fineliners and Moleskine Nature Journals.
A rooftop haven for oystercatchers and gulls.
Roof top wildlife.
Moving on to the present and the habit of nature journalling has become embedded in me and I am happily drawing a little bit everyday, capturing the remarkable things as well as the ordinary little bits of nature that I encounter. I have changed my drawing style though.
This has come about mainly due to constant repetition but also moving away from fineliners and onto fountain pens. It was a revelation to discover that you could draw with a fountain pen and using waterproof fountain pen ink allows the use of watercolour paints too. The context of the nature I see is also important and I often include some urban sketching within these drawings. Bembridge Windmill provided an important context in which I saw the funny little green beetle with fat thighs.
Rose Castle
Rose Castle Nature Journal weekend. An exploration of built and natural heritage of this historic location surrounded by beautiful countryside.
A completed Chapbook journal showing a mix of nature and historic subjects.
I am heading over to rose Castle near Carlisle in June - see a little bit about the retreat here.
This is going to be a fascinating and really fun weeknd. The Castle itself is surrounded by wonderful countryside and gardens. And of course the historic location in itself is inspiring. In advance of this trip I have created an example of what you might hope to achieve with me on this weekend.
The inner side of the chapbook journal showing something of what you might expect to see.
My chapbook is based on a brief visit so some of what I have represented on the chapbook I did see but there is a bit of artistic licence involved too! But I reckon there will be a whole lot more to see than I have drawn.
Process
So how did I create this little journal? Well it is a simple process of starting with one thing - the easiest thing - and that was the seed head of last years rose which I was fascinated with. Such lovely colours and shape. There was also still come flowers edna gorgeous crab apple tree full of tiny apples.
Some of the nature to be encountered at Rose Castle.
Once I started drawing the story seemed to take shape itself. I can’t stress enough the importance of starting with the easiest thing - this gives you confidence to continue and sets you up for success. After that the drawing sort of does itself.
Some nature that has crossed my path.
On my next visit I will be doing some more exploring and I really want to get under the skin of the building itself. There are a lot of interesting features to draw and I like to weave these in and out of the natural history subjects.
Rose Castle with a flourish of native daffodils.
I wished I had seen a weasel - I wonder if by me drawing one will magically bring one to me when I go in June? But at all times of year there is something to see - look at the wild carrot - who know that there was tiny red flower right in the middle of the umbrella.
Completing a Chapbook journal is very satisfying as it allows you to create something that is worth keeping and will become a record of your visit to Rose Castle. This format is both a nature journal and an opportunity to include some personal thoughts and feelings about your visit and your encounters with nature too.
A full spread of the Rose Castle Chapbook journal
But how is to done?
Well it is really simple - I use a fountain pen with waterproof, fountain pen ink. You can use fineliners too and in fact I will be providing you with fineliners along with a blank journal. I will help you through the process of drawing your ideas. I aim to guide you in finding your own style of drawing - everyone has their own style which is as unique as their own signature.
The reverse spread of the Rose Castle Chapbook journal
Workshop Season
Okay it is always workshop season to be honest. And whilst you may think you need access to a garden or nature reserve to experience nature …. well who knew - you don’t! Nature is all around. Just look into the gutters, cracks in the pavements, walls, drain pipes, the clouds. There is always something to find and draw. The above sketch was done by one of the attendees in a workshop recently - and we found loads of stuff in a small urban community garden - packed full of interesting nature - from coltsfoot - one of the earliest of the dandelions to flower to bitter dock growing like salad leaves all over the place.
Boundless Nature
The latest course at the Natural History of Northumbria’s nature reserve in Gosforth saw us create our own nature journals through a guided and accessible drawing session. The resulting journals will now be accessioned into the archives held at the The Great North Museum at the Hancock.
I had never heard of this hoverfly until one of my students drew this one.
It has been a lovely summer of drawing and nature, noticing and drawing the boundless nature that is one our doorsteps. Someone asked me where was my favourite place to see nature - well for me it is simply the easiest place to get to - and sometime this is just outside your front door, or garden or local green patch.
I have been running a host of workshops from the Isle of Wight, to Sedbergh in the Yorkshire Dales, Stanhope in County Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria, and, closer to home Gosforth Nature Reserve.
This is my chapbook showing the “Things seen and unseen”.
During the course of the three sessions at Gosforth Nature Reserve we were able to explore the woodland, meadow and wetlands with the young naturalists from the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN) and complete create our own unique nature journals (chapbooks).
Each participant brought something different to the sessions and expressed their love of nature in their own unique fashion.
The activities room provides a perfect environment for creative work.
