Sketching and Journaling in Nature

The immediacy of sketching gives it a special freshness.  The artist simplifies and goes for the essence of the subject.  Often loose, initial sketches are preferred to a laboriously painted subject!  I most often sketch in a combination of watercolor and Micron Archival Marker.  My mantra in nature is, “hike a little, paint a little.” Using a 7x10 spiral-bound notebook, I set out at sunrise on a hike of 6-10 miles.  I hike for a few hours, enjoying the coolness of the morning and the solitude on the trail before I search for a secluded and shady spot to sit.  After the first sketch, I move on to the next peaceful spot and sketch again, usually completing 4 sketches day.   I often write on my sketches something about the experience and feelings I had at each spot, making my sketches a personal nature journal.  For panoramas that don’t fit nicely onto one page, I often use adjacent pages of the spiral-bound book to capture the wide angle of scenic vistas.