Drawing

During your field visits you will make observations of the plants and animals you see around you and do some drawings of plant specimens.

In this assignment, you will focus on the importance of slowing down and observing the plants around us, and take some time to practice before you begin your observations in the field.

Part 1, The Background

First, read/watch all three of the resources linked below.   

1. Paying Attention- post by John Muir Laws
2. John Muir Laws and the Art of Slowing Down, Sitting Still, and Paying Attention - Bay Nature Magazine, read article and watch the short embedded video
3. Look over these instructions in this Google Slide Show put together by the California Academy of Sciences

Scientific Sketching Links to an external site.

Many more resources and instructions are available at John Muir Laws' website and on this page in particular How to Draw Plants  Links to an external site.

And tips for other types of drawing as well   Link to John Muir Laws Blog Archive (Links to an external site.)

Part 2, The Drawing

Find one plant-based object to draw. This can be a leaf from your yard, a flower from your garden, a pine cone, an acorn, or a vegetable or fruit in your kitchen.   Do not choose an entire tree or shrub, instead choose something smaller so you can focus on the details.

In your field journal, or if you don't yet have one, on a blank piece of paper, draw or paint the object, with color.  Focus on details that you might otherwise overlook - for example, the fine teeth on the edge of a leaf, the color of the pollen in a flower.   

Indicate how large the object is.  You can add a line and write the size, such as is shown in the top photo to the right (drawing by John Muir Laws), or you can write how many times larger or smaller the object is.  For example, if you've drawn it to scale, you can write 1X.  If you've drawn it twice its size, write 2X.  If you've drawn it half its size, write 1/2X

Part 3, Deepening Observations

Complete the three prompts outlined by John Muir Laws.  Below is an expanded description of the prompts, excerpted from his book, The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling, and the California Native Plant Society publication, Opening the World Through Nature Journaling.

I Notice

Examine what you are looking at.  Start to say observations out loud.  Do not filter anything out: if you see it, say it. By describing what you see, your brain also processes each observation more deeply. This is reinforced by the auditory feedback loop of hearing your own voice describing what you see. You will find that the things that you say remain in your working memory much longer than those you only think quietly to yourself.

Look at structure, color, interactions.  Change your perspective:  look up close or far away and see what else you can observe.  If you find yourself running out of observations, challenge yourself to discover something new, or just say "I notice..." until an idea pops out.  

In the margin of your drawing, write down the words "I notice," and list some of your observations.

I Wonder

After observing your object, start to come up with questions about it and say those out loud too.  Your question

s might be connected to an observation you made earlier, or they could be about any aspect of what you're observing.  There is no need to worry about answering the questions yet. A good scientist should be able to ask many more questions than they can answer. Just get them all out there. 

Some of the questions you could answer with further observation. Some questions you could be able to research, or explore how one might go about answering the question with research or observation. There are other questions that cannot be answered because they are outside the realm of science. If no questions come to you, try saying “I wonder...” and see what fills the silence afterward.

A question may come when thus prompted. If you make this a regular practice, questions will flow more easily. You can make yourself a more curious person!

In the margin of your drawing, write down "I wonder" and list your question(s).

It Reminds Me Of

Ask yourself what your observations remind you of. Try to come up with as many connections as you can. Go into your own network of memories and see how this new set of observations fits in. Is this like something you studied before, observed in another context, or saw on a nature special? Have you seen this plant before or seen similar plants?  Connecting with existing memories can also help you develop more interesting and deeper questions. The relationships and similarities that you uncover in this way often reveal unsuspected connections—it triggers a memory for a reason. Be sure to say your “it reminds me of ’s” out loud as well. Allow yourself to be uninhibited in this step.  Say anything that comes to mind.

In the margin of your drawing, write down "It reminds me of" and write down your thoughts.

Here is a handout from John Muir Laws' book How to Teach Nature Journaling Links to an external site. that has a great summary of the instructions above- I highly recommend 

you print it out and paste it into the back of your nature journal

Part 4, Reflecting on the Process

Look back at your object and consider what you've learned about your object through careful observation, that you may not have noticed or considered otherwise. Reflect on what it felt like to take time to focus all of your attention on a small object you may have seen dozens or hundreds of times.  How do you think this intentional curiosity might affect your memory of an object or experience? Reflect on the connections you've made and the questions you've asked.  Did this practice stimulate curiosity in a way that more casual observations do not?

Accessible version Journal Strategies image.docx Download Accessible version Journal Strategies image.docx 

Write a 250 word personal response to the readings, videos, and the personal experience you had drawing and intentionally observing your object.  

Submit

• a photo of your drawing
• your 250 word personal response here