Welcome back! 

This page is here to gently guide you back into your Spark Journaling practice—whether you’re returning after a session with me, or simply looking to rekindle your connection with nature, creativity, and your inner wisdom.

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Reviewing after a workshop with me:

Sometime a few days from your workshop day, revisit your notes. When you do this you'll increase your capacity to remember this information!

 

Explore with your journal:

Within the next 7 days, be intentional about the nature that you encounter. 

• Speak aloud the things you are noticing. 

• Write down what you see, sense, smell, touch and feel

• Write down your questions that arise--The more you lean into curiosity rather that focus on getting the right answer, the clues will become more obvious to you.

• remember that your notes are like scratch paper for your exploration with nature--Give yourself permission to be messy with it. 

 

Progress not perfection

Nothing is perfect and the goal of journaling is not perfection-- its to explore nature and develop a relationship through nature journaling. Make progress on getting comfortable with taking notes and scribbles rather than the perfection of HOW its LOOKS. 

 

Reminder that we are "Drawing to see rather than drawing for artistry!"

 

Practice contour drawings

Remember what we did with contour drawings? These with strengthen your hand eye coordination.

Blind contours: without looking at your page, draw the outline of the subject in one continuous line. Keep your pen on the paper without lifting.

Modified Contour Drawing: as in Blind, but you can look at your drawing as you draw.

Gesture Sketches for moving subjects: quick loose and light lines to get the general shape of the bird.

​Contour drawing handout

Spark Journaling

The way that I use my nature journal is not just to sketch, see, and learn about the nature through my observations but for something deeper, a profound connection to the natural world so as to truly see that we ARE one with Nature. 

 

Spark Journaling is a process that helps guide you to develop an intuitive sense of what nature is communicating to you in the moment, and to use this wisdom to transform your relationship with nature and improve your life.

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• Awareness: What sparks my attention?

  • Draw to see. Use all your senses

• Curiosity: What do I wonder? Resist censoring yourself, list your questions, sit in the ‘not-knowing’ This primes our brain to search for the clues

• Connection: How is this connected to the environment? Connected to me?

• Listening Beyond: What else? What is unseen? Go Closer: What Attributes, traits, or characteristics? Remind you of any memories? Emotions or feelings?

• Reflection & Insight: What does nature mirror to me? What is being highlighted in my life?

• Activate: What am I taking away? What action can I take? in my life or giving back to nature?

 

Use your journal to capture the physical nature, and the non-physical aspects by using sketches, diagrams, colors, lines and shapes, etc. Allow the experience to simmer in your journal and in your heart. You might gather insight in the moment or it might come later to you.

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Workshops: Birder's Journal: What kind of info to record for Birds:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember that there's a lot of things we notice in birds. So, what you record is way more than just a drawing of the bird: Recap

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• Sounds, calls, tapping, scratching, chirping,

• Colors and patterns, name the colors, label where on the body you see these colors and patterns

• Size and shape, sketch a scribble with something for scale, or words to describe what you can't draw. 

• Behaviors, describe what you see: like pecking the ground, soaring in circles, picking insects off the leaves, swimming, et

• Habitat or location: what kind of ecosystem or habitat, or location within ( edge of the forest and meadow, on the top of pine trees, under the bushes)

• Date time and location: will help you build knowledge of your place and the birds

All these bits of information you save will help train you to see more, learn more and speed the ability to identification, (if that is a goal).

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What's in a name:

Remember that getting the correct name is not the ultimate goal. It's useful thing to have but relax into not knowing for this moment. 

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"Suspend the need to get the name immediately. Focus on observing with wonder and curiosity, and you'll have greater enjoyment of birds and increase your personal knowledge about them without memorizing anything!"  Melinda

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Workshop "Drawing Bird song"workshop~~~~~~~~~~

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Sing back to the bird! 

Use your voice, mimic the sound with your vocal chords and experiment while you are listening and calling back. It might be "chrr-chrr" or Grate-grate or bzrt- or zweeeeeerrr... just have fun. Let go of what others might think-- YOU are on track to learning birdsong by drawing!!

When you make the sound with your mouth, you can figure out how to write it! (you can whistle the song but its harder to identify the letters to write!)

Write it out

Next, write down the letters--sort of like onomatopoeia. It's OK to make it up! Or you can use the examples from field guides.

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Its okay if you don't see the bird, just make notes of what you DID see ( black head, spotted breast, size of robin, in the shrubs, etc,)

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Continue with nature journaling with Melinda~~~

If you want to practice your nature journaling with me check out my events, Its time to practice with me!

Workshops and work sessions: Nature journaling time with Melinda, online and in-person.

Courses: I have online, self-paced courses your can purchase. These are from live classes.

Spark Collective Membership:  Purchase a monthly pass to have access to attend most online live workshops, courses, replays for free. Discounts on masterclasses and retreats. Have access to connect with me and other members while developing your skills and enjoyment of connecting creatively with nature.

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I'm cheering you on on your journey,

Melinda

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