These are some of my favorite journal pages. I use the Handbook Journal Co. Watercolor Journal Sketchbook (140lb paper) and Stillman and Birn Zeta sketchbooks. Click on any image to view larger.
Journal
These are some of my favorite journal pages. I use the Handbook Journal Co. Watercolor Journal Sketchbook (140lb paper) and Stillman and Birn Zeta sketchbooks. Click on any image to view larger.
Drawn In 
jean, this is fantastic. love the peaches, the mushrooms! Meredith and I are enjoying this.
Thanks Mike!
Aahhhh, now I see that you did post more. Love your drawings and journaling. You are an artistic gem !
Love the freshness and observed details in these journal entries!
Thanks Susan!
So eager to join you for a truly beautiful experience! Your work is heartfelt and inspiring.
All the best, Marilyn Glass
Oh Great, Marilyn! We’re getting close! Really looking forward to it!
I SO enjoy your work, Jean.
Thanks Cathy! You have been a great creative inspiration!
Beautiful work and I love your header!
Thanks Karen- Your work is lovely. I enjoyed seeing your blog and travels!
I especially love your journals and how your words and scripting adds so much to the sketches! Thanks for so generously sharing!
Meera
http://Www.artbymeera.blogspot.com
I love your journals – especially how you use words and scripting along with your sketches! Thank you so much for so generously sharing your knowledge!
Meera
http://Www.artbymeera.blogspot.com
Dear Jean, Just saw the lovely mushroom post today. I wish you would so a step by step demo of some ink and watercolor technique one day. I love that combination but am not at all sure how to go about it. Cheers!!
I’ll take up the challenge…thanks for the prompt! But there’s nothing too mysterious about it. I start by drawing in ink (permanent), and then I paint. Some people do the reverse, but I like to have the structure of the drawing on the page as a guide first.
🙂 Looking forward to it
I love watercolour too. Plus it combines so well with other stuff – pencil, inks, collage…
Great talent Jean!
Thank you!
I stumbled upon your site and am now sitting here with my jaw dropped because I had no idea the kind of beautiful art you create. Your journal pages are gorgeous – thank you so much for sharing your talent. I look forward to seeing more entries!
Hi Betsy– Thanks so much. I’m glad you found my site. I guess sometimes you have to move away to get connected! Hope all is well with you. –Jean
The universe of stars is so beautiful! And I love all your other paintings too. Looking forward to seeing more on your journal, thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I’m glad you had a chance to poke around. Heading out this afternoon to do some sketching…hope I come back with something good to share. Best regards.
Inspiring!
Truly awesome!
Such talent and attention to detail! We love your work. 🙂
Thanks!
Hi, Jean
Thanks for reading my blog. I absolutely LOVE your artwork and journals!
Hi Donna- I enjoyed learning about what you do— we share a similar passion for environmental education and nature. Glad you are in Philly doing what you do!
Hi Jean. I love your work and reading your posts. Can you tell me which sketchbooks you currently use?
Hi Theresa- I use Stillman & Birn sketchbooks. I like the Beta and Zeta for watercolor and ink. There are lots of options for size, format, and binding. Mine are hardbound 5.5×8.5″.
Thank you, I’ll have a look at those. I use a Moleskine watercolour sketchbook at the moment.
I used a Moleskine watercolor book for a year or two, but was very happy when I switched. I think the paper is much better for watercolor in Stillman & Birn and I prefer the format of their books.
Jean I love your sketches, the pen expresses the spirit of the object with the quick spontaneous lines giving both structure and personality with later washes. I can hear the terns and osprey ! And the wave, really tricky with watercolor ! You’ve encouraged me to try again. I haven’t been able to hold a pen because of Lyme disease weakened my hands to where I couldn’t hold anything.However now I’m slowly getting my strength back (despite another setback).Wobbly but I’m doing it and seeing your images is the best medicine…especially your comments. Thank you so much for your posts ! I was on Swan’s Island just last week 6 miles out from Acadia. Going back out August 17 to do some sketching for the first time in years…will try your tips on technique ,supplies. Thanks again for wonder-full posts ! Quick sketches are good for shaky hands as well…
Hi Amy– Thanks for writing. It’s humbling for me to hear that my sketches are inspiring to you and others. Sometimes I’m out there sketching and wondering why I’m doing it (other than my own enjoyment and need to be out in nature and doing art). Your note gives my work a larger value. Thank you. I’m so sorry you’ve had to struggle with Lyme. It’s an awful thing. One of the participants of my recent workshop in Maine has it and she managed to hike for the first time in many months. I hope you continue to gain strength, especially when you are back on Swan’s Island. I’m sure it’s lovely there! Pick up that pencil and capture some of it! –Jean
Jean, your work is simply wonderful. Many of your sketches and paintings take me back to the story books of my childhood, and for that, thank you! The little birdie on your cover page is the most adorable of all. Wishing you a creative year ahead, greetings from Australia 🙂
Thanks Devika! Happy New Year and best wishes for your own creative exploration in 2020.
