John Muir Laws

The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling

$35.00

  • Published March 2016 by Heyday Books.

  • 312 pages.

  • Softcover edition in English.

  • Note: The first 100 copies sold include a custom-printed bookmark, signed by the author.

Author and illustrator John Muir Laws shares practical tutorials and philosophical guidance that offer a joyful and curious framework for nature journaling.

An open sketchbook with watercolor illustrations of a fern and a lizard. A paintbrush rests beside the book, and a watercolor palette is nearby. A nature drawing book is partially visible in the background, resting on a green bag, all set on grass.

A Comprehensive Guide

The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling is a comprehensive reference for observing and recording the natural world, including animals, wildflowers, landscapes, skies, and more. Section by section, author and illustrator John Muir Laws (Jack) shares practical tutorials and philosophical guidance that offer a joyful and curious framework for nature journaling. Jack covers the use of various media from colored pencil and pen to watercolor and gouache, inspiring readers to explore the natural world through art and reflection.

The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling along with all of our other reading recommendations, is on our Books page and in our retail shop!

“ Keeping a nature journal is a learnable skill that can change our lives forever, opening doors to mindful attention, curiosity, wonder, beauty, connection, peace, and joy. “
—John Muir Laws
A man with short gray hair smiles while holding a sketchbook and a pen, standing against a textured tree bark backdrop. He wears a dark green jacket over a maroon shirt.

About the Author

John Muir Laws (Jack) is a principal leader and innovator of the worldwide nature journaling movement and the president and co-founder of the Wild Wonder Foundation. Jack is an award-winning naturalist, artist, scientist, and educator who has dedicated nearly four decades of his life to connecting people to nature through art and science.

In Jack’s words, “My working definition of love is sustained, compassionate attention. When you pay attention to another, it changes your relationship with them, and it also changes you. That attention is also what forms and sustains our relationship with the natural world. Your attention is one of the greatest gifts that you can give to the world. It is a celebration. It is a song of connection. It is a prayer to the wonder of what is around us.”

Learn about Jack’s work at johnmuirlaws.com and wildwonder.org.

A cutting board with two halved lemons displays their textured, yellow skins. Beside them, a sketch on paper depicts a lemon with questions scribbled, asking about its features and a note about an insect.

Nature Journaling with John Muir Laws

Nature journaling is a way of documenting your observations of nature on paper. It can elevate our knowledge, understanding, and connection with our environment and the world around us. In this demo, Jack shared his background and favorite tools and guided us through an exploration of a funky lemon from his garden!

Watch Here
A sketch showing a group of 14 small birds perched in the top of a tree, alongside text describing their landing and behavior. The birds are illustrated in natural surroundings, emphasizing their compact gathering.

Sketching Birds with John Muir Laws

In this live Instagram demo recording, sketch and explore the structure of a hummingbird with John Muir Laws. Explore the distinct colors and iridescence of feathers with watercolor pencil and a water brush.

Watch Here
An artist sites on a rock, dipping a paintbrush in a Pocket Palette.

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