Even as a child, I loved observing nature and drawing what I saw around me. I did not have a method, but I already aspired to ‘textbook’ precision, inspired by the drawings I observed in the books I had in my library and by the scientific drawings by Leonardo da Vinci.

Nowadays, this practice is called ‘nature journaling’, but it is actually a kind of observational drawing, which was the basis for scientific observations since man first wanted to understand how the world around him worked and to share their findings.

The drawing believed to be the first scientific illustration in history dates back to 15000 BC and is found in the cave of El Pindal (Spain). This painting shows the location of a mammoth’s heart, probably to instruct new hunters.
Other famous examples of scientifi drawings are those of the moon by Galileo Galilei, of birds by John Audubon, ofinsects by Maria Merian, just to cite the most famous.

This booklet summarises the principles of nature journaling and is intended as a guide for those who wish to explore nature consciously, to discover beauty with a scientific approach.