One of the new things I started this year is maintaining a nature journal. Last year when I was reading up on art journaling and searching for new ideas, I came across this amazing concept. Those of you who have been following my work would know what a freaked-out nature worshipper I am. Only need an excuse to incorporate flowers, leaves, floral patterns and everything Nature into my works. Perhaps that is why this idea appealed so much to me.
And what was the super idea? - Simple, to maintain a monthly nature journal. And what does that involve? - To go out and take a closer look at the world around you. To record, mentally and literally, every little change that you see happening.... The leaves changing colour, the new buds blooming, the birds that you encounter, the crawly fellows who visit your garden... everything and anything can find a mention in the nature journal.
I have just about finished putting together my page for January (though there is still some scope for doodling!) and decided to share it with you all. Do you like it? I had lot of fun putting it together, especially the dry leaf in the right corner. That I try to go on walks daily helped me in collecting interesting pieces for the journal. But this exercise definitely made me more aware of my surroundings, as I looked for interesting stuff to put in my journal.
Also, this journal is made out of an upcycled advertorial magazine. I glued multiple pages that were too thin to serve as a base and got a thicker material that could hold paint and gesso. At other places I laid on thick layers of paint to cover up the original printed matter, and voila, there was a new base to work on! Go on, try making one yourself. It will be an exercise you'll surely fall in love with.
