Nature Notebook for Summer Time

Here are a few samples from my Nature Notebook from our summer trips.  This summer has been full of travel so far.  Lots of car rides, sleeping in strange beds, hikes on the beach, hikes in the woods, a little bit of camping, a few food factory tours, lots of amazing animals to watch, and lots of wonderful family time.

We came home to a flourishing garden each time.  This very hot and dry weather has been pushing the timeline of the garden up by at least 3 weeks.  My peas and strawberries are done, my beans, zucchini, cucumbers, and tomatoes are starting.  And it isn’t even the 4th of July.  I have been trying to capture the bounty in my pantry and in my notebook:

I am excited that my skills are improving from my first nature notebook.  I do use better supplies now because I have learned that they are really helpful… but most of all, I just didn’t stop drawing when I felt like I wasn’t getting it right.  Even if I have to cut out and paste (as I did on this last picture with my cauliflower because cauliflower is HARD to draw!).  I have many people talk about how I am ‘talented’ and I always appriciate the compliment, but in truth, I started no more talented than anyone else.  I just didn’t allow my lack of natural talent to stop me. I kept drawing.  I am proud of my drawing improvements as I would be of toned arm muscles after working out for a year.  I worked for them! 

I really hope that this will inspire other, equally talent-lacking folks, to tackle the art of drawing nature.  Nature is too beautiful not to study and capture!