For my own nature journal my focus was as much on the things I did see but the nature I didn’t see. Hence the title: “Things Seen and Unseen”. This gave me permission to draw water voles, kingfisher, bittern as well as some lovely little flowers that I did see.
Some of the wildlife I didn’t see!
At the end of the three sessions we came back together to enjoy each others work, discuss the project and of course cake.
North Shields Library Nature Journal Session
This was a lovely nature journal session at North Shields Library and this little message from one of the artists was so touching. The session involved my little chat about chapbooks, Enid Blyton and how eggs get their patterns. Basically me blethering on for a bit! then a nature walk and straight back into the library to draw.
A lovely journal created by one of the artists today.
Many thanks to North Shields Library for hosting this fantastic event. I saw some familiar faces here as well as welcoming some new faces! There was a few frightened look from some them, at first - especially when I gave everyone pens to draw with rather than pencils!!
But everything changed once they all start drawing. How many times do I hear ‘I can’t draw’ and yet once they start drawing they create some amazing pieces of artwork.
These nature journals also carry little stories - a hotdog stealing gull!
There was some lovely story telling on display and the observations and sometimes quickly viewpoints was visible in their artwork. For the people starting their new journal journey it was great to see the support provided by more experienced artists and the whole event was a nourishing and mindful experience.
A journey to the Isle of Wight
Creating a nature journal is not a difficult thing to do and is so rewarding. For many people the fear of “spoiling” the sketch book is a barrier to them starting their journey. My workshops are designed to take the fear away and remove all barriers to creating your own nature journal. you do not need to be an artist to observe and record nature and may people come to me saying they “aren’t artists” but go away with beautiful little nature journals and a new found confidence and belief in themselves.
A spread of just a few of the amazing things I saw in my last trip to the Isle of Wight.
I have made two visits to the Isle of Wight in recent years and this is one of the most nature rich places I have visited. It is so accessible too - you seem to be always near a footpath that takes to or through an ancient woodland or grassland.
At Newtown Nature Reserve I was only a dozen steps into the woodland when I was suddenly surrounded by Marbled White Butterflies - a first for me and here they were all over the place.
So many Marbled White Butterflies!
A little further into the woodland and I found myself on the edge of salt marsh with glasswort and other salt loving plants. Skirting this salt marsh and heading towards Newtown Town Hall there is some lovely grassland which were covered in butterflies.
So many lovely grassland loving plants and insects.
So this year - 2025 - will see me make another couple of trips to teach workshops on how to create your own nature journal. This page has some resources that I hope will inspire you to come along and kickstart your own nature journal journey.
A spread of one of my mini journals.
Why is keeping a nature journal good for?
There is no right or wrong way, nor is there a “proper” way to keep a nature journal. I like to fill my journals with observations and song lyrics I hear - poems and snippets of information that I learn along the way. Importantly I feel connected to nature in a way that is personal.
Whilst drawing you will begin the journey of looking more closely and with more interest at the nature around you - not just the big and spectacular things but the equally special small things. And over time you will see more and more and want to record this too.
The other side of the mini journal.
I look back on some of my early journals and gain a lot of pleasure from noting the dates I first observe the sand martins arrive or when the swifts leave.
Drawing is Observation
Observation is Understanding
Understanding is Empathy
Empathy is Love
A mini concertina nature journal is easy to fill up and enjoy.
What for does my nature journal take?
A nature journal can be created in any form that you like - the main factor is that you have it with you at all times. I provide a small concertina style journal so that we can work together on creating a mini journal that is easy to fill and enjoy.
Exploring the Archives
The first session of the exploration of the archives took place this week and we used the Chapbook format that I have developed for nature journalling - this allows us to create a lovely little concertina piece of art.
Heads down for an exploration of the acrchives
The first session of the Exploring the Archives Session
The first of the three sessions were spent exploring some of the wonderful items in the archives of the Natural History Society of Northumbria.
Who knew that the writer of the Owl and the Pussycat was one of the best bird illustrators of his time - parrots were his thing.
And then here comes the Jabberwocky - perhaps inspired but the Lambton Worm. But what’s this? A very old book in the library here revealed the Hamburg Hydra - turned out to be a stitch-up - seven snake heads stitched together. Could this be the Jabberwocky?
Here comes the Jabberwocky.
Heaven sent creatures seems to be my emerging theme - creatures such as the Great Auk, the Passenger Pigeon and the giant Oarfish. Oh and of course the Dodo appears - inspired by the story from Lewis Carroll’s "A Caucus Race and a Long Tale”.
Heaven Sent - the Cover of the Chapbook of my Chapbook.
