John Muir Laws' Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling

The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling by John Muir Laws is a don't-miss-it book for your studio

I am so delighted to have had the chance to preview this book--thick as a city phone book (312 pages!), covering every nature-drawing subject you can imagine in John Muir Laws' inimitable clear, encouraging, and inspiring fashion, this one will stay in my collection of essential art books forever.

John covers using pencil, colored pencil, watercolor, gouache and more, and the variety of subject matter is a nature-artist's delight.  

But it's not simply a book on technique.  It includes chapters on Observation and Intentional Curiosity, Projects that Focus Awareness, Methods of Deepening Inquiry, Visual Thinking and Displaying Information, as well as materials and supplies, notes, and exhaustive references.

 Take a peek at these pages: 

If you've been fortunate enough to have seen John's previous book, The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds, you KNOW how good this one is.  It covers birds and much, much more.

Pre-order John Muir Laws' amazing new book HERE--it's coming out in March of 2016!

Recent Sketches

Great Egret

I love quick sketching ... and slow sketching on location.  Both have their time and place.  And I also like to pencil in the field and refine the sketch at home when I can look at my photos, then finish it -- but I don't consider those true field sketches.  

I think I grow fastest when I switch back and forth between working directly in ink and at other times working in pencil.  The first helps me grab the essence quickly; the second hones my eye for important detail.  

Canada Geese

Switching mediums is good practice too.  The egret was inked with a fountain pen.  I used a ball point pen with the Canada geese.  

Green Heron

I keep watercolors and in the car too so I can quickly add color when I want.

Great Horned Owl
"Evening is coming to the Klamath Basin.  Sheepy Ridge is dark.  The deepening sky glows with the last bits of color.  It's a clear night.  It'll be a chilly one.  Eight owls tonight!"

Much of my field sketching is practice.  Practice that helps me understand the essence of each species I want to draw or paint.  The practice also pays off in a wonderful way when I see something like this great horned owl at the end of day and I can capture it quickly, freezing the moment in time in my journal.  I sketched this owl while my husband continued driving ... a quick sketch of a beautiful moment.  

More and More Flowers

I'm trying to carry on my normal and busy life but every time I turn around there's another flower blooming and I grab my sketching tools and sketchbook! I know the laundry and vacuum will wait patiently, as they have done so many times before.

sketching - by Maria Elena Ferrari Italy

The sketchbook as a mirror, the sketch confuses him with the subject, there is some us in every sketch of ours...every time we draw, we open our heart to the others, the spring arriving with new subjects, but the emotion is the same one!

Weeds, Leaves, Twigs and such - Carolyn Pappas

I would love to spend a few hours outside drawing now that it is light longer into the evening, but it is still a little too chilly out to spend longer than about a half hour at a time. Or, maybe I just have a very low tolerance for the wind. These days we are in the process of cleaning up outside and getting things ready for the garden. Here are some sketches I made of some small details while sitting out in the yard.

Rickys Caricature Bird Friends

Caricature Birds_edited-1
Originally uploaded by Ricky Holtman

We all have dumb friends and these are some of mine. I found these youngsters in the woods this morning. Flying and looking good just wasn't there best suit YET! All I had was folded paper in my pocket to draw on so that's the reason for the cartoons.
No great lessons here except that fun stage of life we all go through....every creature of God's, one time in our life. They were so loud also.....no manners yet.

Sketching Roses

These are some recent "after work" sketches of some flowers we had in the house after my Yiayia's (grandmother's) funeral. When I have fresh flowers in the house, I will put off drawing other things so I can sketch them while they are still alive. I also take lots of pictures so I can make some more detailed drawings or paintings later. Here you can see a small watercolor that I also made from some of Yiayia's flowers, although from a different arrangement.

Chipmunk Progress

Here's a couple of images showing the progress I've made on my chipmunk painting. It's truly an experiment for me and I'm taking my time.
It's actually kind of nice to step away from it and have it waiting for me when I return home. I can see it with fresh eyes and decide what I want to do next, working in small increments.

