Course curriculum

    1. Introduction

    2. Download the Guide and Templates

    3. Vision Board (Milanote) Inspiration

    1. General "Rules" of Composition and Layout

    2. Breaking the "Rules" With Intention

    3. Fundamentals of the Illustrated Journal Style

    4. Identifying and Arranging Elements

    5. Special Layouts

    6. Elements of Landscape Composition

    7. Elements of Wildlife Page Composition

    8. Composition and Layout for Every Situation

    1. Conclusion

    2. Further Reading

    3. Keep Practising!

    4. Please Leave a Review!

About this course

  • £32.00
  • 15 lessons
  • 1.5 hours of video content
  • Illustrated PDF course guide
  • Printable template pack

This course contains...

All of this plus a template pack to keep you creating innovative layouts for years to come!

  • The four general "rules" of illustrated journal layout, and how best to break them!

  • Discussion of what makes a good journal layout, with examples from nature and travel journaling including published examples and the tutor's own work

  • How to use the template pack to make varied and intreresting layouts and compositions

  • Fundamentals of landscape composition and wildlife sketchbook page layouts

Your tutor

Alex Boon

Nature Journaling Educator

Alex Boon is an artist and nature journaling educator from East Devon, UK. He earned a PhD in environmental science before working in postdoctoral research and scientific communication roles. Alex left academia, moved to the rural south-west of the UK, and started his first nature journal in 2016. He now teaches both online and in-person workshops and courses and is active on YouTube and Instagram. He is the author of two books, "How to Draw a Tree" and "How to Draw a River", both published by David & Charlies in July 2025. His style is inspired by the British tradition of artists recording nature, particularly Edith Holden, Beatrix Potter, and Charles Tunnicliffe. His mission is to promote the wider uptake of nature journaling in the UK.

Buy this course or...

Join the Membership

Join the membership for access to this and all other courses for as long as you're a member!

  • £120.00 / year

    £120.00 / yearNature Journaling Circle Membership

    Buy Now
  • £12.00 / month

    £12.00 / monthNature Journaling Circle Membership

    Buy Now

Reviews of other courses at NJC.com

5 star rating

Very inspiring!

Emma Carter

The course was exactly what I needed to ground my ambition of creating a nature journal habit into reality. Thank you!!

The course was exactly what I needed to ground my ambition of creating a nature journal habit into reality. Thank you!!

Read Less
5 star rating

Inspiring!

Angela Thomas

What a wonderful introduction into nature journalling! My first experience has left me just wanting more, I absolutely loved everything about it Ok I may have cheated a little and paused the video footage a few times to capture the ducks and wader...

Read More

What a wonderful introduction into nature journalling! My first experience has left me just wanting more, I absolutely loved everything about it Ok I may have cheated a little and paused the video footage a few times to capture the ducks and waders more fully, but I did manage to do quite a bit on the go, thanks to Alex's guidance. I learned so much, and am so excited to delve more deeply into nature journalling now. I feel privileged to have such an opportunity. The ongoing content of the membership means there's always going to be something to look forward to. Also, I like the shift in mindset from producing "perfect" art, to using art as a tool to make sense of the world and deepen my connection with it. It feels authentic and intentional to have this as a new purpose for creating.

Read Less
5 star rating

Lovely Course

Amanda House

It was a joy to spend a couple of hours with Alex online learning his fabulous techniques for Nature Journalling. He certainly knows his stuff and has a lovely way of teaching too. Thank you Alex!

It was a joy to spend a couple of hours with Alex online learning his fabulous techniques for Nature Journalling. He certainly knows his stuff and has a lovely way of teaching too. Thank you Alex!

Read Less
5 star rating

Illustrated Journal Layout & Composition

Ingrid Janssens

Featuring a curated mix of personal diary entries and sketches, this course teaches artists how to integrate diverse compositional elements into cohesive, attractive pages. Alex provides the fundamental technical knowledge necessary for creating...

Read More

Featuring a curated mix of personal diary entries and sketches, this course teaches artists how to integrate diverse compositional elements into cohesive, attractive pages. Alex provides the fundamental technical knowledge necessary for creating convincing results, while his deep appreciation for nature motivates students to capture the beauty of birds, plants and the environment with confidence.

Read Less