Alive to your environment! The art of seeing!

Twenty minutes a day of mindfulness and well being focused on your environment through using various artistic media. A wonderful encouragement to continue or start to take note of the natural world you encounter. In the past I've kept a similar journal but the presentation of ideas and interesting ways to proceed in Leslie’s very accessible guide take things to another level. No wonder this work is in its third edition.
Succinctly arranged, with colorful presentations makes this work a great companion for those already on a similar journey, or a beginning place for anyone interested.
From a chapter on ‘Getting Started’ and what nature journaling is, looking at what observing is, to developing ideas and so much more.
A great layout that calls you to follow. I love the sketches included. All filled with a lovely vitality.
It’s like yoga with pencils and paper, calling us to take time to be very much present in our world.
I will be purchasing this in hard copy once it’s released. I feel the need to savour it more fully than on a pdf file. I might even add it to my present list.

A Storey Publishing ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

An inspirational read which has encouraged me to start keeping a nature journal. Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with this inspiration!

This book is of value to the absolute novice and the long-time artist. For the newcomer the author starts with absolute basics like: what kind of paper should I use? do I need to invest heavily in a wide range of other materials? watercolor, oil, acrylic, or pastel, etc. The author keeps things simple for beginners so they can get started without being overwhelmed. Ms. Leslie explores many ways of feeling at one with nature and with the pages of our journal. She does beautiful line drawings, some colored, some not. Among the many processes she describes are using your nature journal as a form of meditation and picking a particular spot and drawing it repeatedly over time; the latter idea helps artists sharpen their powers of observation and also “bond” (my word) with that particular spot. Interested in birdwatching? That’s covered too. Ms. Leslie’s illustrations are wonderful, and the publisher is to be congratulated for doing justice to such a beautiful book.

All of these books have been beautiful and this is no exception. This is a must read for anyone considering a nature journal, and one I like to keep nearby for inspiration. Great artistry, great ideas and wonderful execution


I'll add a link to the blog post when I write about this soon!

'Keeping a Nature Journal' is now in a 3rd edition print and there is a reason why - it is just so good that it transcends time and trends as something that continues to be popular. This book is full of inspiration, beautiful imagery, tips, ideas and motivations for starting to keep your own nature journal. The book also highlights how there isn't a set template to be followed by everyone but rather it is a case of finding your own style and your own way of keeping a nature journal in a way that is meaningful and unique to you.

This is a beautiful, beautiful book filled with some stunning illustrations and really rather brilliant advice about how to start and - most importantly - continue with a natural journal. There is the obvious point about consistency being essential along with some useful nuggets about how and when to carve out time. There are some real gems in here about looking at different aspects of nature: from the sky to the sea to the ground to the trees around us - it's all there if you look for it. I'd recommend this as an essential guide to any child - what a perfect present! Also anyone interested in chronicling their surroundings over a year and comparing seasons one year to the next. So wise, so pretty and so much invaluable advice.

Keeping a Nature Journal, 3rd Edition
Deepen Your Connection with the Natural World All Around You
by Clare Walker Leslie
Back of the Book: “Originally published in 2000 with endorsements from E.O. Wilson and Jane Goodall, Clare Walker Leslie’s Keeping a Nature Journal was at the forefront of the nature observation and journaling movement. Leslie’s approach has long been acclaimed for its accessible style of teaching people to see, witness, and appreciate the wonders of nature, and her classic guide is still used by individuals, groups, and educators ranging from elementary school teachers to college-level instructors. The third edition features more of Leslie’s step-by-step drawing techniques, a new selection of pages from her own journals (which she’s kept for 40 years), and an expanded range of prompts for observing particular aspects of the natural world in any location. With an emphasis on learning to see and observe, Leslie shows how drawing nature doesn’t require special skills, artistic ability, or even nature knowledge, and it is a tool everyone can use to record observations and experience the benefits of a stronger connection to the natural world.”
Impressions: I have mixed feelings about this book. There were defiantly bits of advice and useful information. Much of the book however is inspirational and encouraging quotes and text. It was a very holistic and cerebral look at nature journaling. I was looking for an in-and-out kind of read. Therefore, I did not enjoy this book as much. That being said there is nothing wrong with this book. It held much encouragement and direction in starting and keeping a nature journal. It is defiantly worth reading if you are looking to keep a nature journal or any journal really.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

It's a really interesting idea to really take time each day to admire your surroundings. To appreciate nature and everything she has to give. And jot it down.
The illustrations in this are well thought out and work really well. And it makes sense, however, I did find myself skimming a bit here and there. I think this book would be better read on physical form and not digital.

