The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling Review

The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling is one of the few sketchbooks I’ve used that feels designed specifically around working outside rather than simply being a blank book you happen to take outdoors.

I picked it up after getting more serious about nature journaling and have used it enough in the field to know what I like about it, where its limitations are, and whether I think it is worth buying.

The biggest difference is that this is not just a stack of blank drawing paper. John Muir Laws has built field references, observation tools, and drawing information directly into the sketchbook, while still leaving most of the book open for your own work.

See The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling

If you are comparing several books rather than this specific sketchbook, see my broader guide to the nature journaling books I recommend.

Table of Contents

My Quick Verdict

I like The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling most for field use.

The lay-flat construction, firm covers, useful reference material, and mix of paper make it much more practical outdoors than many of the generic sketchbooks I have carried.

I also like having drawing and observation references inside the actual book. If I am sketching a bird, plant, weather pattern, or something unfamiliar, I do not necessarily need another reference book open beside me.

The main limitation is watercolor. I use light washes in it, but I would not choose this instead of a dedicated watercolor sketchbook if painting heavily with water were my primary goal.

What I like	What to know
Designed specifically for nature journaling	More specialized than a simple blank sketchbook
Sewn binding lies flat	Watercolor works best as lighter washes
Useful field and drawing references included	You may not need the references if you only want blank paper
White and light brown paper	Not a dedicated watercolor journal
Durable enough for regular outdoor use	Best value for someone who will actually use the field features

What Is The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling?

It is a field sketchbook created by naturalist and nature-journaling educator John Muir Laws.

Unlike a normal blank sketchbook, it combines drawing pages with reference information intended to be useful while observing nature.

My copy contains:

64 pages of 148g white paper
16 pages of 200g light brown paper
16 pages of reference material
a sewn binding
hard outer covers
an elastic closure
a table of contents you fill in yourself

The reference section includes material covering observation, measurement, sketching, and field information such as the Beaufort Wind Scale.

The removable dust jacket also reveals a white canvas-textured cover that can be customized with your own artwork.

The Lay-Flat Binding Is One of Its Best Features

I pay much more attention to binding in a field sketchbook than I do in something that stays on a desk.

Outside, I may be balancing the book on my lap, sitting on uneven ground, standing beside a trail, or trying to use both sides of a spread without having the pages fight me.

The sewn binding on this sketchbook lets it open flat enough that I can work across a spread without constantly holding the book open with one hand.

That sounds like a small detail until you actually spend time drawing outside.

How the Paper Feels for Pen and Pencil

I have had good results using both pencil and pen in the sketchbook.

The white paper has enough surface texture to give graphite something to work against without feeling excessively rough. I also use Micron pens in it and have not found myself fighting the surface.

The light brown paper is useful when I want the paper itself to become part of the drawing rather than always starting from white.

Having both paper colors inside one field book also gives me a reason to change how I approach a subject instead of filling every spread in exactly the same way.

Can You Use Watercolor in The Laws Sketchbook?

Yes, I use watercolor in mine, but I keep the washes fairly light.

The paper handles small areas of watercolor and restrained washes well enough for the way I usually work in a nature journal.

I might add a color note to a feather, wash color over a plant sketch, record the color of a sky, or put a few swatches beside an observation.

I would not treat it like heavyweight watercolor paper and repeatedly soak the page. If watercolor painting is the main reason you want the book, a dedicated watercolor sketchbook makes more sense.

For me, watercolor is one tool among several in the journal, so the paper works well for that balance.

The Built-In Reference Pages Are What Make It Different

This is the feature that makes the book feel less like a generic sketchbook with a nature-journaling label attached to it.

The reference pages give me quick information related to observation, scientific measurement, natural subjects, and drawing in the field.

I find them most useful when I encounter something I have not drawn recently and want a quick reminder rather than a complete lesson.

For example, I may need a reminder about bird proportions, branch structure, or a way to record environmental conditions.

I think of the references as prompts and memory aids rather than a replacement for a full drawing instruction book.

How I Use It in the Field

The real test for me is whether a sketchbook actually leaves the house.

I have used mine on trails, in parks, on a beach hike, during foggy walks, on a sunny mountaintop outing, and around home.

I usually carry it with a mechanical pencil, Micron pen, and small watercolor kit inside my nature journaling bag.

I do not use it every day. I tend to reach for it when I am deliberately heading outside to observe and make journal pages rather than simply carrying a notebook around for miscellaneous sketches.

That distinction is probably why the format works for me. Opening this particular book puts me into a field-journaling mindset.

The Covers Hold Up Well Outdoors

I do not baby field sketchbooks.

They end up inside bags with art supplies, on outdoor surfaces, and exposed to conditions I would avoid with a more delicate book.

The firm outer covers have held up well for me, and the elastic closure is useful for keeping the book together inside my bag.

I also appreciate having a reasonably firm surface when I am drawing somewhere without a table.

Who I Think This Sketchbook Is Best For

I would recommend it most strongly to someone who already knows they want to use a sketchbook outdoors.

Beginning nature journalers: the references give you extra support when you are not sure what to record.
John Muir Laws readers or students: the sketchbook fits naturally with his observation-focused approach.
Wildlife and nature sketchers: it works well as a portable field book for drawings, notes, questions, and light color.
People who mix art and naturalist observation: the measurement and field references are more relevant than they would be in a conventional artist sketchbook.

If you are new to the entire practice rather than simply choosing a sketchbook, start with my nature journaling guide.

Who Might Not Need It?

I would probably choose something else if all I wanted were inexpensive blank pages for general sketching.

The main reason to buy this particular sketchbook is the combination of field-oriented construction and John Muir Laws’ reference material.

If you will never use those features, a standard sketchbook may do the job perfectly well.

Likewise, if your nature journal is primarily a watercolor journal, I would prioritize dedicated watercolor paper instead.

The Laws Sketchbook vs. a Regular Sketchbook

	The Laws Sketchbook	Regular sketchbook
Blank drawing space	Yes	Yes
Nature-journaling references	Built in	Usually none
Field observation tools	Included	Usually none
Lay-flat design	Yes	Depends on the book
Light watercolor	Works for my use	Depends on paper
Best use	Dedicated nature journaling	General drawing and sketching

Sketchbook or Instruction Book?

This is still primarily a sketchbook.

The built-in information is useful, but I would not buy it expecting a complete course in drawing animals, plants, or landscapes.

If you want more detailed John Muir Laws instruction rather than a book to actually fill with your own observations, see my page on The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling.

For individual ideas to put into this sketchbook, I also have a collection of nature journaling prompts.

Is The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling Worth It?

For the way I journal, yes.

I like that it feels made for the conditions in which I actually use it. It opens flat, holds the drawing tools I normally use well, accepts the light watercolor washes I add to field pages, and gives me reference information without requiring another book in my bag.

Most importantly, I keep reaching for it.

I would recommend it to someone who wants a dedicated nature journal and likes the way John Muir Laws combines drawing with careful observation.