The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature, Revised Edition

The author did a excellent job making each technique easy to understand with excellent illustrations. A very good book all the way around. I highly recommend it for artists wanting to go into nature to create art.

This book is just ok. Very few illustrations, and is more like the author threw a bunch of their notes into a book.

This little book packs more useful information within its covers than just about any other sketching book I know, and I have shelves of them. Cathy Johnson is a wonderful, articulate teacher and most generous with her help (her website is a prime example of this). The title of this book understates its value to just about any type of sketching or painting. Whether you practice graphite pencil, colored pencil, pen, charcoal, or watercolor sketching and painting, you will find many useful tips and examples. I wish I had purchased this book before so many others that I have . . . I would not have needed them.

Cathy Johnson scored another home run with me with this book. I'm newly returned to sketching after a 40-year break. I started with her "first series" sketching and drawing book after checking it out of my local library. The Sierra Club guide is broader and more inclusive, loaded with ideas and techniques from other artists, and very useful to a beginner. I like Cathy Johnson's style and her presentation - the idea of "suggesting" a form or shape or movement is appealing; she gives me enough information and encouragement to try something, modify it, and make up my own style.

I think this is an excellent book for children over the age 10 as well as adults. I try and find Christmas presents that will be fun and at the same time enhance the talents of the individual grandchild; so this year it was a subscription to 'Popular Science' for one (aged 15) and 'The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature' for the 11 year old as he loves to draw, is already very good at it and the bonus being that they live in the country.This is an excellent book that he will be able to keep forever ... another good point for Christmas presents. Amazon also carries the supplies and in this case, the pencils suggested which I might look at for the next birthday present.I am already thinking of the Water Colour book for next year's gift; again because it can be kept 'forever' and it is a gift that just keeps on giving.Amazon has excellent ideas for gifts and sure does beat pounding the pavement to look for a 'special' something that can be kept and referred to on an on-going basis.

Love Cathy Johnson art books. And this is another great book. Great service from the vendor.

I was looking for a book to go through all aspects of nature sketching and journaling. This is the book! I have lended the book out to other sketch artists and they found it very useful as well. Lots of pointers on different types of sketching and FANTASTIC illustrations. It it worth purchasing just for the illustrations alone. I would recommend this book to ANYONE who is interested in sketching nature.

great book - very helpful

I stumbled on Cathy Johnson's website and was sufficiently impressed to buy two of her books. The 'other' book on Visual Journalling was not good but this book is excellent. So often 'how to' books by artists simply rehearse their own skills and talent and actually offer little in the way of real insights or instruction. This book not only offers a host of inventive tips, practical techniques and kit advice, but guides you into habits to continue your development as an artist. Cathy Johnson has a rare gift for encouraging the reader to try something and then make it their own, so that confidence and skill continue to grow. This is a book to read through, and continue to dip into; with 12 chapters packed with ideas and illustrations, it's a resource for every amateur artist.

This book is an excellent text book with inspirational content.Don't be put off by title which may lead you to think that it is only relevant to Americans...it's just as relevant world wide.I speak as a professional artist of 50 years drawing, painting and sketching.It really is a gem!And just to make it clear...I do not know the author but do know that she is an excellent artist and fine teacher which can be seen throughout her book.

I was at first a bit disappointed because I was expecting more colors in the book since it is going to talk about watercolors. As well, the lettering and black and white drawings in my opinion make the book not so attractive.But don't stop yourself by these elements because the content is really interesting. The way the author explains the things looks really easy access for somebody starting this activity!Just needs to be a little bit refreshed in my point of view

Good solid information never goes wrong. This is one of those instruction books that you can read cover to cover or browse through and pick out specific bits of information. Nice balance of black and white images with coloured images. I looks and feels like a sketch book so is easy to use. The images have captions with instructional information. It is a welcoming book that is presented in such a way that I believe that I can do this.