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Art Dad's Library
19
items My library is where I go for inspiration and motivation. This selection of books are ones that I find myself going back to time and time again.
Sections
4
Technique & Reference
Criticism, History & Theory
Kids
Graphic Novels
Technique & Reference
It's always important to learn all we can from those who came before us. These books represent some of the of the best that I have added to my creative practice.
This book has been an amazing reference for many of my pieces in my artistic journey.
Skulls: An Exploration of Alan Dudley's Curious …
The creator of Dinotopia provides a full breakdown of his process on how to capture light realistically and in different environments.
Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter|Paperback
The creator of Dinotopia breaks down his entire process on how he makes the imaginative look so realistic and alive.
Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist|Paperback
A full dive into the human body. Everything you need for capturing the human form.
Anatomy for the Artist|Hardcover
A deep dive into sequential art. I've used so many concepts in this book to help transform my creative process and the storytelling that it holds.
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art|Paperback
A great reference of the macabre and morbid in art throughout history and to the present.
The Art of Darkness: A Treasury of the Morbid, Melancholic and Macabre|Hardcover
Beautiful tome full of dissection's of the construction of botanical life for the artists eye.
Botany for the Artist|Hardcover
Criticism, History & Theory
Being an artist is not just about the creation. History, theory, and criticism hold up the pillars of the creative world and these are some of my favorites.
A great book that is easy to pick up, read a bit and provide a great insight into the reality of creativity.
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative|Paperback
The sequel to Steal Like an Artist with words of wisdom to keep creative when it seems hard.
Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad|Paperback
The third in the trilogy centering around sharing your work you spend so much time working on.
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered|Paperback
A short but dense read on what keeps us from creating.
Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking|Paperback
Allan Peters is one of the most well known voices when it comes to graphic design and his work on so many iconic logos marks is amazing. This book breaks down not only some of his but other iconic logo marks.
Logos that Last: How to Create Iconic Visual Branding|Hardcover
A fun book that explores the origins and meanings behind some of the most famous and infamous colors we see everyday.
The Secret Lives of Color|Hardcover
A great book about a kid sharing his work with some of the best contemporary artists out there and how they collaborated with this kid.
The Rest is Up to YOU Paperback
Kids
I truely love when art is presented to children in a fitting manner. However, not all books about art for kids are created equally. These are the ones that I've read with my little guy and loved.
This is one of my little guy's favorites. Its interactive and is a great tool for teaching basics of color at a young age.
Mix It Up!|Hardcover
The art is beautiful in its own right. But its also a great kid book showcasing all the ways we create.
Studio: A Place for Art to Start|Hardcover
Graphic Novels
I am a huge graphic novel nerd and the story telling has definitely influenced my artistic journey. Here are some of my favorites.
DIE is a fantastic series to sink your teeth into. If you love TTRPGs then I highly suggest picking this series up. You can get the full series in 4 collected volumes and its worth it to pick all four up as you will blow right through them.
Die Volume 1: Fantasy Heartbreaker|Paperback
The Fables series is an absolute must read. My wife was also a big fan of this modern take on classic fairy tale characters living in modern day life. It is a lengthy series so take your time and enjoy the ride.
Fables, Volume 1: Legends in Exile (New Edition)|Paperback
Y: The Last Man is an award winning novel for a reason. Highly recommend this science fiction series. The short lived tv series did not do this book justice.
Y: The Last Man Book One|Paperback