Choosing the right journal

I often get asked the question “Which journal do you recommend?” The answer isn’t as simple as naming the best journal, or even naming the journal that I use myself. The choice comes down to you, the way you work, the media you want to use in your journal, the size of your field kit and many other factors. All of these things are personal choices. I like the response of John Muir Laws to this question. He says that the best journal is the one you take with you!

View fullsize

 In this post I will help you think about some questions that will allow you to narrow your options, making it easier to choose the journal you will want to take with you on your next adventure.

I want to first reassure you that it is perfectly fine to do your nature journaling on loose sheets of paper. These can be rested on a clipboard while you’re outside and collected together into a book at a later stage, or kept loose, if you prefer. Some people like this option because it can be less intimidating than committing marks to the shiny white pages of a journal. However, using a journal has its advantages; everything is in one place, your work is protected by the cover and it creates a lovely keepsake for you to revisit in the future. 

 If you do decide that you want to use a bound journal, there are a few different things to consider before you make your choice:

1. Binding options

Hardbound or spiral

Hardbound books have a hard cover with the pages held together with stitching at the spine. The benefits of this option are that you can draw or paint across the entire spread. Spiral bound journals have a wire coil that winds through a series of holes at the spine. The advantage of this type of journal is that you can fold the book completely over on itself and work on one page while the book is flat. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to seamlessly work across the spine as you will have the spiral in the middle of your work. Some people don’t mind this, so if it doesn’t bother you then go ahead and work across the spiral, of course! 

I tend not to use books with spiral binding. The main reason is that I find that it is too tempting to tear out pages if I make a ‘mistake’. When we make mistakes we are learning. Our mistakes should be left in the journal to remind us of the lessons, not hidden or torn out. It is not easy to cleanly tear out a page from a hardbound notebook, and for this reason I prefer them. 

Questions to ask yourself – Do I prefer hardbound or spiral bound books? Is it important for my journal to fold flat on itself? Do I want to work across the whole spread?

2. Size

The next thing to consider is the size that you will use. You want the journal that will work with you, not against you. Some journals are very small. They are convenient to take with you, but it may hinder your creative expression if your work is too tightly cramped onto a small page. Other notebooks are very large. This can allow for expressive lines, but you may be reluctant to use a large book because it might be difficult to carry in your field kit, may be uncomfortable to hold in your hands while sketching, or the pages may be too large to fill during one outing. 

Questions to ask yourself – What is the size of my field kit? What size journal feels comfortable in my hands and fits well in my backpack? 

  3. Orientation

There are two possible orientations for your journal – portrait or landscape. Your preferred subject and the way you like to work will dictate your choice here. Landscape orientated journals can look very pleasing when finished but holding them open while you sketch can be a little tricky, especially if you are standing. 

Questions to ask yourself – Do I like to include a lot of landscapes in my journals? Which format feels best in my hands while I’m working? Do I stand or sit while drawing in the field?

 4. Paper type

Journals come with various paper types. The type of paper in your journal will affect the media you’re able to use and the finished effect of your work.

 My very first nature journal was started in an inexpensive journal filled with cartridge paper. This was fine for dry media, such as pencils, but I encountered problems when I started to add watercolour. The pages would buckle and warp and marks made with an ink pen would bleed onto the next page. I ended up abandoning this one and started to look for journals with mixed-media or watercolour paper.

 Mixed-media paper can take light watercolour washes but will still buckle if you want to add many layers or use wet-in-wet techniques. Watercolour journals come in different textures. Smooth (hot pressed) paper is a good choice when you want to write and paint on the same page. The smooth paper allows for clean lines with a pen but will also allow you to add more layers of watercolour without buckling or warping. Textured (cold pressed) paper is great for when you want to create multiple layers of watercolour or use a lot of wet-in-wet techniques. Keep in mind that cold pressed paper has little lumps and bumps which can be a little tricky to write on cleanly. 

Questions to ask yourself –What media do I plan to use in my journal? Do I use mostly dry media, like pencil, charcoal and graphite, or do I plan to use wet media, like watercolour, ink and water-soluble pencils?

Experiment a little  

As you can see there are lots of different things to think about when choosing your journal, but don’t be intimidated by the options. Test out different journal formats and you will find what works for you. Your first choice doesn’t have to be your final choice. I have gone through many different formats and paper types and, truthfully, I don’t think there is a perfect journal that you will use for the rest of time. I’m still experimenting, and this is part of the nature journaling adventure!