Naturalist, artist, and author Roseann Hanson is an explorer. But her definition of the word doesn’t require you to have traveled extensively on 5 continents the way she has.

To her, being an explorer is more about how carefully you study something – whether it’s the Sahara Desert or a grain of sand – than how far you go. (Incidentally, I agree!)

She gave a talk at the Natural History Institute in Prescott called “The Art of Exploration: How Field Sketching and Journaling Bridge Science, Conservation, and Well-being.”

I watched the livestream and found it riveting!

 

Field Note History

In the days before you could just carry a camera with you, it was common practice for scientists and explorers to draw what they were observing out in the world.

Their field notes often included beautiful illustrations, along with handwritten descriptions.

 

Sketched in Stone

The impulse to make a visual record of what’s around us and what we’ve seen on our journeys goes all the way back to the Stone Age, to cave walls and sandstone boulders. Roseann Hanson sees these drawings as early field notes.

She shared photos of her visit to Twyfelfontein, Namibia, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its large array of well-preserved ancient rock art. Some of it depicts proportionally and anatomically correct animals with the kind of precision you can only achieve after spending time closely observing your subject.

 

Paper Beats Rock

Once paper was an option, journals and sketchbooks became the preferred place to take field notes. Since those are significantly more portable than boulders, people could take notebooks with them to record what they were seeing in real time. Or sketch what was in front of them and add color after they got back home (or back to camp or the studio or wherever).

Since Roseann Hanson does all her drawing in the field, her streamlined set up includes…

• 1 fountain pen
• 5 watercolor paints: cyan, magenta, yellow, burnt sienna, dark blue
• 1 brush
• journal

Sometimes she collects mineral pigments from where she’s working and adds those to her palette, as well.

 

The Analog Antidote

Sketching out in the field has largely been replaced by photos and video.

However, Roseann Hanson argues that analog field notes still have a lot to offer. Spending time in nature, careful observation, and manual note taking are cures for our digital overload. Documenting what you observe in a way that’s shareable contributes to the body of human knowledge.

“You can draw and it’s good for you and good for the world!”

—Roseann Hanson

She believes everyone can and should draw. If you feel you’re not good at it, the solution is to practice. Make a habit of drawing every day, and you’ll see your sketching skills improve over time.

To me, the most important thing is slowing down and noticing what’s going on in the natural world around you — whether or not you do that through drawing.