Like the great naturalist John Muir, who documented not only the flora and fauna of his beloved Yosemite, but also the scents and sounds of forest walks and mountains storms, participants in the nature journaling workshop will use all their senses to sketch and paint what they see, hear, smell and touch, adding any thoughts, observations, prose or poetry that come up during their outdoor meditations.
With guidance from a professional artist, students will closely observe whatever sparks their curiosity on the trail, learn quick watercolor and sketching techniques, and experiment with different compositions to capture the feeling or essence of a subject, place or experience. You might draw and scientifically label different birds or plants you encounter, create a simple painting of a sparkling stream and record your thoughts about its babbling sound, or dip your toes in the water and jot down a poem about the feeling of cool stones beneath your feet. However you choose to explore and capture your surroundings, your instructor will create a fun, memorable experience and teach you basic nature journaling skills that you can take on any outdoor wander.
