Course Description: Nature Journaling: Seeing, Thinking, and Connecting Through Art

This five-week class welcomes students of all ability levels who want to develop a deeper connection with the natural world through drawing, writing, and observation. Nature journaling is more than making art-it is a way of seeing, thinking, and engaging with the environment through careful attention and curiosity. Using a combination of sketching, ink, watercolor, and annotation, participants will learn to document their observations, ask meaningful questions, and explore connections between art, science, and personal experience. Students will develop skills in observational drawing, page composition, and visual storytelling while incorporating words, numbers, and diagrams to enrich their journal pages. Through guided exercises, we will explore techniques for capturing movement, texture, and environmental changes, from shifting light to seasonal transformations. The focus is not on creating perfect drawings but on using art as a tool to explore and understand the world more deeply. Nature journaling fosters curiosity, gratitude, and a lifelong habit of close observation. Whether you are new to art or looking to refine your practice, this course offers a creative and supportive space to develop your own unique approach to recording the beauty and wonder of nature. Individualized feedback and encouragement will help each student build confidence and a meaningful personal journaling practice. Materials are required. Please contact ceinfo@cocc.edu for a full list.

 Course Details: (seats remaining)

Schedule: Every week on Wednesday, starting on 04/23/25 and ending on 05/21/25
Times: 09:00am-11:30am PDT
Class Price : $249.00

Additional Course Information

SUGGESTED SUPPLY LIST FOR NATURE JOURNALING

Please reach out with questions/clarifications/concerns. I am here to help. Supplies do not have to be purchased by the start of class. I will spend a portion of the first day discussing the supplies we will use. All you will need for day 1 is a pencil, sharpener, erasure and your sketchbook..

Paper:
-One portable sketchbook that can be used for drawing and watercolor
-Pad of bristol vellum (if using colored pencils)
-Pad of quality watercolor paper (if using watercolor)

Pencils and Pens:
-Graphite Drawing pencils: 2B
-Mechanical pencil
-Pack of fine liner pens in black and in various sizes (Micron, Uni, Winsor & Newton)
-Non-photo Blue Pencil (Prismacolor)

Watercolor option:
-Portable watercolor palette with primary and secondary colors (Winsor and
-Newton Cotman Palette works well)
-Watercolor Paints: 5 ml. tubes (ideally artist grade)

-Cerulean Blue or phthalo Blue
-Ultramarine Blue or Cobalt Blue
-Hansa Yellow Medium or Cadmium Yellow
-Yellow Ochre
-Cadmium Red Medium
-Permanent Alizarin Crimson

-Waterbrush (Pentel Medium Round)
-Regular brush synthetic or natural: round 4, 8
-Wash brush synthetic or natural: Large flat or quill
-Paper towels
Colored Pencil Option:
-Set of Prismacolor Premier
-Or
-Faber Castel Polychromos
Other Supplies:
-Lg. gray kneaded eraser
-White vinyl erasure (Stadler/Mars or Tombow Mono)
-Paper blending stumps (2-4 of various sizes)
-Pencil Sharpener
-Convenient way to carry and easily access all supplies both in class and in the field
Other useful equipment:
-Phone or digital camera for reference photos
-Tailor measuring tape (retractable or non)
-Loupe or small hand lens
-Small Ruler (w/ metric)
-Field Guides

Instructors

Name Additional Resources
James Adams

Facility Detail

COCC Redmond Campus - Building 1
RDM1 105
2248 SE College Loop
Redmond, OR 97756
RDM1 105

Cancellation Policy

Students must cancel by contacting our office via phone: (541) 383-7270 or email: ceinfo@cocc.edu. Cancellations received 5 days prior to the start of the class will receive a full refund. Full refunds are also issued for classes cancelled by COCC. Refunds will be issued back to your card or in the form of a check and mailed within two weeks of the cancellation date if paid by check or cash. Failure to participate in a course or program does not result in a refund. Exceptions to the general refund policy are noted in the course descriptions on our website and in the printed schedule. If you have any questions, please call us at (541) 383-7270.