There are a couple of reasons why its taking some time. First and foremost, there's a lot going on outside in nature this time of year, so I'm juggling all I want to see and do. But the other reason, I'm trying 90# hot press paper for the first time and it responds quite differently than 150# coldpress paper. So I'm taking my time learning its characteristics.

In the meantime, I've seen this chipmunk again. or maybe one of his cousins, while observing red-shouldered hawks. I turned to walk away after viewing the nest and spotted the chipmunk about the same time he saw me. He immediately dove into a hole under the pine mulch and disappeared. And this was the view I captured with my camera.
Chipmunks can be so much fun!

To see more about this visit with the hawks click here. To see my entire series of posts and sketches on these suburban red-shouldered hawks, click here. The first post in the series will appear at the bottom.

One Odd Duck

Two posts in one day! Woo hoo! This was too good to wait though and I know this group will understand my excitement.

I went to Lucy Park today at lunch and was treated to some entertainment. In the center of an open grassy space in the park is an old scraggly Cottonwood tree that has been through several Texas wind storms - so many that it is mainly one big, leaning trunk with leaves and no large branches. About half-way up this tree is a big knot and a cavity that looks like it would be a great place for a squirrel nest. On top of this knot stood a large Canada goose, looking into the cavity and squawking. I don't know what she was doing up there but she did not look very comfortable on that perch. Meanwhile, there was one goose who sat at the bottom of the tree and was talking to the one in the tree. He would flap his wings and chase all the others away. Periodically, one of the other geese (there were 12 - 14 of them) would fly up and dive-bomb the goose in the tree. I sat there and watched about 30 minutes but they never got her down. I don't know what it was all about but they were all excited about it. I might have to drive by after work today and see if she has come down yet.

And, yes, I do know the difference between a duck and a goose but I liked the title too much. :-)

This is just a pencil sketch done in my generic sketchbook.

I and the Bird #100: The Whooping Crane

I just returned from an exciting visit to Washington D.C. where I joined Operation Migration during the May 7th celebration of the Partners in Conservation Awards presented by Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. What a thrill to be on this stage with a team that has worked so hard. And what an honor to be among hundreds of individuals who dedicate their lives to conservation.

The Whooping crane, a species that numbered only 15 in the early 1940’s, has been a driving inspiration for my art since I began creating watercolors and gourd art in 2000.

Every work of art begins with observation and sketching. It is this time and study that brings the subject into focus and into your heart and inspires you to spill it back out into your art.

Right now the Whooping cranes at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin are beginning to re-nest after been driven off their first nests by swarming black flies. We have our fingers crossed that their second nesting attempts will be successful and produce wild hatched chicks. In the meantime, incubated eggs in captive breeding programs are hatching and our first captive-raised chicks are on the ground preparing for their place in the migration class of 2009. It's a time for hope and excitement.

It took many people many years of hard work to bring Whooping cranes back from the brink of extinction. And with the first ultralight-led migration in 2001, Whooping cranes were seen in the east for the first time in over 100 years.

Every effort and every voice made a difference. And I can't think of a better way to say 'thank you' to all those people than to celebrate the 100th edition of I And The Bird with this expression of gratitude for our Whooping cranes and for all the birds of our world.

To see a special video clip of Whooping crane parents with their chick, click here. To see more of my posts on ultralight migration click here. And pay a visit to Operation Migration's field journal to keep up to date on the progress of the eastern population's nesting and hatching progress.

Still Captivated by a Chipmunk

After seeing this chipmunk and sketching it in my sketchbook, I had the urge to try a version on watercolor paper. Two things often happen for me the first time I sketch an animal, bird, plant. I get more familiar with the shape of what I’m drawing and I get inspired by the intimacy I feel with the subject.This chipmunk captivated me because of his tiny alertness in a vast world of cunning hawks, old growth hardwoods and a rich forest floor full of decaying leaves, umbrella plants (Mayapples) and ferns. He popped out from under a stone wall and was looking around when he heard a hawk calling. In a blink he was gone again.I am currently using two sketchbooks. An 8x12 Canson watercolor sketchbook and a 5 x 7 multi-media sketchbook by Holbein. The Canson book has great sketch and practice paper that's tough and allows nice movement. But while using the smaller multi-media book that I take in the field, I often find myself wishing for a more water absorbent paper.The use of different papers with watercolor is a valuable exercise. You learn to adjust your application to the qualities of the surface you’re using and different papers produce different results. I have plenty of sketchbooks and papers on my shelf that I haven’t used yet, so I’m giving them all a try. It’s kind of like buying clothes. You can't really know whether you like what you’re buying until you wear it a few times. And both appearance and comfort count.

