What is the difference between the highlight and the center light? Understanding this difference will greatly improve your shading. What is the difference between the coyote and the fox and how do you draw them? Any tips for drawing long-necked birds? Join John Muir Laws on this live broadcast as we troubleshoot these drawing challenges. Read More
Blog
NJC, Episode 12: Investigation
Asking questions is a critical part of any nature journaler’s routine. But what do you do with these questions? Start with a general investigation and fact-finding mission. Ask “what is happening here”. Then pivot to exploring how it works and the mechanisms behind phenomena you find. Ask “how does this work.” This process can be Read More
Refrigerator Safari (video)
John Muir Laws and sketching buddy and teen nature journaler, Fiona Gillogly, co-taught this online nature journaling workshop for members of the Exploratorium in San Francisco. We invite you to join us on a kitchen safari using the tools of nature journaling to observe and draw familiar foods in new ways. In this interactive workshop, Read More
Point Lobos Journal Page
Join John Muir Laws for a virtual ramble through Point Lobos as he describes and demonstrates the process of observing nature and documenting discoveries in a nature journal. Read More
The Gray Fox: Art and Conservation
Join John Muir Laws, Bill Leikam of the Urban Wildlife Research Project, and Marcia Sivek of Be Provided Conservation Radio. Bill has studied the urban Gray Fox for years and has rich insight into our wild neighbors. Bill shares his observations about the species and thoughts on protecting local wildlife. John shows us additional techniques Read More
Our favorite prompt’s for Nature Journaling
Join the Nature Journal Educators Forum for a lively discussion. What are your favorite prompts and heuristics for nature journaling or to get your students to think scientifically and creatively? I will get you started: I notice, I wonder, it reminds me of, and words, pictures numbers… Read More
NJC, Episode 11: Drawing Diagrams
Diagrams are fast and clear tools to explore and describe phenomena in your nature journal. Don’t worry about making a pretty picture, the diagram is a simplified sketch, that emphasizes the key features you want to show. Read More
How to draw the Gray Fox
Learn how to block in the shape of the gray fox’s body and head. In this workshop John Muir Laws explains how to make key guidelines that help you describe the proportions and angles of the fox, standing and sitting, and the head from the 3/4 angle. Read More
NJC, Episode 10: Using Words in your Nature Journal
How can you use words to more richly describe and explore your observations? Join John Muir Laws and the Nature Journal Connection as we explore techniques to play with words in our nature journals. About The Nature Journal Connection Video Series In partnership with the Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco (https://creativity.org/), I worked with Read More
Golden Pheasant Study
Learn tricks for composing and painting birds as John Muir Laws breaks down strategies for drawing the body of a Golden Pheasant. This workshop is part of the “Ask Jack” series where viewers pose drawing and journaling questions and we solve them live. Read More