A Few of My Favorite Books

I love art books and have a huge collection.  I am one of those suckers who, when looking up a book on Amazon.com, goes to the section that reads “Customers who bought this item also bought” and I become the kid in the candy store.  “Oh, I need that” becomes my mantra as I scroll through the list.  Reading customer reviews is like testing samples of ice cream at the local parlor.    The result is that I have a lot of books.  Some of them were investments without my knowing it.  Books I purchased 10 years ago for 30 to 40 dollars have gone out of print and are now worth two hundred dollars.  Some I read once and think “that was all?”  Those collect dust on my shelves until I give them away.  Others are gems.  They inform, they entertain, and each time I read through them I gain new insight. 

I am posting a list of my favorite books, the ones that I rely on to teach something new every time I read them.  I have left off the super expensive hard to find ones and included a couple of DVD’s that are worth the money you pay for them.  All of these would make great gifts for a friend or yourself.  I have provided links if you want to purchase them.– enjoy.

Books






ALLA PRIMA
Everything I Know About Painting
A standard in classical art education
Author – Richard Schmid

If I had to own one book on painting this would be it. Schmid is an amazing artist and good teacher.  This book is especially helpful for learning how to edit what goes into a painting.  It also has helpful exercises if you struggle with color.  For a better price purchase this from his website not Amazon.

http://www.richardschmid.com/alla_prima_book_info.htm

Oil Painting Secrets from a Master
Author- Linda Cateura
This book is based on notes taken during workshops with painter David Leffel.  It is full of insight and information on traditional methods of painting in oil that applies to all subject matter.  I learn something new each time I read it.
http://www.amazon.com/Oil-Painting-Secrets-Master-Anniversary/dp/0823032795/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291602171&sr=1-2

Henry Yan’s Figure Drawing (Techniques and Tips) 
Author- Henry Yan

This self published book is full of beautiful charcoal figure and portrait drawings.  Yan is a master at lost and found edges.  Yan combines sensitive line work with painterly vine charcoal.  I bought the book for the images and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of good information in it.

Wear a bib when you look at his charcoal drawings, they are so good you will be drooling!

http://www.amazon.com/Henry-Yans-Figure-Drawing-Techniques/dp/1427610231/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291575245&sr=1-3

The next two books are by the same author, Kevin McPherson.


 Fill your Oil Paintings with Light and Color
 Landscape Painting Inside and Out

Author- Kevin Mcpherson

http://www.amazon.com/Fill-Your-PaintingsLightColor/dp/1581800533/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291575925&sr=1-1-spell

Even though the books deal primarily with landscape they are invaluable for their information on planning any painting, McPherson is a master of the limited palette and in the second book “Landscape painting inside and out” he offers variations and exercises on different combinations of the limited pallet.  Both books are packed with practical information and exercises that will strengthen your skills.



Breaking the Rules of Watercolor
Author- Burton Silverman

Most watercolor books focus on technique.  This book focuses on watercolor as paint medium and how it can be utilized in an approach that is similar to oils and pastels.  The author is artist Burton Silverman, A master draftsman and painter who stayed true to his vision of traditional realism even when it was not fashionable.  Does that make him Avant-garde?  

http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Rules-Watercolor-Practical-Books/dp/0823005224/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291603480&sr=1-2


Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, second edition
 
 Author-Mike Mattesi

This book has some of the best information about rhythm and movement within a composition.  A painting or drawing may be drafted well but lack energy.  This book teaches how to use directional force to move the viewer’s eye through the figure to give it a sense of life.  Think of this as hot sauce for figure drawing.

Even though the focus is on figure I find the information is true for all subject matter.

http://www.amazon.com/Force-Dynamic-Drawing-Animators-Second/dp/0240808452/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291604612&sr=1-11


The Language of Drawing: From an Artists Viewpoint
Author- Sherrie McGraw

This is a beautiful sensitive book on all aspects of drawing.  It includes how to information as well as artists to study.  It is generously illustrated and there is a personal feel to this book that is often lacking in other instructional books

This is one of my favorite curl-up-on-the-sofa-to-read books.

http://sherriemcgraw.com/instruction/books

DVD’s

Drawing Manual Lecture Series Set
Glenn Villpu
 
If you want to take your drawing to a new level this DVD series will do it.  Glenn Villpu is a well-known instructor among animators.  His explanations are easy to understand, his teaching style is casual and he knows his stuff.  Unlike academic drawing where the object is viewed, measured and recorded as it appears in life.  Villpu teaches the viewer to look for the underlying geometric forms and how they combine. If you can draw these forms in perspective then you can draw anything from your imagination.  I found these skills gave me a better ablitlity to interpret and not simply copy.

There are 12 DVD’s in the series and the information builds as you go through them.  The production is pretty shoddy lots of background noise and so-so camera work but the information is golden.
http://www.vilppustore.com/Figrdvd.htm


Nuts and Bolts- The essential information for the artist
Quang Ho

I am a firm believer that you can never get enough of the basics.  This is a great DVD for the beginner as well as advanced student.  There is a lot of how to information here as well as philosophy.  Elements of visual language are taught through demonstrations.  What I especially like are the demos that focus on different approaches such as light and shadow as well as tonal.

http://www.quangho.com/Instructional_DVDs.html


All of the books and DVD’s I have listed are by or about artists who are still living.  Not only can you read their books but many of them teach workshops.  A good way to preview their teaching style is to view their DVD (that is how I found out about Villpu).   You can rent art DVD’s at http://smartflix.com/

I have many more books and they could be grouped into different categories such as composition or portrait.  Or how about books by dead authors that have important information but no pictures, I have a lot of those and they are surprisingly good.   If you would like more lists and reviews let me know and I will post them on my blog and in future newsletters.