I generally use cold press papers but this 90 lb hot press Fabriano Artistico was calling me this time. Here's how my little chipmunk looks at this stage before I plunge in for the finish. To see more about how I happened upon this chipmunk click this link at Vickie Henderson Art.

Daisy of a House

Daisy of a House came about while sketching this old home outside of my town. The poor old place is falling in and I was going to give it some dignity somehow. Out of the corner of my eye the wind was waving something. I turned and down in the ditch were these wonderful daisies. It was a bouquet from heaven. Walking to the ditch and taking that angle, my new found friends and I proceeded to paint. This is a watercolor and ink with wild daisies. Nature will always answer the call if you are listening.........God bless HIS creation everyday. Ricky

Sunflower Tea Party

The 'Sunflower Tea Party' was on. A threesome would be the term for this. The big one was all in a clamor about proper manners during a tea party. Come to find out this all stemmed from the 'Tea Parties' of April 15th. So, with a little re-educating them we proceeded with the sketch. They are great subjects aren't they?
I never tire of these beautiful specimens and their special place in our landscapes. This process of watercolor, using positive/negative painting, is always fun and works my brain. Anyone who said painting didn't demand thinking just hasn't been in my world. The process again is healing to me. I used an analogous palette for the most part. Of course I used my artistic license to change anything the subject told me to change. How much more fun can this be. Happy painting!

How we've grown!

I'm delighted to announce that we now have 21 correspondents on board, with at least four more who have agreed to join us when they can--keep checking back, you won't be disappointed!

I'm very happy with the way the group blog is working, so far--we've had some fantastic posts and a lot of response. Please, feel free to comment and ask questions if you like!

We have 64 followers, too, after just 2 weeks, and are a member of the Nature Blog Network, already...feel free to share our link or graphic at left, we welcome visitors worldwide. After all, that mirrors our international makeup of sketchers!

My sketch above is where I often explore nature--in my own backyard. I included a hint of the animals I see there, but resisted the temptation to include them all--mice, woodchuck, raccoons, Virginia opossums, and a wide variety of birds--including 6 huge wild turkeys that flew right over the house one day! (Especially exciting because I DO live in town, though my yard backs up to a forested hillside.)

I used to feel that I needed to go to the exotic places that some of our correspondents live in--but to each of us, our own back yard IS that exotic place. Enough to explore for a lifetime...

The Gauntlet

There I was 25 feet in the air on my deck and the rain was coming down. It was the Lake of the Ozarks and the Dogwood Festival was in full swing without me. This Shagbark Hickory had caught my eye so what better thing to do when raining than to paint somewhere dry.
It wasn't long before a commotion was going on and some slight whispering was being thrown toward me and the Hickory. It was faint at first and then grew louder. I have learned over the years that it was the trees. The clamor was coming from a nearby Walnut and Oak tree.
By now they were shouting that they were better looking, had smoother lines and was stronger that any old hickory. A question was being hurled as to why I was painting the Shagbark Hickory like it was something special.
Well what could I say and nary did I have a chance to say anything because Mr. Hickory tree interjected with his insults right in the middle of them questioning me.
Minute by minute this grew into a full fledge woodland brawl and I was caught in the middle. I wished I had never come out on this deck to paint.
After their long discussion between them they decided that I should judge who was the best tree in the forest. Since I was an artist they wanted me to paint a picture of each of them and then decide. At this point I wanted to tell them about my ongoing "Tree Troll" series but I didn't dare bring that up!
So I agreed to the competition and judging but with one stipulation. Since I wasn't a fair enough artist they needed to give me a chance to do approximately 500 paintings of their family and then decide from there. Boy, they did not like that and especially when I said there was no time table and I could choose from all the woods in all the country as long it was family.
Well they agreed and I told them that there would be no more fighting because that affects my creative abilities and besides that the creator didn't like it either.
So it got peaceful and I went back to work and here is the end result of the Shagbark Hickory after "The Gauntlet" had been thrown down by Mr Walnut and Mr. Oak tree.
Now some of you may say..."Is he nuts?" but please give your self time and the opening of spirit to connect with nature while out there. I'll guarantee that the voices will come and a oneness will settle over you and nature will show you its most glorious sites, sounds and smell. Have a great time painting.