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Just found your site and love it. I will be getting your book for my granddaughter along with some supplies.
Please put together a list of some supplies that I could purchase for myself and as gifts. I have been having trouble finding a journal that can take the watercolors and not crinkle up the pages. Ive just started reading your blog and you have scattered some of your supplies in it, but a list of favorites would be appreciated. Thank you for your work and inspiration.
Hi Nancy- Welcome aboard! Thanks for getting the book for your granddaughter! That’s a nice way to nurture her interest, curiosity, and creativity…and hopefully you can explore and sketch together. I’ve sent you an email with more details on art supplies. Enjoy!
I was brought to your site through an instagram post about your upcoming Watercolor Sketchbook Series. I have been keeping nature journals for a few years now but am working way to hard on them so love seeing what others do. I love your focus on capturing moments.
Glad you reached out Melody. It’s important to figure out what works for you in your journal. “Working way too hard” sounds like a recipe for frustration or stopping. I hope you find things here that are helpful! –Jean
What type of watercolor set do you recommend for your Watercolor Sketchbook Series?
Hi Deb- When you sign up you’ll receive a materials list with lots of notes about different kinds of supplies and watercolor options. Are you starting from scratch or do you have a set of watercolors already?
I bought your book, and enjoyed your presentation at last year’s Wild Wonder Conference, and am looking forward to this year’s. I have been nature journaling for just over a year, and it has become a huge part of my life (in-person club, online conference, trip to Ecuador with Marley Peifer). But while I’m happy with my images, I always feel like my text ruins the page. I love the way your deceptively simple text looks — it seems to compliment your drawings, rather than detracting from them. Any pointers? Do you have an alphabet you use or are you just lucky enough to have artistic printing?
Hi Vivian- Sounds like you have found a passion for nature journaling. That’s great! When it comes to handwriting– there’s no rule that says you have to write on your page or make the text big or fancy. Give yourself permission to use your own handwriting, but maybe make it small if you feel like it is detracting from your drawings. There’s no reason to ruin good artwork with bad text. On the other hand, good text can be used as a graphic element on the page to enhance the drawing. I have been practicing different kinds of lettering and calligraphy for a long time, but what I mainly do in my journals is embellish my own printing or handwriting by varying the stroke weight on the letters. Here’s a post I did in 2015 that will give you some tips: https://jeanmackayart.com/2015/12/21/hand-lettering/. If you decide you want to add some graphic words to your sketches, maybe just pick out a heading or the name of what you are focusing on for larger text and let your handwriting do the rest. Good luck! (Do you post to the Nature Journal Club group? I’ll look for you there.)
I have just discovered your page on Pinterest, and what a delight! Your sketches and paintings are so evocative – I feel I could just be there myself! I am inspired. I have tried a few drawings and although I have been quite pleased with them, I am SO slow! How long would it take you to do them e.g. the ‘Nuts Seeds, Fruits’ one? I assume you get quicker with practice, but I don’t know how often I can commit to doing this, at my pace!
Hi Kathy- I’m so glad you reached out. Journaling is something that you can do at your own pace. There are no rules that you have to work quickly or complete a page a day/week/etc. If you enjoy the process of observing and drawing, keep going! My biggest limiting factor is time, so I try to find ways to work around or with that. For a piece like the nuts and seeds, each individual element is fairly simple and doesn’t take much time. I slowly build the page as I go and as I find new seeds to add. Mushrooms are another subject that are relatively simple shapes, so I can sketch them quickly. So you may want to pick some subjects to start that aren’t super complicated (i.e., acorn vs. tree). You will get faster with practice, but slow drawing is a lovely thing. Keep at it!
I’m amaized!!!!