Courses & Workshops
Creative Nature Journaling
Creative Nature Journaling course Replay and live monthly sessions
Replay now available Here
Live monthly Nature journaling sessions can be booked [link type="Article" id="375620"]here[/link]
Regain your curiosity and wonder at the natural world through drawing and painting in this inspiring 5-week course that will teach you how to create and use a creative nature journal.
Keeping a sketchbook (in some form) is vital to artists or those learning to draw. This course will expand on the practice of drawing regularly, ‘putting in your pencil miles’ through observational drawing as well as encouraging you to think outside the box in how a sketchbook or nature journal can be used.
Your Tutor Bethany Y Milam will guide you through making and/or adapting a book to use as a Journal, personalising it to suit your needs, style and goals. Creating foldouts, overlays, pockets, flaps, using toned paper, collage, or painted pages.
There will be step by step demonstrations of drawing activities and various techniques for adding your observations into your journal. We will explore ways of using tonal paper and other backgrounds, mapping a walk or place, creating a calendar, using printmaking, collage, rubbings and found materials. We will also explore ways of combining words and pictures through illustrating a poem, adding written observations and annotations as well as how you might use sketchbook to develop finished paintings.
Suitable for all abilities including beginners. Keeping a nature journal or sketchbook of observations is a fun and creative way of learning, collecting and organizing your observations and thoughts, you do not need to be an artist or naturalist to enjoy this course.
What you will gain from the course:
• Get more from your sketchbooks, Journals and study pages through making or adapting a book to suit you and by regular drawing.
• Improve your drawing skills and learn various exercises for observational drawing.
• Increase your creativity and use of different media.
• Be curious and slow down, pay attention and experience wonder at the natural world.
• Spend time in nature, nurturing your sense of connectedness, wellbeing and calm.
• Have fun!
Participants will have access to an online folder of resources, photo references, example pages and session recordings.
There will be suggested homework tasks giving each week to be done out in nature or from direct observation.
The sessions will last approximately two hours. There will be plenty of time to ask questions and I will make some time for individual feedback on your artwork at the end of the session or by email as needed.
Sessions are recorded and a link will be emailed to participants. If you cannot make the workshop time/date you can still take part by catching up later with the recordings.
Materials
A more tailored materials list will be emailed to you each week, some items and activities are optional such as making your own journal. You are also welcome to use your own preferred media, below is an example of materials I use.
Photo references or natural objects that you can bring inside (e.g., pot plant, flower/leaf, vegetable etc.) can be used in the lessons.
A sketchbook
Drawing/cartridge paper, watercolour paper, brown, grey, black or coloured paper plus speciality or recycled papers.
Rubber band, metal binder clips, string,
Acetate, tracing paper, envelopes
Hole punch
Glue, tape, double sided tape
Ruler
HB – 6B pencil
Drawing pens
Coloured pencils, markers, felt tips.
Watercolour paint and brushes
Eraser
Pencil sharpener
White Gouache Paint / white pen / chalk
An Apron and something to cover your table with.
Live monthly Nature journaling sessions can be booked [link type="Article" id="375620"]here[/link]
Regain your curiosity and wonder at the natural world through drawing and painting in this inspiring 5-week course that will teach you how to create and use a creative nature journal.
Keeping a sketchbook (in some form) is vital to artists or those learning to draw. This course will expand on the practice of drawing regularly, ‘putting in your pencil miles’ through observational drawing as well as encouraging you to think outside the box in how a sketchbook or nature journal can be used.
Your Tutor Bethany Y Milam will guide you through making and/or adapting a book to use as a Journal, personalising it to suit your needs, style and goals. Creating foldouts, overlays, pockets, flaps, using toned paper, collage, or painted pages.
There will be step by step demonstrations of drawing activities and various techniques for adding your observations into your journal. We will explore ways of using tonal paper and other backgrounds, mapping a walk or place, creating a calendar, using printmaking, collage, rubbings and found materials. We will also explore ways of combining words and pictures through illustrating a poem, adding written observations and annotations as well as how you might use sketchbook to develop finished paintings.
Suitable for all abilities including beginners. Keeping a nature journal or sketchbook of observations is a fun and creative way of learning, collecting and organizing your observations and thoughts, you do not need to be an artist or naturalist to enjoy this course.
What you will gain from the course:
• Get more from your sketchbooks, Journals and study pages through making or adapting a book to suit you and by regular drawing.
• Improve your drawing skills and learn various exercises for observational drawing.
• Increase your creativity and use of different media.
• Be curious and slow down, pay attention and experience wonder at the natural world.
• Spend time in nature, nurturing your sense of connectedness, wellbeing and calm.
• Have fun!
Participants will have access to an online folder of resources, photo references, example pages and session recordings.
There will be suggested homework tasks giving each week to be done out in nature or from direct observation.
The sessions will last approximately two hours. There will be plenty of time to ask questions and I will make some time for individual feedback on your artwork at the end of the session or by email as needed.
Sessions are recorded and a link will be emailed to participants. If you cannot make the workshop time/date you can still take part by catching up later with the recordings.
Materials
A more tailored materials list will be emailed to you each week, some items and activities are optional such as making your own journal. You are also welcome to use your own preferred media, below is an example of materials I use.
Photo references or natural objects that you can bring inside (e.g., pot plant, flower/leaf, vegetable etc.) can be used in the lessons.
A sketchbook
Drawing/cartridge paper, watercolour paper, brown, grey, black or coloured paper plus speciality or recycled papers.
Rubber band, metal binder clips, string,
Acetate, tracing paper, envelopes
Hole punch
Glue, tape, double sided tape
Ruler
HB – 6B pencil
Drawing pens
Coloured pencils, markers, felt tips.
Watercolour paint and brushes
Eraser
Pencil sharpener
White Gouache Paint / white pen / chalk
An Apron and something to cover your table with.