Keeping a nature journal by Clare Walker Leslie
Published by Storey Publishing

Inspiring and thoroughly detailed this book has so much depth and is a work of art in itself, with beautiful sketches and watercolours throughout.

I’m brand new to nature journalling but not to nature, I am so pleased to have stumbled across this beautiful creation while browsing NetGalley as it comes into my life at a point of self discovery and healing through nature. Many benefits to nature journaling are mentioned in the ‘Why Nature Journal’ introduction.

The book covers materials, where to start, how to start and offers much inspiration. The lessons in how to draw different flora and fauna are invaluable to a non artist and takes care of some of the more daunting aspects of nature journaling.

I also love the ideas provided for more focussed days, such as detailing just leaves or clouds. Lovely guides are dotted throughout the book such as moon passes and cloud types.

This book just fills you with joy, it’s pure warmth and a great big reviving hug. I can not wait to see what adventures we embark on together.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the opportunity to read this treasure.

"Keeping a Nature Journal" is a great book!

The illustrations are beautifully drawn, in a very "nature" style, not too digitalised.
The text is easy to understand yet rich, descriptive and interesting. It provides great advice and is really encouraging us to go observe nature and recollect what we have seen, no matter our talent in drawing or sketching, which is always encouraging! It actually gives very good advice to sketch nature (e.g. how to quickly draw different kind of leaves on a tree).

The great thing about this book is that it addresses a wide audience: adults, seniors, whole families... I'm sure kids from about 10 years old onwards would like it (had I had this book when I was younger, I would most certainly would have wanted to become a conservationist, scientistic or someone working in nature!).

A lovely book with fantastic advice to learn how to notice nature, plants, animals

I enjoyed this book for a number of reasons. It's perfect for all ages, the quaint, charming illustrations are descriptive without being intimidating or overly 'precious', and the copy is concise and well-executed.

The subject matter is very close to my heart, I am a firm believer in nature's way, with a respect for thecearthvand love for her creatures. In so many ways education is key.

Thanks to Clare Walker Leslie, Storey Publishing and Net Galley for my ARC.

If you like to journal and have always wanted to keep an art journal, like I have, you will love every single page of this book.
- It is full of encouragement.
- It gives you practical tips on how to start and how to keep going.
- It gives you many, many different examples of nature journals. So much eye candy.
- It breaks down most of what you'd see in nature (birds, animals, trees, etc.) and teaches you how to approach drawing them
- It gives you practical color advice for each season
- It has advice on how to teach the love of nature journaling to kids, classes, and anyone new.

But most of all it helps you fall in love with the practice of disconnecting, being present with nature, paying attention and capturing what you see. It's not about the perfection, it's about the feeling of being present and noticing and keeping track of all you noticed. Absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.

with gratitude to netgalley and Storey Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

A fun and practical look at keeping a nature journal, filled with useful methods and approaches to writing and drawing, with an emphasis on observation and perception.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced readers e-copy of Keeping a Nature Journal. This book is SO good and engaging and it doesn't occur to me that you'd need a better place to begin nature journaling. I don't personally draw but the book convinced me to pick up a pencil and stare out of my window and observe things I never would've seen on my daily walks or while going about everyday life.

The book is great for people seriously looking into a mindfulness practice and who have some resources to devote to it- a great pandemic hobby too. The best part of this is the author talking about children and adults alike taking back so much from a single session of it. I have no doubt this would make a delightful gift. Even if, like me, you don't buy the premise that this practice will help save the planet and make people more vocal and active in conservation efforts, the book is still valuable. Not to mention it has the loveliest illustrations I was very happy to pore over like I'd do nature books as a child.

