Nature Journal - Faber

Nature
Journal
By Janis Doukakis
“Nature— the sublime, the harsh, and the beautiful— offers
something that the street or gated community or computer game
cannot. Nature presents the young with something so much
greater than they are; it offers an environment where they can
easily contemplate infinity and eternity.” —Richard Louv
Objective:
Students will create their own nature journal by learning to observe and record
the natural world around them. By exploring the outdoors and collecting, drawing,
painting, and writing, students will increase their interest and knowledge of nature,
capturing their personal experience through art.
Materials:
National Core Arts Standards
Creating- #1, 2, 3
Presenting/Producing- #4, 5, 6
Responding- #7, 8, 9
Connecting- #10
http://www.nationalartsstandards.org/
Watercolor EcoPencils
Connector Paint Box/brush
Jumbo Beeswax Crayons
Grip Graphite EcoPencils
Watercolor Pad 9x12
Construction Paper Pad 9x12
Sketch Pad 9x12
www.greatartstartshere.com
www.fabercastell.com
This nature journal is inspired by a
family summer vacation in Maine. It is
organized in three parts: the seashore,
the woods, and ponds and streams.
Offered here, is creative inspiration
and examples of a simple sketching
and painting style, with a few other fun
ideas as well. A nature journal does not
have to be based on a trip, however; it
could simply be inspired by a walk in
the neighborhood, or discoveries made
in a backyard or park.
A nature journal project begins with the simple plan to go exploring
with your child or students outdoors. Pictured on the following pages,
is just that. Some things can be collected (shells, leaves, pods, etc),
while other things are better photographed (animals, perhaps), for
later drawing reference. Some things can simply be from memory, (we
all know what a starfish looks like). There is also the idea of students
creating their art during their experience outdoors, this is refered to
as “plein-air,” a French expression for painting “in the open air.” For
this, students would need to be equipped with their art materials in a
compact and portable kit.
Journals are individual, with students focusing on what captures their
own interest in nature. Exciting personal observations can also trigger
even more interest by being enriched with a research or creative
writing element, as you will see here.
Encourage students to take time and pleasure in this first stage of
the journaling experience; the time spent exploring outdoors can be a
very enjoyable, stimulating and memorable time for all.
Beginning the art
Creating a journal begins with paper. As an artist myself, I suggest
that students do their art on individual sheets of paper, and then
bind the journal together at the end of the project. This allows for a
more comfortable way to work, knowing that they can include only
the pages they want, and to not have to work around the awkward
spine of the spiral-bound sketchbook. Also, a variety of papers
appropriate for the art materials to be used can be included, like
watercolor paper, sketching paper, or colored paper.
The artwork here is done mostly in watercolor paint and watercolor
pencil, both very enjoyable mediums, and effective in giving a light,
loose, look. If older students would like to create pages with a more
carefully laid-out, finished look (as pictured here), they can draw
their subjects on tissue paper, and then using a light table, trace
and position their art onto the watercolor paper.
If students are returning to the studio or classroom with their finds,
you will need to get set up for drawing. Although it is not necessary,
it can be very helpful to the students and improve their drawings if
their subjects can be placed on a white surface (could be paper)
with a white background (could be a divider). This isolates what is to
be drawn, making the subject much easier to focus on; more detail
can be seen.
The writing
A very important component to creating a nature journal is not
only the artwork, but the writing of what is of interest to the student.
Notes, including descriptions, incidents, thoughts, locations or other
interesting observations, can be included. Poetry and quotes could
add even more depth. The writing can be done in a factual, scientific
manner or a more personal one, as in the following examples.
When it’s time to begin your art, sketch loosely with a pencil. Observe
your object closely, looking for detail. Notice how things are shaped and
proportioned, go slowly. When satisfied, go over the drawing in a black
water-proof pen. A slow, careful hand gives the line character—let the line
break here and there.
