[.ca] The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature (ISBN 0871569329)

Fine for the Arteest on the Go:
This is a pretty complete little volume. When you get it, you really do have to assume some knowledge and practice of making art and the media, however, she goes over materials and techniques, which can serve as a good refresher or initial exposure. The best part is a discussion early on about how to pack all the materials so you don't keel over from exhaustion, hauling too much art gear, along with the usual standard hiking goodies. (I especially needed help with that, given my childlike adoration of way too many pretty colors.) The emphasis is on SKETCHING, not doing the Mona Lisa. This is important in outdoor work as light changes and speed can be of the essence. I sometimes pick up this book so that I can just relax my techniques a bit. The examples in the book, in many media and in monochrome or color are a delight to view. Sometimes, it's just fun to sit down with a cuppa and flip through the nice drawings of objects and scenes in nature.

Don't let the title fool you:
This book provides a tremendous amount of information on sketching in nature but don't let the title fool you- this is a terrific general sketching and drawing book. Johnson covers topics that are rarely covered in other books. The use of pens, watercolors, pencils and colored pencils (both water soluble and not) are covered. This is an invaluable book and is an asset to both the beginner and more advanced student. I'm on Amazon right now trying to find other books by Cathy Johnson- I'm that impressed.

Cathy keeps it simple...and affordable.:
This is a very refreshing book. Cathy Johnson not only makes it look easy to draw and paint loose, yet accurate, watercolor sketches outdoors, but she tells you everything you need to know. This book will actually teach you how to draw and paint what you see, without making things overly complicated. Best of all, her supply list is well within the means of most people. I really enjoyed this book, and learned a great deal from it. This summer, I caught Lyme disease. It's nasty. For months, I could hardly walk, let alone hike and garden and do stuff I used to love. But Cathy's book has helped draw me back outside, and I'm learning to love nature all over again, one leaf, flower, and bug at a time. This book would make a great gift.