Help me choosing an inspirational book.

[technokill]

hello!

Im an aspiring digital artist and Ive been longing a real nice inspirational book, with the best illustrations there is!

I was recommended the ballistic publishing books (http://www.ballisticpublishing.com/), like the expose and the exotique ones.

Is anyone familiar with these? Are they worth it?

I liked the exposé v. 8 and 9, especially because they are on sale and they come with video tutorials.

What do you guys think?

Sorry if this isnt the right place. Couldnt find a specific section for my question.

[Flake]

Ive been longing a real nice inspirational book, with the best illustrations there is!

Then they are unlikely to be digital.
If you'd like to restrict all your influences and inspirations to the last decade or so, go right ahead.

Alternatively, you could do like most of the artists featured in those books and explore the last 3000 years of art history instead.
We had art before we had PhotoShop.

[Andrew Sonea]

I'd buy a Spectrum book. The quality of work is insanely high as well as the variety of work. And as far as art books go it's about the best bang for your buck given it's like twenty something dollars on amazon and has art on every page.

[QueenGwenevere]

Alternatively, you could do like most of the artists featured in those books and explore the last 3000 years of art history instead.
We had art before we had PhotoShop.

Speaking of which, most art books published by Taschen are a good bet. Huge range of material, good reproductions, production values to die for. (Goddamn I want their giant two volume set of Piranesi...)

Or you could just get all the paintings in the Louvre for a shockingly reasonable price: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/louv...=9781579128869

[JeffX99]

Not to be harsh...but why ask? If you like them, get them. Seems to me like an aspiring digital artist would already be familiar with, and have a good start on a library of inspiring work...in whatever style, direction and genre you aspire to be part of.

[Arshes Nei]

I recommend Art and Fear.

[ebi]

Then they are unlikely to be digital.
If you'd like to restrict all your influences and inspirations to the last decade or so, go right ahead.

Alternatively, you could do like most of the artists featured in those books and explore the last 3000 years of art history instead.
We had art before we had PhotoShop.

Speaking of 3000 years of art history...

would this be a good addition to one's library ( if you're interested in art history)
Art History by Stokstad ?

It seems pretty complete to me.

By the way, I agree with QueenGwenevere; Taschen often has some pretty good deals and such, so it's definitely worth checking out ( my sister managed to get the entire DOMUS series for 99 euro, instead of 499! I'm still kicking myself for not buying it myself lol).
I'm not sure if they have a lot of digital art though.

[Maidith]

"Alla Prima" by Richard Schmid. Motivating and useful no matter what medium you work with.

[Elwell]

Speaking of 3000 years of art history...

would this be a good addition to one's library ( if you're interested in art history)
Art History by Stokstad ?

It seems pretty complete to me.

All of the major Art Survey textbooks (Jansen, Gardner, that one) are pretty equivalent, and are both complete and incomplete at the same time. That is, their mission to be comprehensive by definition means that they leave a lot of stuff out. I don't think they're a bad thing to have, but, since they're textbooks, they're wildly overpriced. On the other hand, because they're textbooks, cheap used copies, especially of previous editions, are pretty easy to find. If you want a more manageable one-volume history of art, Gombrich's the Story of Art is a classic, and is available in both a large format hardcover and a compact paperback edition.

[Qitsune]

Or, I don't know, go to the local library and check out one or two different art book every week. For free. For that matter, other types of books too.

[Xopher]

Be cool if CA had a book review section, reviews of books and request a review etc..

[Qitsune]

Be cool if CA had a book review section, reviews of books and request a review etc..

Not everything needs to be on CA. Use Google.
http://www.parkablogs.com/

[Arshes Nei]

Be cool if CA had a book review section, reviews of books and request a review etc..

It's even cooler when people visit other parts of the forum.
There are at least 2 sticky threads on books that help or inspire.

http://conceptart.org/forums/showthr...r-work-library

[Xopher]

Thanks, I have been to other sites and other parts of the forum before.

Yeah, there is a lot of book reviews on this site that are very helpful.

So helpful in fact,
that instead of people posting them randomly in all different sections and others re-posting because they didn't search it would be nice to have a section. Was the reason that I posted the suggestion, but I'm sure people who search will find them and people who don't will be told to search.

But no it isn't necessary to CA just would be nice

Peace.

[Flake]

Speaking of which, most art books published by Taschen are a good bet. Huge range of material, good reproductions, production values to die for. (Goddamn I want their giant two volume set of Piranesi...)

I like Taschen, they have this knack of publishing books that I didn't even know I wanted.

One minute I'm casually scanning shelves in a bookshop, next minute I'm scampering away with "Exploitation Horror Film Posters of the 60s" and "Weighty Volume on Obscure Expressionist Painters volume 1" or something equally random that I had no great interest in 30 minutes earlier..

btw Merry Xmas CA people.