Decide how you will add color to your drawings. Paint, colored pencils,
markers or even crayons are an option. Name the object, and make notes of
things that you would like to remember. Create a little icon documenting the
date and weather that day.
Try creating different layouts in the journal for an exciting variety of looks.
Focus on a favorite creature, observation or story, perhaps.
Come walk with me
Along the sea
Where dusk sits on
the land
And search with me
For shells are free,
And treasures hide
in sand.
—Along The Sea
Author Unknown
Part of the fun
of this activity is
leaving this little
masterpiece right
there on the
beach for others
to discover. The
joy of this art is
all in the process.
Take a picture for
your journal!
Create your own Nature Mandela inspired by treasures found along the beach
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•
•
•
Gather your materials—shells, sea glass, driftwood, etc, to have on hand.
Clear a flat area to start your circle, with plenty of room for your art to grow.
Choose the centerpiece, usually something you have only one of.
Design your Mandela outward, creating a pleasing symmetrical design.
Art can be a combination of things collected and brought back to the classroom to
draw, (acorns, fern), and things seen and then later drawn from reference material
(spider, mushroom). Observe a butterfly and draw it from memory.
These drawings were done with watercolor pencils, which are highly effective
for detailed texture like fur or hair. Simply color lightly with the pencil, then
dip your brush in water and lightly go over it; the color turns into paint. Go
over dry paint with more sketchy pencil detail for additional texture.
Be observant and creative with what you can include in your nature journal.
Make Herbarium Sheets
A herbarium is a collection of dried plant specimens for Botanists to refer to
when studying plants and their uses.
To begin, press a flower or plant sprig by placing it in between a piece of newspaper, and then inside a book. Place weight on top of it and leave for two weeks.
When your specimen is dried, carefully position and glue it onto colored paper.
Do some research, and create a label including your specimen’s scientific and
common names, along with some facts about it.
Graphite pencils are a very comfortable and flexible material to work with,
making it easy to achieve an appealing look. An entire journal done in graphite
pencil alone could look beautiful.
Make beautiful leaf rubbings
Place a leaf, veins side up, under drawing paper, and use the side of a crayon to
firmly rub over the leaf, causing the veins and details of the leaf to appear.
Using watercolor paint in an analogous color scheme (colors next to each other on
the color wheel), paint over the crayon art. The wax from the crayon resists the wet
paint, allowing the rubbing to show through the color.
With this technique, you can create beautiful compositions on paper by repeating a
variety of overlapping leaf types and sizes.
I wander further in the wood
then pause to take in all I could,
and there beneath it’s canopy
I’m caught up in all it’s beauty.
—Into the Woodland
Robert Patinson
These images were drawn from photos. A special effect was achieved on this
turtle’s shell by sprinkling salt onto the wet, green paint.
To a Baby Frog
Little tadpole in my pond,
Wiggle, flip and swim.
See that big frog by the pond?
Some day you’ll look like him.
Some day you will grow some legs
And, later on, I hear,
You’ll grow two lungs and lose your gills;
Your tail will disappear.
Like other tadpoles, you will be
A grown-up frog someday.
You cannot be a baby long,
For that is nature’s way.
—Mabel Chandler Duch
After being inspired by actually seeing animals and insects like these, you could use
your own photos or reference material to draw from. Get creative and add poetry or
facts about your chosen creatures.
Making the cover
Covers can be made out of
any type of heavier paper
or cardboard. The art could
be a painting, a drawing, or
done as a collage by using
things like small pebbles,
shells, sticks, leaves, etc.
The back of the journal
should be the same material.
Create a pocket on the inside
back cover to hold miscellaneous items. Have fun and
be creative!
Making the binding
You will need:
Your pages, cover and back
Hole punch
Rubberband
Twig
Punch two holes through the
pages, front and back covers.
Put the rubberband around the
top end of the twig and then
down through one of the holes.
Stretch the rubberband on the
backside of the journal and up
through the other hole.
Stretch the rubberband up and
over the other end of the twig.
There you have it.