Books on Art theory?

[KT]

I don't think I worded the title properly, theory sounds a bit wrong. Anyway I wanted to know about more books that discuss more than just art or drawing techniques. I've read Vernon Blake's the art and craft of drawing and although some of it was probably beyond me at the time I still enjoyed it. I also started reading Edward hill's the Language of Drawing though this book has raised more questions than I am probably ready to deal with. Also I heard some good things about Nathan Goldstein's books. So does anyone know of any other books like this?

[cro-magnon]

i don't really know, but it has crossed my mind recently. i'd like to find some sort of discussion on drawing as an explorative, sensory human act.

[arenhaus]

"Eye of the Painter" by Loomis? "Understanding Comics" by McCloud?

[dpaint]

On the Art of Drawing Robert Fawcett, Drawing Lessons From the Great Masters Robert Beverly Hale, The Practice and Science of Drawing Harold Speed

[Mudpuppy]

I really liked The Practice and Science of Drawing by Harold Speed. It does have some instructional stuff in it but there's a lot of cool philosophy thrown in too.

[KT]

It's funny, because I already have and have read through these books, hale being one of my favorite. This probably means that I haven't really digested them and should keep re reading them until I fully comprehend the material. Any other books to look out for just in case?

[arenhaus]

It's funny, because I already have and have read through these books, hale being one of my favorite. This probably means that I haven't really digested them and should keep re reading them until I fully comprehend the material. Any other books to look out for just in case?

Yes. Re-read the old ones.

[Ed Henderson]

R.H. Ives Gammell's Twilight of Painting's a book by an excellent
painter born at the conclusion of the 19th century, whose career
as a representational painter faced some understandable frustra-
tion throughout the 20th.
This subject's the twilight of art, or it's transmission from teacher
to pupil.
He obtained the majority of his education from William McGreg-
or Paxton, after his formal education at what he regarded as poor
schools. In this tome he details the many reasons he regards for
this decline in art, which he regarded as a crisis.
In addition to, in my opine, Gammell's trenchant observations,
he was articulate.
e

[dpaint]

There is also Alla Prima by Richard Schmid, On becoming an Artist by Robert Johnson, The composition of Outdoor Painting by Edgar Payne, Landscape Painting by Birge Harrison; the last two while focused on landscape painting have plenty of theory to go with it making them have a broader appeal than strict how to books. Of course if you really want to get into theory read Ruskin's Modern Painters or Kant's essays on beauty and aesthetics.

[KT]

Thanks dpaint. I've been meaning to get alla prima for a while and that Robert Johnson book looks interesting as well. That Ruskin book might be too much for me right now though, haha. Thanks again everyone for the suggestions!