Nature inspires. Away from the noise of cars and phones and computers, disconnected from the electronic hum of manufactured life, I inhale the clean spring breeze. Warmed by the sun and lifted by bird song, my spirit begins to soar. Back in touch with the essence of who I am, I am driven to create. Sketching in nature is my life meditation.A lightweight back pack is perfect for carrying a sketch journal, small box of watercolor paints, and few colored pencils. Cathy Johnson, in The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature, advises, "Keep it simple, for the sake of weight as well as speed. Carry a few carefully selected colored pencils; let the season or time of day be your guide, or the animals or birds you expect to see."
I was attracted to this festive pink Eucalyptus blossom and its graceful, elongated leaves, drawn here with colored pencils carried on a leisure sketch hike.
