Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards – Paperback: 320 pages; Tarcher Perigee; 4th edition (Apr 26, 2012 Best Seller A revised edition of the classic bestselling how to draw book. A life-changing book, this fully revised and updated edition of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is destined to inspire generations of readers and artists to come.
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron Hardcover: 272 pages; J.P. Tarcher/Putnam; 10th anniversary edition (Mar 18, 2002) Best Seller“THE ARTIST’S WAY by Julia Cameron is not exclusively about writing—it is about discovering and developing the artist within whether a painter, poet, screenwriter or musician—but it is a lot about writing. If you have always wanted to pursue a creative dream, have always wanted to play and create with words or paints, this book will gently get you started and help you learn all kinds of paying-attention techniques; and that, after all, is what being an artist is all about. It’s about learning to pay attention.”
--Anne Lamott, Mademoiselle
On Becoming an Artist: Reinventing Yourself Through Mindful Creativity by Ellen Langer Hardcover: 288 pages; Ballantine Books (Mar 1, 2005) What keeps us from becoming the artists we dream of being and living our lives to the fullest? Langer (Mindfulness), a professor of psychology at Harvard, shares her own journey as an untaught painter, casually scattering the names of friends and describing her own somewhat unsophisticated choices of subject matter. But her approach is also scientific: without becoming overly technical, she deftly weaves into her own story a wide variety of studies that examine the obstacles ordinary people put in the way of their own creativity. This isn't a collection of exercises or even an inspirational book as much as a gradual breaking down of what holds people back from living mindfully fully present in the moment. Langer encourages her readers to recognize how fear of judgment, unnecessary self-comparisons and preconceived notions about talent impede artistic expression. Art, in her view, is a process rather than a product. And the very things that make the act of creating satisfying in itself working in the moment, freeing oneself from judgmentalso, she says, make for better art and a better life. Langer's work will strike some as a bit naïvedoes she believe "real" artists are never self-critical? Still, Langer has much to say that's useful on art as self-revealing and life-enhancing that will inspire many readers. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
The Yin/Yang of Painting: A Contemporary Master Reveals the Secrets of Painting Found in Ancient Chinese Philosophy by Hongnian Zhang, Lois Woolley Highly recommended by Gisele Zeitler on the SOG Portrait Artist Forum. Through the harmonious balancing of opposites, the ancient Chinese philosophy of yin yang is beautifully applied to the art of painting in an illuminating, results-oriented instructional for artists of all levels. According to this time-honored system, successful art is based on balanced energies and the control of contrasting elements within a work. This remarkably simple approach is presented in two seamless parts. Part One examines the traditional elements of painting-from value (light/dark) and texture (thick/thin) to color (warm/cold) and brushwork (sharp/blurred)-as evolving from a true balance of opposites. Part Two's step-by-step demonstrations focus on major genres of painting-still life, landscape, and the figure-employing all the yin-yang principles for the completion of successful paintings.
Drawing on the Artist Within Paperback: 256 pages; Fireside; Fireside edition (Apr 6, 1987) Whether you are a business manager, teacher, writer, technician, or student, you'll find Drawing on the Artist Within the most effective program ever created for tapping your creative powers. Profusely illustrated with hundreds of instructional drawings and the work of master artists, this book is written for people with no previous experience in art.
Painters' Wild Workshop: 12 Master Artists Help Expand Your Creativity by Lynn Leon Loscutoff Hardcover: 144 pages; Rockport Publishers (Mar 1999) Have you ever wished for more time to experiment and play in the studio? With this book, you can begin today. In these pages, Lynn Leon Loscutoff presents the work of twelve gifted artists and invites you for private lessons in expanding your creativity. Whether you are an accomplished artist, an aspiring artist, or an undiscovered artist, you will profit from the wealth of diverse experiences, materials, and inspirations offered through the wonderfully wild creative methods illustrated in Painter's Wild Workshop.