In general this book follows the classic art books, discussing the supplies needed and covering the basics of drawing. But it also includes some great resources on how to come up with ideas to draw: "Draw what's outside your window" and where to find information about nature. Then she goes into specifics on drawing birds, and trees and leaves. This if a pretty and informative book. One of the important things she says is fear of failure keeps most adults from even trying. She strongly urges people to just draw and keep going. The more you draw the better you'll get.

As much as a love a finished piece of art, there's something about sketching that gets to me at a profound level. It always feels like a more intimate connection with an artist to be able to see their unguarded, unedited work. Perhaps this is why it feels like a challenge, to just let go and put something down on paper with a sense of immediacy, not worrying about perfection or a final product. This books conveys all that beautifully and I think it would be wonderful for artists of all level to get back in touch with their unproved selves and with nature, as it is.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been keeping a nature journal for years and this was such a great refresher to add to my collection. This book did a great job co wrong everything from the basics on why to keep a journal to techniques to example pages. Highly recommend for anyone looking to start their own journal.

Keeping a Nature Journal by Clare Walker Leslie

9781635862287

224 Pages
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Release Date: April 13, 2021

Nonfiction, Arts & Photography, Outdoors & Nature, Self-Help

This is the third edition after the first edition was originally published in 2000. The images and drawings are beautifully done. The author tells us that anyone can keep a nature journal no matter when we live. She gives simple questions to get us started by noticing nature around us and noting anything we see, hear, or feel. She recommends spending 20 minutes outside to change the outlook on the day and of life.

I have been keeping a bullet journal for the past two years and just started a new one for 2021. Sometimes I get bored with it and was looking for different ideas. This book is perfect, and I can see myself using it to change the way I do things and also improving my outlook. It is definitely a way to slow down and be more mindful especially during these trying times. If you are looking for a way to become closer to nature, no matter where you are, look no further than this book. There are so many ideas, something will jump out at you.

For start, this a gorgeous book full of myriad illustrations. Add the numerous how-tos for drawing subjects in nature and this would be a wonderful guide to get started nature journaling. But this book has so much more, including sections on why and how to get started, mindfulness and journaling and detailed guidance for adding nature journaling within a school curriculum including cross-curricular webbing. It’s a book completely packed with information and inspiration, As a daily journaler, I can’t wait to get my hands on a print copy as I think it will be a book to pour over and reference again and again. As a teacher, my mind is filled with ways I could help students make connections in their learning through nature journaling. What a treasure!

Drawing from nature seems difficult, but this book gives you some great tips on how to do it. I’ve always wanted to learn to draw and have felt that my drawings are awful. Using the techniques in this book, I improved my drawings a little bit. It’s not as tough as it looks. Clare Walker Leslie has several books on nature and nature journaling and I have wanted to read her work for a long time. I am glad I finally got one of her books! I will be reading some of the others in the future.

There are exercises that show you how to begin learning to draw, such as doing a blind contour drawing. That is pretty fun. You draw something without looking at the paper and without lifting your pen or pencil. It looks messy when it’s done, but you really can see the shape of whatever you drew in those messy lines! I was surprised at how that worked. Next, the author moves on to show you techniques to draw various natural things, like birds and mammals. Finally, you learn to draw landscape scenes.

I doubt I will ever be a professional artist, but I did find that these techniques worked well. I was able to see that drawings don’t have to be perfect. They are really sketches that convey the idea of the object you are drawing without being photographically accurate.

The whole idea behind the book is to learn to make a nature journal. In it, you can record your observations and make sketches of what you see. Phenological observations help you to track various events in nature over time and you can go back to older journals to make comparisons. This can help document things like climate change and how species are adapting by changes in the timing of their life events.

I think the idea of keeping a nature journal is interesting. The very act of drawing or writing something down really helps solidify the observation and you will remember it longer because you are creating a neural pathway. Studies have shown that hand writing notes helps the note-taker remember longer than just typing them. So, I agree that keeping a record of your nature observations can be very useful to anyone who is studying the natural world.

The illustrations in the book are by the author and her students. They are all excellent. It’s amazing to me that, with a few lines, an artist can convey an image that looks like a rabbit, or a bird, or a tree.

Overall, I found this book full of excellent advice and tips on how to improve techniques. I look forward to trying more of these ideas out when I go on outdoor excursions! I give this book five stars!