Nature Journaling is a wonderful way of making your own study of the natural world around you. The main emphasis is on YOUR observations of nature - recording and reflecting on what you have seen or discovered. It can be done anywhere, from just looking out your window at home to what you see on a walk to the park or a field trip into the mountains. Nature is everywhere ready to be explored. 

This five-day course is designed to help you to develop and extend your drawing and painting skills. It will cover a wide range of subject matter, styles, techniques and mediums. These mediums include - graphite, pen and wash, ink, coloured pencil and watercolour. If the weather is good, we will take the opportunity to spend some time in the field sketching and painting. This fun and interactive workshop will help you begin, or extend, your nature journaling skills.

Materials Fee $50

Jo is a Master of Fine Arts graduate from the Otago School of Art (2000), and she also holds a Graduate Diploma in Plant and Wildlife Illustration (NSW Australia 1995), along with a series of scholarships and awards - including the William Hodges Fellowship awarded to the artist in 2000. She has exhibited extensively in New Zealand and in several group shows internationally. Her work is held in public and private collections throughout New Zealand. Jo has also completed several large-scale commissions for Tūhura Otago Museum, The Nelson Provincial Museum/ Pupuri Taonga o Te Tai Ao and the Department of Conservation/ Te Papa Atawhai.

Her work is primarily concerned with issues of conservation and ecology. Jo currently works full time on her art and lives in Sumner.

You can see more of her work at www.JoOgier.co.nz

Instagram: joogierartist or Facebook: Jo Ogier Artist

Materials to bring

A Good quality sketch book you wish to make into your Nature Journal. I would suggest one with smooth heavy weight paper that will take watercolour and pen. Smooth paper will gives you the most detail. It is a good idea to have a size that is portable I tend to use A4 or smaller. Good brands are Fabriano, Stillman & Birn - Zeta series and Daler-Rowney or Moleskine with smooth heavy paper, Windsor & Newton (Hot Press). Or if you have the skills, make your own with the paper you like working on.

Various pencils 2H, HB, 2B

Eraser - kneadable and plain

1 x 0.05 Staedtler pigment liner waterproof black drawing pen – or alternative, suitable for sketching and applying water colour washes over the top

Watercolour and or coloured pencils if you have them - I have small sets for people to borrow if necessary

2 containers for holding water (old yogurt containers are good)

2 x sable or suitable water colour brushes 1 x short haired fine (0 or 1) and 1 x mid-range (No.4 to 7 - They should have a good point!).

Palette for paint – old white china plates are great

Ruler

Dividers if you have them

Magnifying glass

Sharp craft knife

Portable chair or foam for sitting outside to draw

Specimens you would like to draw - seed pods, dried leaves, sticks, feathers, eggs, flower, colourful stones etc