Why I Draw Nature the Way I Do
British Nature Art & Folklore

British nature art - an artist’s reflection on slow art, folklore, and drawing British wildlife with care, attention, and connection to place.

I’m often asked why I draw nature the way I do - why my work is slow, detailed, and rooted in quiet moments rather than bold statements or passing trends…

This isn’t really a story about technique or materials, but about values - choosing to work gently, to pay attention, and to stay close to the landscapes, creatures, and stories that feel like home to me.

My art grows from walking familiar paths, noticing small changes, listening to old folklore, and allowing ideas to unfold in their own time - rather than rushing them into being.

In a fast and noisy world, drawing this way feels like an act of care, both for nature and for the people who welcome my nature inspired art into their homes.

Slow drawing - creating connection and care

Choosing Slowness in a Fast World

In our busy-paced world, I choose slowness intentionally. I choose to create my art with traditional art materials, by hand – with pens and coloured pencils on smooth Bristol board.

I work in layers, creating the artwork outline in fineliner pen before setting out the base colours in marker, then building up layers of deeper, richer, and varied colours through coloured pencils - and then adding further layers of detail with fineliner pens.

Drawing slowly by hand, with pen

All this takes time, and mistakes have to be worked into the artwork or worked over – there is no ‘undo’ button when creating with pens and pencils on paper.

This slow, mindful process is at the heart of my hand-drawn nature art

The process itself, its very slowness, is an act of unwinding and becoming – a chance to physically connect with paper and pen or pencil…

And through my drawing tools, find a connection to the wildlife and nature I draw. It’s the slow, mindful movement of my hand as I draw, and the way I can think of my subject matter, see it anew in my mind’s eye to create it, and to feel it too – how it feels to see it, how it might feel to be that bird.

Layers of pen and coloured pencil - traditional slow drawing techniques

That pause and connection with the natural world is what gives the art its detail, and its meaning.

And I believe that care and attention leave a trace – and that quiet trace is what people often respond to when they live with a piece of art.

Why I Don’t Chase Trends

I’ve decided to devote my time to creating timeless and meaningful art over following trends.

While trends can be a lot of fun, they can sometimes pull us away from what feels most authentic and true for us as individuals. I’ve always felt most at home in my art when I can gain inspiration from my real life – and as a country-dweller, in a tiny cottage in Yorkshire, where I walk out in the fields every day, that’s the natural world.

This is the world that feels meaningful and true to me – and it’s the art that feels authentic and right for me to make. It’s steady, solid and timeless – as everlasting as the rhythms of the seasons and the turning of the year.

Slow walks through the fields form the basis of my art inspiration

Why Folklore Matters to Me

Winter hawthorn berries nature journal page with folklore notes

Weaving folklore into my journaling and art is part of the timelessness of my art – it’s the story of how people once related to nature – it’s our story of how we make meaning from the natural world around us and how we hold onto the meanings we find.

Folklore, stories, and old knowledge add layers of meaning to the birds, animals, and plants that surround us – and we start to see them as part of our story, our companions, our friends.

These stories remind me that meaning doesn’t have to be loud or new to be powerful – it just has to be lived with.

Times change, but nature remains timeless, and through the meanings of history, we start to find our own meanings for today and for tomorrow.

Why I Focus on British Wildlife

British wildlife can seem a little mundane to some people, but I love to draw what I see every day, and the nature I live alongside, finding quiet magic in everyday birds and animals.

Drawing British wildlife art allows me to stay rooted in the landscapes I live alongside and noticing the familiar can feel deeply grounding - getting to know our local pigeons, crows, robins, rooks, and sparrows allows us to feel like we’re making friends and feeling a part of our local nature, whether that’s our garden, a local park, or the countryside.

Drawing the everyday - feels like making friends with the rooks!

This sort of relationship with nature is more meaningful, more personal, and more lasting than chasing the latest exotic wildlife. It allows us to build a long-lasting bond with our natural world that can grow with us as we learn to feel more connected with the wildlife and nature around us.

Making Art as an Act of Care and Connection

Goldfinch drawing work in progress - slow intentional art-making with meaning

When I make art, I see it as an act of care.

• Self-care, in taking time to slow down, to notice nature, and to put pen to paper in a way that feels grounding and mindful.

• Care for nature, in paying close attention - learning, loving, and respecting the wildlife and landscapes that quietly share our lives.

• And care for others, too - for the people who invite my work into their homes, and who I hope will feel a sense of calm, familiarity, and connection when they live with it.

Everything I draw carries time within it: time spent walking, watching, listening, remembering, and returning. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is made to shout.

Each piece is shaped slowly, with attention and intention, so that it can offer something gentle and steady in return...

My wren art, framed and displayed in my country cottage home

In a world that often asks us to hurry, consume, and move on quickly, I choose to stay - with a bird, a story, a season, a moment - and to let it unfold in its own time. That choice is at the heart of my work...

And if my art finds its way into your home, I hope it feels like a quiet companion:

• a small reminder of the natural world,
• of slower days,
• and of the beauty that lives close by, waiting to be noticed.

If you’d like to take a few moments to explore my art, you can find all my newest artwork pieces here – each along with a folklore companion article to allow you to discover our common stories with our wild neighbours…

If you’d like to connect slowly and authentically with the natural world around you, you can explore nature journaling and peek into my own real-life nature journals here…

If you love folklore and want to connect more deeply with our stories shared with our friends from nature, explore my Folklore Hub here…

Moon and hare folklore-inspired British nature art, created slowly by hand

More about me and how my artwork begins, here...

Shall we stay in touch..?

Each month, I share stories from my own nature journal, new art from my studio, and simple seasonal inspiration to help you feel more connected with the turning year - if you'd like to stay updated, please sign up with your email address below...

Recent Articles

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1. April Nature Journaling Ideas

   Apr 22, 26 06:25 AM

   
   April nature journaling ideas and prompts inspired by my own nature journal - join me as I follow the seasons with pen and paper in my hand...

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2. Chaffinch Folklore & Meaning - Song, Seasons & British Nature Art

   Apr 15, 26 04:05 AM

   
   Explore chaffinch folklore, song and seasonal meaning in Britain, illustrated with hand-drawn chaffinch art inspired by nature and quiet everyday magic.

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3. Willow Tree Symbolism and Celtic Willow Art

   Apr 14, 26 05:05 AM

   
   Explore willow tree symbolism and meaning - Celtic willow art and printed products...

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Shop My Current Collection of Art Prints

Explore all my art here

Find my stockists for all my earlier artworks here...

Lotti Brown is a self-taught nature artist and nature journaling educator whose hand-drawn work is inspired by wildlife, folklore, and close observation. With 18 years in creative fields and 10 years creating nature art, she brings deep practical experience to her work. Trained by the Wild Wonder Foundation, she shares nature journaling courses and guides online. Her artwork has been licensed internationally and exhibited at Goole Museum and Bridlington Spa in the East Riding of Yorkshire, UK.