A very precious copy of Gilbert White’s Natural history of Selborne is in the library and this account of the worm (not the Lambton one) is so very interesting:
“Earthworms, though in appearance, small and despicable link in the chain of nature, yet, if lost would make a lamentable chasm. For, to say, nothing of half the birds, and, some quadrupeds, which are almost entirely supported by them … worms are great promoters of vegetation."
Forest Hall Family Day
It was Family Day at Forest Hall Library today and we all had a lovely time drawing the simplest of things. I provided my unique little concertina nature journals which I have made just for this purpose. These little journals are a great way to get started in nature journalling.
Today’s workshop was for families in the half term break. Again Forest Hall library provided fantastic hosts for this Free workshop. A great one for mums, dads, carers and children to take part in a restful morning simply drawing nature. I do insist on a few rules and as usual rule one is when drawing slugs, which you must, include a lovely red heart alongside him/her.
Second rule it drawing with a pen and not a pencil - why? This is to ensure that people draw with some freedom and not get bogged down with trying to make that “perfect” drawing - nothing in nature is perfect after all. It is so liberating working straight onto paper with a pen and living with your mistakes and after a short while you forget you are not using a pencil!
Forest hall revisited
Another lovely nature day with some fantastic artists and lovely people. We enjoyed a half day of doing something really simple and nourishing - drawing nature and loving nature.
A lovey spread of flowers from one of the artists attending the workshop.
We had some new artists along today as well as some familiar faces for this lovely half day of drawing and loving nature in Forest Hall Library. Most of the attendees are relatively new to art or have had a long break from drawing, so it is always lovely to see such beautiful work coming out of the workshop.
“...it was relaxed, inspiring and you teach people without them realising.”
The format is a familiar one - for me at least. I use my (almost) famous concertina sketchbooks as the tool for people to dive into the world of nature journalling. These little books are small, A6, accessible and seem to allow people to feel that they can fill them up, and yet they are never complete because you can add another and another, thus creating an ongoing storytelling of your nature journeys.
“... the concertina format is amazing and not threatening”
A little trip into the garden next to the library often reveals surprising - slugs and a dinosaur today! I encourage the use of finaliser - or fountain pen - and this is really quite liberating for people - no pencil and rubbing out. So you end up just getting on with the observation and drawing.
I take people through a process that I follow and encourage the artists to “discover” their own style. This gives confidence and encouragement to look at your own work and not worry about comparing to other peoples work.
“I found the format undoubting and doing a little bit of drawing at a time was easier.”
Resources
During the workshop the topic of materials always comes up and I like to share the equipment I use for my own nature journals including the pens I use. So following is another summary of these materials and where you might get them from.
Pens: I really like Sailor Shikiori pens with a fine nib. Buy it with a Sailor converter so you can fill it with sketch ink. Buy them from Cultpens. Whilst you are on Cultpens look for other offers and Lamy pens are always a good workhorse pen.
Ink: fill your new pen with Sketch Ink - again from Cultpens. This is designed specially for fountain pens and is waterproof.
Paper/Journals: You can get the blank concertina journals from me or direct from the printer I have commissioned to make them - Robson Print in Hexham. I use Japanese Accordion Sketchooks - you can get these from Moleskine directly or shop around in the usual places! I am particularly fond of Seawhite of Brighton who sell a lovely Travel Sketchbook with paper that takes a fountain pen and wash beautifully.
Love Nature at Forest Hall Library
Another shortcut to nature journalling at Forest Hall Library. Despite being a cold January start we all managed to find something beautiful to draw.
Nature Journal Creation from simple everyday subjects
January is not always the best time to capture nature - but there is always something joyous to find out there. Snowdrops are appearing - but sadly not in the library garden yet. Nevertheless there was plenty to get us started for another nature journal workshop at Forest Hall Library.
Simple subjects and a rapid journal creation from enthusiastic artists.
This is the second workshop of this series and brought some returnees as well as some new people. Why do people say they are not artists? Everyone who attends these workshops create such wonderful art and the chapbook format seems also to help with this creation.
Ovington Trees nature workshop
Ovington Trees Project invited us to host two workshops in Ovington Village in Northumberland. This was attended by adults and children from the local community. the whole day was so lovely and thanks to the homemade cakes and pastries was a pleasure to be a part of.
We recently ran a lovely workshop as part of the Ovington Trees Project - see here. Starting with a short walk along the hedges along the nearby field we then came back to begin our journals.
We followed the same format as many of my previous workshops and, of course, this involved some stories about nature, slugs and sextant beetles being at the heart of this.
At the beginning there was some reluctance to draw slugs but this soon changed once we got into how fascinating these creatures are. And, so interesting to draw too.
