Hi everyone. We are getting ready to move into the hottest parts of the summer and while I am still looking for somewhere indoors/outdoors for August's meetup, I just wanted to remind you to keep drawing. Like any practice, drawing is not about talent it is about practice and repetition. This year I had made a promise to myself to be more consistent with this website, and my drawing. I feel as if in the last few months I have had another breakthrough. With that said I have been drawing for at least 40 years and considered myself a pretty good artist. No matter how good you get at something, there is always more to learn. This is why I love Nature Journaling. I have been working in the environmental field for 20 years and enjoying it recreationally for more than twice that amount and there is still always so much more to learn. I have gained so much from looking at everything much closer and asking questions.
As I have made this breakthrough I see a lot of other people on NJ social media pages who have found journaling but are too afraid to show their work. This really, REALLY bums me out. It IS about the observation and not the "pretty picture" but I also know people want to draw better. I am working on a series of tutorials that will aid in this and upload them to YouTube. While there are a lot of tutorials already perhaps my teaching style may help a few in a way that helps them with their own breakthrough, perhaps you dear reader. I just want to remind everyone to keep going. Behind all those beautiful drawings are a ton of mediocre and downright bad drawings that no one ever shows you. They do exist, I have a lot....I mean a lot. While these are not the first I would want to put in my portfolio to show someone, I do treasure them because they helped my on my journey. Here si a quick video about showing your work.
Keep drawing and don't be afraid to show your work. People who are here for the purpose of learning are the ones you should listen to. Just a reminder we all have stumbling blocks, I have always had issues with watercolors. I pick them up, I put them down again and again.
Here is a painting 7 years a go
And this was a few weeks ago
So I would love to hear back for all of you. What would you like tutorials on?
Until then go out create, connect and conserve and I hope to see all of you soon!
Love how well the kestrel turned out once you aded al the colors.
I have not been able to attend any of your meet up’s this year, but I am very much enjoying reading your nature journal posts. Thank you for those.