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My Top 5 Favorite Art Books

Daily Painting by Carol Marine

Recommended for those of you who are interested in painting, particularly with oils.

Carol Marine talks about:

  • how she started painting daily and began selling her work
  • her choice of materials and supplies
  • painting basics like color mixing, setting up a still life, choosing an attractive composition, cleaning tips, etc.

Design Principles and Problems by Paul Zelanski and Mary Pat Fisher

Recommended for anyone who's interested in gaining a strong understanding of the fundamental principles of design (applicable to all art mediums and platforms).

This book will teach you:

  • a ton of common terms
  • color theory
  • the 6 principles of design
  • value, space, texture, perspective, etc.
  • contains lots of images and exercises per chapter

Creating Characters With Personality by Tom Bancroft

Recommended for anyone interested in character design/development. 

This book includes:

  • Guidelines and tips on how to create all sorts of appealing characters
  • Common terms used in the industry
  • Assignments to help you create a cast of characters for an imaginary film
  • The author's own cast designs for the imaginary film
  • Various artists' interpretations of the imaginary film's main character
  • Tons of insightful images, tips, and tricks

Writing With Pictures by Uri Shulevitz

Recommended for those of you who are interested in writing/illustrating children's books.

This book is a comprehensive guide that teaches you:

  • the difference between picture books and story books
  • how to write a story
  • how to plan your book
  • how to design and develop your illustrations
  • how to make your book appealing
  • how to prepare your book for printing
  • how to find a book publisher, etc.

Keys to Drawing by Bert Dodson

Recommended for anyone interested in drawing, regardless of your skill level.

This book includes:

  • 48 insightful and easy to understand mini-lessons
  • 55 specific keys to improving your drawings
  • 8 self-evaluation checklists to help you gauge your progress
  • Tons of images and exercises per chapter
  • Lots of useful tips and tricks

 

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