A lovely nature record by one of the younger members.
Apart from learning about the Ovington Trees project which aims to increase the overall tree stock in Ovington Village and surrounding areas we also learned to appreciate the small nature around us that often goes un-noticed. and the above picture shows a lovely record of some of this nature.
New Season of Nature Journalling
We have a new season of nature journalling being organised. Once again we are happy to be part of Quirky Workshops Spring programme.
We hope to see you there and we will be working on a mini concertina sketchbook that I will be providing. We will be drawing from observation in the gardens at Quirky Workshops as well was from reference photographs and illustrations that I will provide.
If you are able to do a nature walk yourself why don’t you take some photographs of your observations and bring them with you. I will be helping you to develop your own style of drawing and painting so that you can take this away with you and begin your own journey of Nature Journalling.
Dates for this course are Thursday 17th April 2025.
You can book here.
An example of one of the lovely artworks created by one of the attendees in this season’s workshops at Quirky Workshops.
BOOK 1 - 1 APRIL TO MAY 2017
The first of my Nature Journeys captured in a Moleskine Concertina sketchbook. A journey that began 1 April 2017. The highlight was a hare running into me.
A hare ran into me today and I held my breath.
A hare ran into me
The first of my Nature Journeys captured in a Moleskine Concertina sketchbook. A journey that began 1 April 2017. The highlight was a hare running into me.
The very first journal I created was deep in the bottom of Horsely Woods. Among the Dogs Mercury … Jess sat … a perfect picture and a perfect start to what became a constant project.
My first page of my first nature journal - a rather sketchy beginning.
In truth she was looking up the tree for squirrels and she sat very still as Collies do when concentrating. My had my first Moleskine Concertina journal with me along with fineliners. The first few shaky lines lacked direction and confidence and I nearly discarded the sketch later. However, I decided to add colour and more sketches until a narrative starts to emerge.
I noted that the last year the sandmartins nested in the holes in mortar on the retaining wall along the railway line. Over the winter these holes were filled in and I wondered if that would deter the birds form nesting.
It didn’t - they seemed to find new cracks and crevices and formed joyous and playful groups flying over and above my head as I watched.
A kingfisher flashed by. Blue streak for a moment.
Morel fungi looking like a brain on a stick!
Later on in April I spotted a strange fungi - looking like a brain on a stick - Morel - hadn’t seen one before and I haven’t seen in it since. And at this part of the river east of Wylam there is a river bank that is undermined by holes that the sandmartins have made. One day this bank is going to crash. And a lizard ran across my feet … I have never seen one here before and I haven’t seen one since - but I still look.
A hare ran into me.
I was walking with Jess and a hare ran down the hill and almost skidded to a halt in front of me. It looked up at me, blinked, turned tail and ran. heart stopping. Jess was too surprised to do anything but look at me as if to say wha … what?
In Garstang today there were little gangs … or I should say more accurately colonies of Tree Sparrows. They are so handsome - and so different from House Sparrows.
Tree sparrows are bonny and really quite different from house sparrows.
When journalling it can be really helpful to have a conversation with yourself. It allows you to let things percolate that would perhaps fester. Just by drawing and writing about experiences can help you through a situation. When I found a baby bird on the road, I couldn’t leave it there. I picked it up with the intention to move it into a hedge or garden. But it just closed its eyes and went to sleep … forever … in my hands.
Later that day I saw a duck with 12 chicks hanging onto her dress.
Look at all of those ducklings!
I love it when the sandpiper arrive down by the river. As this journal passes through to May and past half way in the book my style is starting to emerge. Still using fineliners and watercolour, I am starting to worry less about the drawing and concentrate more on the recording of what I see. I often do the drawings after the event - at home sometimes … sitting quiet at the kitchen table remembering what I have seen that day or that week.
The thing I like most about journalling is not necessary the drawing but the noticing. today I met a St Marks fly - a female - as she wasn’t flying in that showy way the males do. You know those lazy flies that float and drop with dangly legs? The females are just checking the males actions out to see what takes their fancy.
St Marks fly is so called because it emerges around St Mark's Day, April 25th. Also called the Hawthorn fly.
Red kite floating on angular wings.
I truly believe that my role is to be a witness, to notice and make notes of things I see, hear, experience and think. Only I can do this in my way … everyone does it in their own way … which is why journalling is so unique … it is unique to the person who creates it. Every day you can see things and treasure the experience. Henry David Thoreau said:
I omit the unusual, the hurricane and earthquakes - and describe the common.
I study Jess and see what she sees and hear what she sees - I can’t smell what she smells though!
