But I Can’t Draw!

WRITTEN BY CHANDLER JOINER

Starting a nature journal can be daunting, but the first thing is that you do NOT need to be good at drawing. You do not even have to know anything about nature to get started. As we grow up, we can lose our natural curiosity about the world around us. We want to excel at our hobbies or we don’t want to do them at all. Practicing nature journaling is a phenomenal way to break this spell while connecting with the world around you.

By definition, nature journaling is the regular recording of observations, perceptions and feelings about the world of nature, with the date, place, time and weather typically noted somewhere. Nature journaling is taught all around the world, everywhere from professional development classes and aboard research vessels to senior citizen homes and in many schools. However, in my opinion, summer camp is one of the best places to explore the art of nature journaling. All you need to get started is a sense of curiosity, and summer camp is a place where discovery and curiosity thrive. Kids are curious explorers who help adults remember how to play, make messes and experience awe.

“A child’s wonder is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood.” - Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder

Nature journaling is a way to find this wonder and excitement. It is an opportunity for kids (and adults) to ask as many questions as they want about the world around them. Why does that cloud look like a pizza? What is that lump on that tree? Why do worms wiggle? As an outdoor science educator, I am always tempted to try and answer these questions immediately, but this can be detrimental to the learning process. At Rockhaven Camp, nature journaling is an opportunity for campers to explore their questions at their own pace and with their unique learning style. After years of watching campers nature journal, I have found that they feel more passionately and enthusiastically about an answer to a question when given time to explore a creature or phenomenon on their own.

But nature journaling is for everyone, not just summer camp kids. It can be done from a city sidewalk, an apartment balcony, a park bench or the trails of national parks. Here is a helpful tip for getting started: Try a blind contour. A blind contour is a drawing of an object (leaf, pinecone, flower, etc.) done in one single line without looking at your paper. This is a great way to loosen up your mind and gain confidence. Go slowly and look carefully at the object you are “tracing,” you’ll be tempted to look at your paper but resist the urge until the end of your drawing. Everyone’s blind contours look the same, no matter their age or drawing experience, but you will always be able to see the essence of the object. Do this multiple times. Change the angle of the object, try using pens and pencils, try drawing standing up. All of these tactics will help your drawings get stronger.

As my mentor used to tell me, nature journaling works best when you slow down, get down and look around. It is a mindfulness practice, a time when your focus is entirely on seeing nature and recording it. Whether you are an avid outdoor enthusiast, or you prefer to stay indoors by a window, I encourage you to take the time to just sit, listen and watch, you never know what you’ll discover!

Chandler Joiner is the Director for Rockhaven Camp and Retreat Center, located in Gallatin Gateway between Bozeman and Big Sky. Chandler is passionate about the personal connections created at summer camp and the transformative power of spending time outdoors.