Nature Journaling With Art and Science

A blank journal or sketchbook (unlined works best for combining writing and drawing)

A pencil and eraser

Colored pencils for adding detail

A ruler for measuring (optional)

A comfortable outdoor sitting spot

Find your spot. Anywhere outdoors works — a park bench, a log in the woods, a corner of the garden, a seat near a pond. The only requirement is that nature is around you.

Start every entry the same way: date, time, location, and weather conditions. This header grounds the observation in time and place.

Be still for three minutes. Just observe. What catches your eye? What do you hear? What smells reach you? Write or sketch the first three things you notice — they're usually the most interesting.

Now zoom in. Choose one thing to study closely. A mushroom growing on a log. A particular wildflower. A spider building a web. Sketch it carefully — proportions first, then details.

Surround your sketch with words. How big is it? What colors, exactly? What texture? What sounds is it making (if it's alive)? What's the habitat around it? Write questions: "Why is this mushroom growing on the north side of the log?"

End with "I wonder..." This is the most important line. It captures curiosity and creates a thread for the next journal session.

Nature journaling combines three skills: scientific observation, artistic recording, and reflective writing. The combination is more powerful than any one alone.

Don't worry about drawing ability. The goal is accurate observation, not beautiful art. Labeled diagrams with arrows and notes are just as valuable as detailed illustrations.

Journal regularly — even five minutes twice a week builds a remarkable record over time.

Read nature journals by famous scientists: John Muir, Beatrix Potter (she was a mycologist before she wrote children's books), and Charles Darwin all kept detailed nature journals.