Beetle

There I was drawing and was attacked by these 25 pound, orange bugs..........No that's not true. They were orange but the 25lbs might be an exaggeration. But gorgeous they were. Here sat an artist with multiple shapes of bright orange and pumpkin colors, polka dots everywhere and me an amateur colorist. So I redirected my efforts and captured them in my infamous moleskine. I did look them up and if I'm not mistaken they are a BEETLE. I pray my art did them some justice. Soon their prettiness wore off and they became pests. The day sky was a brilliant blue and here their color of red-orange on a bed of semmi spring greens. How much better could it have been.

Tree Troll

The afternoon was gorgeous and me in my favorite place the woods. I was looking for peace and quite and a reason to paint. The red birds were going off, but I love them. After sitting for a while there he was....what I call a Tree Troll. To me they are gorgeous but you have to catch them when they start showing their colored bark. I caught him and he had to pose until I got done.
The patina [some people call lichen, I think] of his bark was just WOW!. I know my painting never does them justice but I keep trying and trying. Someday, God willing, I'll maybe have a happy accident in painting.
This oak tree allowed me my artistic license, which I use religiously. I'm not a botanist, horticulturalist, naturalist etc... wish I knew what they know. But I love all the things created on this planet and plan to paint as much of it as I can.
I used watercolor, ink line, and some gouache back in the studio. The woods is coming alive with color but I love what a rain will do to bark for a few days afterwards.
Some plants had green coming on, some fall colors still left with everything in between right now. I am getting better at identifying plants, trees etc.. But taking those books along, which I have in the past, and my paint equipment gets me bogged down. So forgive if I offend anyone by not knowing the species, subspecies and so forth. Maybe you can help by telling me what I painted. That is if I paint it well enough for you to recognize it. It'll be fun for all of us. Thanks

New members, already, too! Welcome aboard...

Please, new correspondents, feel free to add your posts and sketches/journal entries, starting right now.

I'll be tweaking the site (I always do) and any suggestions will be welcome. As we get new members I'll add them to the list of correspondents at left. I'd like to put your website, too, so if you'd write me at kate@cathyjohnson.info to make sure I have the right one, I'll add it! (Sorry, don't know how to make that a live email address...)

I hope to have about 20 correspondents to start, and have invited about that many so far today--artists whose work I know from nature journaling, books, the Nature Journaling Yahoogroup, Everyday Matters group, local artists, and our Flickr group pool, Sketching in Nature...I'd like to see us be as wide reaching with as many different habitats (and continents!) represented as possible.

If you know an Irish or Australian or Japanese naturalist, for instance, please let me know and I'll check out their work!

This is going to be fascinating...

New group blog for artists who work in nature...first post!

Hi all...I've wanted to start this new blog, by and for people who sketch or paint in nature, working on the spot and doing field studies, botanicals, quick gesture sketches, or careful renderings, for a long time. Finally jumped in today!

I've believed for years that one of the best healers, one of the best teachers, is nature--and creativity. We learn so much, and take a little break from the everyday world and its problems and stresses. We slow down, we pay attention, we learn to care about what we're drawing and see it in a whole new way.

I've invited a group of artists whose work fits that basic concept to be a part of this blog; I plan to invite more as time goes by, rather like the Urban Sketchers blog but with the focus on nature.

I hope the artists I've invited enjoy sharing what they've discovered in nature, and that our readers do, too...