The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling THE LAWS GUIDE TO NATURE DRAWING AND JOURNALING THE LAWS GUIDE TO NATURE DRAWING AND JOURNALING Written and Illustrated by John Muir Laws in joyful, ins.
THE LAWS GUIDE TO NATURE DRAWING AND JOURNALING THE LAWS GUIDE TO NATURE DRAWING AND JOURNALING Written and Illustrated by John Muir Laws in joyful, inspired collaboration with Emilie Lygren Heyday, Berkeley, California This book was made possible by the generous support of the S D Bechtel, Jr Foundation © 2016 by John Muir Laws All rights reserved No portion of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from Heyday Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available Cover Art: John Muir Laws Cover Design: Leigh McLellan Design Interior Design/Typesetting: John Muir Laws with Leigh McLellan Design Orders, inquiries, and correspondence should be addressed to: Heyday P.O Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709 (510) 549-3564, Fax (510) 549-1889 www.heydaybooks.com 10 CONTENTS Acknowledgments Why Keep a Nature Journal? OBSERVATION AND INTENTIONAL CURIOSITY PROJECTS THAT FOCUS AWARENESS Collections and Field Guides • Finding Patterns, Exceptions, and Changes over Time • Recording Events • Maps, Cross Sections, and Block Diagrams METHODS OF DEEPENING INQUIRY Writing • Diagramming • Depicting Birdsong • Lists • Counting and Measuring • Data Tools • Your Curiosity Kit VISUAL THINKING AND DISPLAYING INFORMATION Taking Notes • Structuring Your Thoughts • Plans, Projections, and Sections • Organizing a Page: Titles, Icons, Frames, Callouts, and Arrows YOUR JOURNALING KIT AND MATERIALS Field Kits • Essential Tools • The Right Journal • Your Palette NATURE DRAWING You Can Do It • Flow • Structure and Shape • Blocking In • Linework • Value • Color • Details and Texture • How to Show Depth • Composition • Shortcuts and Hacks MEDIA-SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES Graphite • The Non-Photo Blue Pencil • Water Soluble Pens • Markers • Ball-Point Pens • Toned Paper • Colored Pencils • Iris Step by Step • Watercolor Pencils • Watercolors • Gouache • Heron Step by Step • Rock Pigments HOW TO DRAW ANIMALS Insect Anatomy • Ladybug Step by Step • Insect Textures • Butterfly Step by Step • Transparent Wings Step by Step • Spiders • Amphibians and Reptiles • Ensatina Step by Step • Leopard Frog Step by Step • Scales • Birds • Lazuli Bunting Step by Step • Song Sparrow • Birds in Flight • Duck Profile Step by Step • Assembling a Mallard • Sketching Waders • RedTailed Hawk Step by Step • Mammals • Muscles and Fur • Mule Deer, Bear, and Mountain Lion Step by Step • Tracking HOW TO DRAW WILDFLOWERS Flower Symmetry • Foreshortening • Coned-Shaped Flowers Step by Step • Leaves and Petals • Plant Textures • Mushrooms Step by Step HOW TO DRAW TREES, NEAR AND FAR Contour Lines • Shadows, Branches, and Bark Texture • Conifers • Douglas Fir Step by Step • Oak Tree Step by Step • Rethinking Trees HOW TO DRAW LANDSCAPES Landscapitos • Rocks • Rock Outcrop Step by Step • Sketching Mountains • Mountain Landscapes Step by Step • Grasses • Oak Woodland Step by Step • Coniferous Forest Edge Step by Step • Waterfalls • Drawing Water and Waves • Clouds • Sunsets • Mountain Sunset Step by Step A Final Thought Notes References About the Author ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am deeply grateful to the mentors, teachers, patrons, and companions who supported, inspired, and trained me to what I love Ericsson, K Anders “Training History, Deliberate Practice and Elite Sports Performance: An Analysis in Response to Tucker and Collins Review—What Makes Champions?” British Journal of Sports Medicine 47 (2013): 533–535 doi:10.1136/bjsports-2012-091767 Ericsson, K Anders, Ralf Th Krampe, and Clemens Tesch-Römer “The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance.” Psychological Review 100, No (1993): 363–406 Ericsson, K Anders, Roy W Roring, and Kiruthiga Nandagopal “Giftedness and Evidence for Reproducibly Superior Performance.” High Ability Studies 18, No (2007): 3–56 Farnsworth, John S., Lyn Baldwin, and Michelle Bezanson “An Invitation for Engagement: Assigning and Assessing Field Notes to Promote Deeper Levels of Observation.” Journal of Natural History Education and Experience (2014): 12–20 Galef, Julia “Surprise! 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