Supplies
What kind of supplies do you need to journal? It varies from person to person. You don’t need to have all the perfect supplies to get started! Use what you have, and slowly add more and replace items as you see a need.
Journal / Sketchbook / Notebook
A sketchbook with a hard cover is easiest to use, so you can write and draw in it while standing up. However, any kind will work, especially if you’re just getting started! Unlined, blank pages are preferred, but use whatever you have and make the most of it. Don’t let the search for the perfect book stop you from starting!
Note: If you want to use watercolors in your work, you will need to choose a journal designed to be used with wet media. Both Canson and Strathmore make mixed media sketchbooks that are great and affordable.
Remember: The best sketchbook is the one you will actually use! Choose a size and price that works for you.
I personally love the Laws Sketchbook. It’s a great size, durable, has both white and toned paper, and best yet, it has a mini nature journal instruction book in the back. You can buy it here: https://johnmuirlaws.com/product/the-laws-sketchbook-for-nature-journaling/
Pen
Ball-point pens or sharpies are affordable and permanent options. Microns (or similar art pens) provide a darker line with less bleed, but can be more expensive. Pens with a brush tip allow you to vary the line width as you draw, but they’re harder to write with.
Pencils
A pencil is helpful for building confidence when you’re just getting started. Regular HB school pencils work great. I prefer to use a mechanical pencil, but everyone is different.
A white polymer eraser or a grey kneaded art eraser is helpful to fully erase any pencil marks, as the pink eraser on the back of most pencils tends to leave streaks. A kneaded eraser is necessary if you’re in an environmentally sensitive area, as a regular eraser sheds!
Colors
Use whatever media you prefer (or have on hand) – colored pencils, watercolors, watercolor pencils, markers, crayons, or oil pastels. It can be fun to switch it up, and try different combinations of tools.
You can make color dots or color squares to test and compare the colors your supplies make versus the colors you notice.
Color can show depth and detail in a way that is hard to replicate with a pencil or a pen. However, you can also use words to describe and label the colors you notice.
Note about watercolors
Watercolors only work if your journal has mixed media or watercolor paper. It is very frustrating to use watercolors on thin, cheap paper. I highly recommend using a waterbrush, because it’s so hard to juggle a brush and a water cup in the field. A small variety of basic colors is all that’s needed, too many can be overwhelming. Make sure to also bring a small rag to clean off your brush between colors. If you cut off the foot from an old crew sock, you can pull the ankle part over your wrist so it doesn’t blow away while you’re working.
Colored Pencils
I don’t often use colored pencils in the field because it is too easy to drop them, but when I do, I use Prismacolors. I found a set at a thrift store. I only bring a few pencils with me into the field: magenta, red, pale orange, yellow, light green, dark green, light blue, dark blue, purple, and gray.
I like using the Pental arts watercolor pencils sometimes while teaching. They’re a good balance between price and quality, and the color doesn’t change as much from dry to wet as some brands. They’re easier for beginners than regular watercolors, and the color is more vibrant that regular colored pencils even if you don’t add water.
If you’re bringing pencils, be sure to also bring a pencil sharpener, and choose one that stores the shavings so you don’t leave a mess behind.
Colored pencils for an initial sketch
Some people like to to use an erasable blue colored pencil instead of a graphite pencil for the initial sketch, because it doesn’t smudge or make the rest of your drawing look dirty. Another option is to use any light shade of colored pencil to create an “under drawing” that won’t be very noticeable in the final product.
Basic Outdoors Gear
- Bag or backpack to hold supplies
- Weather appropriate clothing
- Hat/Sunscreen/Sunglasses
- Water bottle
- Bug spray
- Something to sit on: Can be as simple as a small towel or blanket, but a foldable, lightweight chair or stool is great, or something waterproof like a foam camping pad. Or you can wear sturdy pants/long shorts and just sit on the ground!
Optional Gear
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Magnifying glass or loupe: Zoom in to see all those tiny details close up! I use this lupe for magnifying small details: https://www.risdstore.com/kalt-agfa-style-8x-loupe-magnifier.html
- Binoculars or monocular: Especially useful for bird watching, but I also use them to look closer at leaves and flowers on trees. The Pentax Papilio are my favorite for their price, size, and close focus.
- Compass: For emergencies, but also for recording direction in your journal pages.
- Whistle: In case you get lost or need assistance. Also helpful to communicate if you’re with a group.
Supply Lists from Other Nature Journalers
Different people use different supplies! Check out the lists from other nature journalers to get more ideas about what might work best for you.
John Muir Laws: https://johnmuirlaws.com/field-sketching-equipment/
Kate Rutter: https://intelleto.com/2021/01/06/whats-in-my-kit/
Brooke Morales: https://www.lifenoticed.com/geeking-outside-with-nature-journaling/
Roseann Hanson: https://www.exploringoverland.com/fieldarts
Marley Peifer: https://marleypeifer.com/how-to-nature-journal/nature-journaling-supplies/
Raising little shoots (for kids supplies): https://raisinglittleshoots.com/2015/08/17/supplies-for-nature-journaling/
