My nature journaling practice really took off in September! It helped that we had a botany unit during the Master Naturalist training, which gave me the opportunity to get back to diagramming plants. We had a dichotomous key workshop taught by the steward of one of the forest preserves where I volunteer. She explained that keying plants out in the field makes you a scientific observer of plants. The same applies to nature journaling, as it combines the elements of written words, numbers and visual illustration to deepen your observation of your subject.
As for the materials I worked with during the month, I continued with my naturalist’s notebook until I switched over to a Stillman & Birn Epsilon Series sketchbook that I really like — it’s a dream for pen and ink and colored pencil and can handle a wash.
Some nature journaling resources I appreciated in September:
Marley Peifer’s YouTube channel
Journaling With Nature podcast with Bethan Burton
John Muir Laws’ store — I am really digging my recently purchased Pentax Patilio II binoculars, which are proving a great nature journaling tool (and far easier on my neck than my regular bins)
Artist’s Journal Workshop by Cathy Johnson — I bought a used copy online and she’s generously offering material from her books for free online