Creative Discoveries in Watermedia by Pat Dews Hardcover: 128 pages; North Light Books; 1st edition (Aug 1998) Author's statement: Let me show you how to make exciting, experimental starts and most importantly, how to finish them. My methods take the fear out of painting. There are no failures; only new paintings! I show you clearly how to use thirty-two techniques to create patterns and textures that will bring your paintings to conclusion. You will have fun and enjoy the experience of painting. Pat Dews AWS, NWS.
Trust the Process: An Artist's Guide to Letting Go by Shaun McNiff Paperback: 240 pages; Shambhala Publications; 1st edition (Mar 1998) This inspirational book expands the reader's view of what it means to live in tune with the labyrinthine ways of the creative spirit, which mysteriously works its magic when we relinquish ego control and "trust the process.
| Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Workbook by Betty Edwards – Paperback: 320 pages; Tarcher Perigee; 4th edition (Apr 26, 2012 A fully revised and updated edition of the essential companion to Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain--over half of the exercises are new!
Art Before Breakfast: A Zillion Ways to be More Creative No Matter How Busy You Are by Danny Gregory – Flexibound: 160 pages; Chronicle Books (Feb 17, 2015) Best Seller Packed with the signature can-do attitude that makes beloved artist Danny Gregory a creativity guru to thousands across the globe, this unique guide serves up a hearty helping of inspiration. For aspiring artists who want to draw and paint but just can't seem to find time in the day, Gregory offers 5– to 10–minute exercises for every skill level that fit into any schedule—whether on a plane, in a meeting, or at the breakfast table—along with practical instruction on techniques and materials, plus strategies for making work that's exciting, unintimidating, and fulfilling.
Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (And Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles (Introduction), Ted Orland Paperback: 122 pages; Image Continuum Press; 1st edition (Apr 1, 2001) Read a discussion on my Portrait Artist Forum regarding an earlier edition of this book. The author, Ted Orland , June 1, 1997 This book is written by working artists, for working artists Art & Fear is a book about the way art gets made, the reasons it often does not get made, and about the difficulties that cause so many artists to give up along the way. The authors (David Bayles & Ted Orland) are both working artists, grappling daily with the problems of making art in the real world. Do not mistake Art & Fear for a pop psychology self-help bookwe are not interested in freeing your inner child! What we have tried to do is illuminate the obstacles you face, and offer some artistic strategies for getting past them. Art & Fear has never been advertised and was never reviewed by a major publication, but it has nonetheless become something of an underground classic in the three years since it was published. Our distributor says it has become required reading for at least a few hundred university art courses across the country.
How to Discover Your Personal Painting Style by D. P. Richards Hardcover: 144 pages; North Light Books (Sep 1995) In this artist's manual, Richards, an award-winning painter who works in several media, shifts the focus from technique to personal style. Above all, he encourages the reader to develop a personal point of view and a vision to impart through art. The middle section of the book comprises exercises on line, value, color, movement, balance, focus, and space, with the emphasis on concepts such as the emotional power of varying lines and the surface feeling that differing paint applications produce. A final chapter on the works of 31 artists and their emotional impact pulls the book together. Highly recommended to balance more technical books like Hazel Harrison's How To Paint & Draw (Smithmark Pub., 1994). Daniel J. Lombardo, Jones Lib., Amherst, Mass. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards, Ph.D. Paperback: 320 pages; Tarcher; Rev & Expanded edition (Aug 30, 1999) Over the last decade, Dr. Edwards has refined her material through teaching hundreds of workshops and seminars. Truly The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, this edition includes: the very latest developments in brain research; new material on using drawing techniques in the corporate world and in education; instruction on self-expression through drawing; an updated section on using color; and detailed information on using the five basic skills of drawing for problem solving.
Affirmations for Artists by Eric Maisel Paperback: 224 pages; Putnam's Sons (Sep 1996) Creativity requires introspection, self-examination, and a willingness to take risks. Because of this, artists are perhaps more susceptible to self-doubt and despair than those who do not court the creative muses. This book of affirmations is compiled with the special needs of artistic persons in mind. |