Topic
Sketch, journal and paint
New pens, a blank page, a smooth stone. Ways to make marks with no pressure to be good.
You don’t have to call yourself an artist to keep a sketchbook. These guides are about the pleasure of new pens and an open page: drawing what is in front of you, writing three things you noticed, collecting a color from a walk, or lettering a word on a stone for the garden. Start with the cheapest book you can find so nothing feels precious, and let the pages wander where they want to go.
Field guides
Guides in this topic
Each one starts small and leaves room to make it your own.
Draw & write / Make · Ten minutes a day
New pens and an open sketchbook
Buy yourself a few pens you love, open a blank book, and see where it goes.
Notice / Bring it home · 20–40 minutes
A field notebook you’ll actually use
Keep one small record of a place, even if you have never thought of yourself as someone who draws.
Paint / Bring it home · An afternoon, plus a day to dry
Paint a rock
A smooth stone and a few acrylic paint pens: make a pet rock, a word to keep, or something bright for the garden.
Notice / Make · A short outing and 20 minutes
Bring home a color, not a souvenir
Collect three colors with your eyes, then give them a second life in a small creative experiment.
Good places to start
Trusted, national resources for this topic.
Nature Journal Club
Free online lessons and a community for people who draw what they notice outdoors.
National Park Service nature journaling
Pencil-based observation ideas for looking closely at a plant, stone, or familiar place.
Smithsonian Open Access
Collection images and creative reference material. Check each item's rights designation before reuse.
Craft school directory
Residential and short-course craft schools for a weekend or a week of learning by hand.