Art has allowed me to grow closer to nature. I have always loved the natural world, but drawing and painting it allowed me to learn more and connect with it on a deeper level. The more I started drawing nature, the more I became fascinated with birds. Birds are incredibly diverse, charismatic, beautiful, and most importantly, accessible! They coexist with us in a way that few other animals do, and once you open your eyes to see them, they are everywhere and the variety is astounding! The more I drew them the more I wanted to know about them, which prompted me to ask questions, and draw them more - it is an endless loop of observation and learning that deepens your connection with what you're observing. That’s why I can’t stop painting birds and that's exactly what nature journaling is - connecting with the world.
Nature journaling requires careful observation - when you take the time to sit still and observe with all of your senses, you open yourself up to whole new world of colors and environments and behaviors in nature that you may have never seen otherwise. I love taking my sketchbook outside and recording my natural observations through art. Whatever I see in the world, I filter through the lens of me, and record that in my sketchbook. When I’m creating scientific illustrations for my professional work, I am hyper detail oriented. I have to make sure I get the colors just right and paint each feather in its perfect place. When I’m painting in the field, it is the antithesis of my studio work. I can relax and enjoy the moment and record things just for me and nobody else. It makes me feel so free to be able to create art this way, to have something just for my own enjoyment.
I remember once sketching in the field in the Galapagos Islands, watching two Swallow-tailed Gulls. I love these birds. They are so beautiful with their subtle white to grey gradient and then the pop of their bright red eye rings. One of the two birds I was observing was sitting on the nest warming its eggs, and the other one sat close by preening itself and its mate. I thought to myself as I watched them and sketched - I wonder if both birds take turns incubating the eggs? As I continued to sketch and watch them, the Gull on the nest stood up, shook its feathers, and they switched places! A huge smile spread across my face as I scribbled down notes, I was witnessing this incredibly sweet behavior, and I learned so much about these birds just by sitting and painting them. After witnessing these small moments between these two birds, I felt so close to them and so humbled to be a witness to such a beautiful behavior.
I can easily recall another evening sketching on the top of a mountain outside Asheville NC. My husband Zach and I hiked up to see the sunset and I decided to paint it, not realizing how cold it would be! My fingers were freezing and my landscape painting was a mess but I love it anyway. I remember the wind whipping my hair all around and all the warm tones of the clouds as the sun dipped lower and lower. Right as I finally gave up on my painting and was ready to head down, we saw a black bear cub on the trail staring up at us! Needless to say it was a bit of a spooky hike back down the mountain, as it got dark every single noise spooked us because we thought it was a bear!
All of these memories and so many more come flooding back to me when I look back at my journal and see these pages. These experiences are forever solidified in my mind through sketching in the field. I would encourage anyone who loves to be outside, give nature journaling a try, and always remember to be gentle with yourself. Field sketching isn’t about making the most beautiful piece of art, it is about collecting moments and memories in nature. If you want to start drawing and painting in the field but you aren’t sure where to start or you need some guidance, feel free to check out my online course with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Nature Journaling and Field Sketching. I’ll walk you through the basics of drawing and watercolor painting and how to implement those techniques in the field. I hope to see y’all out there sketching and painting!
Find out more about Liz’s online course here: Nature Journaling and Field Sketching. See more of her scientific illustration on Instagram (@lizclaytonfullerart).