Monday, October 5

Collecting and Building an Art Library


Today’s Image
Icon for Art Books

When I began the OrbisPlanis art blog more than a year ago I used to include a short section about once a month titled ‘In the Art Library.’ Now, however, instead of a separate section, I just devote a whole blog to one of the books about art that I’ve recently read.

Even with the ubiquitous volumes of information available online, I don't think reading online can compare with holding an actual bound book in your hands. This is especially true for art books.

I also think artists should build their very own personal art libraries to have in their studios to use for educational, artistic, and inspirational purposes.

Paging through art books can be a relaxing way to spend leisure time, either reading about techniques or reading about famous artists and their lives. When I get the dreaded artist’s block, similar to writer’s block, I can often get un-blocked by spending time with one of the art books in my collection.

Plus, collecting art books has become somewhat of an avocation for me. I’m always looking for new or used books on interesting art subjects whenever I pass a bookstore.

I thought you may like to know which books I’ve collected in my art library. In this blog I’ll list the books having to do with instructions, techniques, and how-to’s. In the next blog, I’ll include my books on art collections and well-known artists and their artwork.

Here goes, in no order other than their arrangement by height on my bookshelf:

Art School, How to Paint & Draw by Hazel Harrison
Architectural Drawing by Rendow Yee
History and Techniques of the Great Masters: Cezanne by Richard Kendall
The North Light Book of Acrylic Painting Techniques by Earl Killeen
The Acrylic Painter’s Book of Style & Techniques by Rachel Wolf
Art Maps, How to Paint Watercolors that Shine! By William Wright
Drawing with Markers by Richard Welling
Celebrating the Seasons in Watercolor by Donald Clegg
The Perfectly Painted House, A Foolproof Guide for Choosing Exterior Paint Colors by Bonnie Krims (Not really an art book per se, but it has a lot of good information about coordinating colors.)
Picture Framing Made Easy by Penelope Stokes
Easy Acrylics by Ian Sidaway
How to Draw Anything by Angela Gair
The Painter’s Corner: Light and Color by Barron’s
Pastel for the Serious Beginner by Larry Blovits
How to Draw Anything by Mark Linley
Learn to Paint and Draw by Parragon Publishing
Acrylics Workshop, Simple Steps to Success by Phyllis McDowell
32 Landscapes in Acrylics by David Hyde
How to Paint Like the Impressionists by Susie Hodge
Mastering Perspective for Beginners by Arcas, Arcas, and Gonzelez
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
The Natural Way to Draw by Kimon Nicolaides
Practical Guide to Painting by Vicenc Ballestar and Jordi Vigue
Plein Air Painting in Oil by Frank Serrano
Betty Edwards Color: A Course in the Art of Mixing Colors by Betty Edwards
The Acrylic Paint Color Wheel Book by John Barber
The Pastel Color Wheel Book by John Barber
Acrylic Mixing Directory by Ian Sidaway
Watercolor Mixing Directory by Moira Clinch and David Webb
The Acrylic Artist’s Bible by Marilyn Scott
The Pastel Artist’s Bible Edited by Clair Brown

I hope this was helpful or at least interesting to you. Next blog I’ll show you my books on art collections and artists.

Cheers!

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