The Artist's Reading List

[Parka81]

Below are some anatomy reference books I have.


Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier
This is really a bodybuilding book but it's fill with great illustrations of muscles. Recommended if you're into muscles.
Some pictures on my blog | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0736063684


Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form by Eliot Goldfinger
There are photo references put beside the drawn anatomy examples, so it really helps with realistic drawing.
Downside is there's not too much examples of the body as a whole.
Most of the examples are really cut out and explained without relation to the whole body.
Some pictures on my blog | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195052064


Human Anatomy for Artists by Andras Szunyoghy and Gyorgy Feher
This is an anatomy reference book. It has clear and detailed pencil drawings of bones and muscles.
The huge illustrations is a big plus. There are not much text except for labels.
I'm pretty sure anyone can be a master at anatomy after drawing everything in the book.
Some pictures on my blog | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/084160178X


The Art and Feel of Making it Real: Gesture Drawing for the Animation and Entertainment Industry by Mark McDonnell
Another gesture drawing book if you don't have enough.
Some pictures on my blog | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982231776

[Parka81]

The Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expression by Gary Faigin
Am reading this currently and it's really good. Not just useful for drawing, but also useful in life (for reading faces).
Some pictures on my blog | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0823004325

[Noah Bradley]

Imaginative Realism by James Gurney

Anyone interested in created imagined scenes (be it concept art, illustration, historic scenes, or just about anything) should seriously consider picking this up. I'm only a short way in, but it's an absolute goldmine of information already.

Oh, and order it from the Dinotopia store and get it signed. I even got a little sketch in mine.

[Parka81]

Drawing the Living Figure by Joseph Sheppard
More of an anatomy book based off drawings from life models. Annotations point to the different parts of bones and muscles. Each life drawing comes with two diagrams, one for the bones and one for muscles.

Some pictures on my blog | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486267237

[karmazon]

Any recommendations for books about urban and natural landscape drawing or painting?

[Parka81]

Here's a figure drawing book just published by Michael Hampton.


Figure Drawing: Design and Invention
You can check out some pdf pages on his website at www.figuredrawing.info.
It's also available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615272819

Also if you're in Germany, you should get the German edition of Human Anatomy for Artists. It's way cheaper.

Menschliche Anatomie für Künstler by Andras Szunyoghy and Gyorgy Feher
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3833114320

[armando]

Enough anatomy books. Thank you.

[Arshes Nei]

Imaginative Realism by James Gurney

Anyone interested in created imagined scenes (be it concept art, illustration, historic scenes, or just about anything) should seriously consider picking this up. I'm only a short way in, but it's an absolute goldmine of information already.

Oh, and order it from the Dinotopia store and get it signed. I even got a little sketch in mine.

Just FYI this showed up on the Amazon Vine Newsletter so I picked up a copy.

[Hunin]

Studio Ghibli books are interesting to look through, a lot of concept art and character designs. These books aren't instructional per say but are still a great insight. Just in case the pic doesn't work http://www.amazon.co.uk/Miyazakis-Sp...9604736&sr=1-1

[briggsy@ashtons]

And my previous question still stands. Does anyone know how good Itten's "The Elements of Color" is?

Hi Alex, I've just done a short piece on Itten here

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...=112049&page=5

[defcon79]

Classic Human Anatomy: The Artist's Guide to Form, Function and Movement Valerie L. Winslow

This book is like a reference book for people trying to understand terminology used in other figure drawing books. If you get a term that makes you go "huh?" this book is like your encyclopedia to look it up, pronounce it correctly and what its about .

It's also one of the more well organized books I ran into. I guess the best way to put it is like owning a cookbook that uses "blanch" but you have no idea what that term is. If there was a cooking reference book it would tell you cooking terms. This is what this book is in terms of learning artistic anatomy.

I know there are other books out there that talk about Anatomy like Goldfinger's book, but this is very good for a beginner to intermediate trying to understand things. Peck's book goes great with it.

i completely agree, i recently picked this up( i had my eye on it for a while. ) and was very satisfied with the information and and explanation of how our anatomy works. it is a great companion book.if i don't understand something i can usually figure it out between this book,Hales books, Richer , Albinus. real quick i just picked up a book called" Leonardo's Notebooks" edited by H.Anna Suh. great book please check it out.its like getting a lesson form one of the Renaissances' greatest minds. just my 2cents take care guys

[Pegahoul]

awesome lists guys. Anyone can reccomend on drawing vessels or vehicles?
Thank you

[Liam Harvey]

Went to the Local university library and pleasantly discovered this gem.

it features all of Norman Rockwell's illustrations for the Saturday evening post from the years 1928 to 1943.
All works recieve a neat little page dedicated to the history of the piece, where every piece is shown in full colour and at quite an impressive size
(26cm X 34cm)

[lovecastle]

http://spoonbard.deviantart.com/art/...-v1-3-40590655

A very good essay on drawing.

[Parka81]

Digital Art Masters: Volume 5

Covers 2D and 3D art. Variety is immense.

Some pictures on my blog | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0240522109

[Asatira]

For those interested in inking your comics, here are some books I've gotten over time that covers the topic.

DC Comics Guide to Inking Comics
This is one of many books published by DC Comics in regards to making comics. This one specifically goes into inking, and shows examples of inked works and how they are applied in its titles. Includes art examples from Frank Miller and Jack Kirby, among others. Has at least one walkthrough of the inking process for a page.

The Art of Comic-Book Inking
This one is from Dark Horse, and also covers inking, but spends a bit more time explaining how inking is applied, with both more correct and incorrect approaches. What I like most is how it will have different versions of the same basic drawing so you can see how inking affects the appearance. Another element I enjoy is the pages of examples of different inkers inking the same page. It makes it very apparent how much of an impact inking can have on a piece, and how much an inker has to fill in sometimes. The last plus are the Bristol pull-outs for you practice on. Unfortunately, it looks like this may out of print, so you'll have to look around.

Pen & Ink: The Manga Start-up Guide
This book differs from the others in two ways. First, the approach is from manga and not American comics. The terms and approaches reflect the source audience, Japan, and the kinds of tools available. Second, unlike the previous two books who briefly touch on using the nib pen, they have some preference for the brush, Pen & Ink pretty much covers using the nib pen. It does go into general manga/comic making elements, such as coming up with a plot and drawing it, but the real strength is its focus on nib pen inking, clarifying the different kinds of nibs available, and providing exercises to get more comfortable with inking with nibs.

[themegagod]

I would love to check out most of these books, but the sad part is, is that at the present, i'm so broke it hurts. I have found loomis PDFs because people in america want to keep the books in print and in mind, but what is advised for the "starving artist wannabe"?

are their any freer options to these books? any alternatives at little to no price?

I'm learning on a very strict budget (see the moth flying out of my wallet).

[Noah Bradley]

I would love to check out most of these books, but the sad part is, is that at the present, i'm so broke it hurts. I have found loomis PDFs because people in america want to keep the books in print and in mind, but what is advised for the "starving artist wannabe"?

are their any freer options to these books? any alternatives at little to no price?

I'm learning on a very strict budget (see the moth flying out of my wallet).

Try a library.

[MiladThaha]

Can anyone specify some books on Color Theory and if possible books or articles which talk about the effect or impact of color on the human mind? Also, something on Digital Painting?

Hawthorne is awesome! Looking forward to buy it

Cheers

[Parka81]

Framed Ink is a great resource for composing pictures.



Some pictures on my blog | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933492953

The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics

Good book if you're into digital comics creation



Some pictures on my blog | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0823099237

VENT Volume 1 is from UDON. It's filled with art and tutorials. Mainly manga style.



Some pictures on my blog | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/192677809X

[briggsy@ashtons]

The Human Figure: John H Vanderpoel


A classic. The text is dry and dense, but it has fantastic examples of how to simplify the features on the head and render form through tone. Try to find an older copy if you can; reproductions in early editions reveal much more gradation than in recent editions.

The Vanderpoel book [2nd edn, 1908] and the Bridgman Book of a Hundred Hands are now available as pdfs, along with a lot of other great stuff, including many excellent illustrated exhibition catalogues. Please see my post here:

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...=131117&page=7

[Anti-11]

http://www.amazon.com/Skillful-Hunts.../dp/0972667644

http://www.amazon.com/Structura-Art-...ref=pd_sim_b_1

These books are worth every penny

[karmiclychee]

Rejoice! Not sure if this popped up already previously (didn't see it on the second page anywhere), but there appears to be a reprint of Figure Drawing for All It's Worth coming in May 2011. You can pre-order it on Amazon now.

[Desbien]

What are some good books to learn how to draw , fantasy, Undead, and Sci-fi stuff?

[Book Guru]

Hi Everyone!

For those still interested in this teaching aid, here is the news: the book is now available in English!

Not a hard copy (yet), but a complete, translated PDF version that can be used either by itself or as a supplement to the Russian hard copy.

Here is the link: Fundamentals of Drawing, V.A. Mogilevtsev

Highlights
- the only manual on academic drawing approved by the Russian Academy of Arts.
- awarded with a Silver Medal by the Academy in 2008.

P.S. It's also available in Chinese, if you're interested.

below are some samples:

[Charredsky]

I have been looking for a good art book for coloring, though not painting. I paint digitally, so I really just need a book that will teach me more of the play of light on colors and the science (I guess you would say) of how different colors change other colors, about the color wheel, and color complements. Also, if you have any recommendations on an art book for drawing folds in clothes?

[am●na,☼nafa&Kash☉fa]

lots a books!

[Anti-11]

anatomy for the artist by sarah simblet

http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Artist...ef=pd_sim_b_75

The Artist’s Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: A Contemporary Perspective on the Classical Tradition by anthony ryder

http://www.amazon.com/Artists-Comple.../dp/0823003035

these are good books to study the human anatomy it's worth every penny

[Arshes Nei]

I love this thread, however...

People are posting the same books. I may end up editing/deleting posts that have redundant book info so that users aren't spammed with the same books over and over again.

[Arshes Nei]

If you liked Gurney's Imaginative Realism:

This is up for pre-order:



Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter by James Gurney