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The Best Books for Artists

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 0 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Ranked #5260 in Arts, #116347 overall

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There's nothing like a good old fashioned book, that you can hold in your hands, filled with beautiful art, to instruct and inspire artist and art lover alike.  Some of the books recommended here instruct, some are biographies and some are histories.  We can learn to express ourselves, discover how other individuals have expressed themselves and touched the souls of many and learn how civilizations across the ages have expressed themselves all through these beautiful books.

Art Books and Supplies make GREAT HOLIDAY GIFTS 

The holidays are almost here! The artists and creative folks on your list are sure to appreciate a beautiful art book or some new art supplies this holiday season. In fact, most artists consider it a token of affirmation when others recognize their interest and ability in art, so giving the gift of art books and supplies is a good way to encourage a friend of family member who likes to paint or draw. This is especially true of children and teens. This year be the one who affirms their talent and gifts, you never know where a little encouragement will lead them.

Lens Overview 

In this lens you'll find many different books and products that will help you achieve your artistic goals weather you're just getting started or have been creating art for a long time already.

I'll be adding to this lens in the weeks and months to come so please check back often.

Here's what you'll find available so far:

Books on Drawing and Sketching
Drawing and Sketching Supplies
The inspiring sketchbooks of other artists
Books for beginning oil painters
Essentials and fun stuff for oil painters
Books for beginning watercolorists
Watercolor set and kits to help you get started
A quick poll question
Live auction at ArtByUs.com
Books about acrylic painting
Acrylic painting sets and kits
Recommended books on Pastels
Pastel pencils and pastel sets
Books on Colored Pencil techniques
Colored pencil sets
Books on oil pastels
Oil pastel sets
Books on portrait painting
Pet portraits

JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
*******NEW!! Art books and supplies for KIDS********

Coming soon...

Books for intermediate and advanced painters

Art history, artists biographies, instructional DVD's, and more.

Check back often as new products will be added frequently.

The Fundamentals: Drawing and Sketching 

Let's start at the very beginning, learn the basic tools of art with these highly recommended books.

The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 08/21/2008)

The Natural Way to Draw: A Working Plan for Art Study

Amazon Price: $10.88 (as of 08/21/2008)

Keys to Drawing

Amazon Price: $15.63 (as of 08/21/2008)

Drawing to See

Amazon Price: $48.34 (as of 08/21/2008)

Drawing and Sketching Tools 

A blank sketchbook is an invitation to take a creative journey. Good quality sketchbooks and pencils and markers are the essential tools of every artist.

Sketchbook Black cover 8 1/4 x 11"

Amazon Price: $8.76 (as of 08/21/2008)

Da Vinci Sketchbook (Sketchbook Series)

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 08/21/2008)

Moleskine Sketchbook Large

Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 08/21/2008)

Faber-Castell Complete Drawing and Sketching Kit

Amazon Price: $27.29 (as of 08/21/2008)

Sketchbook Kit: With Charcoal, Pencils, & Eraser

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Sketchbooks that are Sure to Inspire 

There's nothing more intriguing than to get a look inside an artists sketchbook. Find your way into the artists creative process and watch as ideas and inspiration come to life on the pages of a sketchbook.

Everyday Matters

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Leonardo's Notebooks

Amazon Price: $26.40 (as of 08/21/2008)

London Sketchbook: A City Observed

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

View From a Sketchbook: Nature Through the Eyes of Marjolein Bastin

Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 08/21/2008)

A Pacific Northwest Nature Sketchbook

Amazon Price: $18.21 (as of 08/21/2008)

More Inspiring Sketchbooks 

Clueless In Tokyo: Explorer's Sketchbook Of Weird And Wonderful Things In Japan

Amazon Price: $15.25 (as of 08/21/2008)

Paris Sketchbook

Amazon Price: $19.80 (as of 08/21/2008)

Nest: An Artist's Sketchbook

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

New York Sketchbook

Amazon Price: $22.80 (as of 08/21/2008)

Need Some Help Getting Started with a Sketchbook? 

These books actually take you through the process of creating a personal sketchbook. Fun and motivating!

Artists' Journals and Sketchbooks: Exploring and Creating Personal Pages

Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 08/21/2008)

Create Your Own Artists Journal

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

The Artists Sketchbook (Quarto Book)

Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 08/21/2008)

Watercolor Journeys: Create Your Own Travel Sketchbook

Amazon Price: $23.19 (as of 08/21/2008)

How to Keep a Sketchbook Journal

Amazon Price: $19.70 (as of 08/21/2008)

Oil Painting Books for Beginners 

If you're just starting out with oil paints you'll need information about paint, brushes, mediums, supports, canvas, and techiniques. These books will get you started.

Oil Painting for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Painter

Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 08/21/2008)

You Can Paint Oils: A Step by Step Guide for Absolute Beginners

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Oils for the Beginner

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Essentials and Fun Stuff for Oil Painters 

Oil Painting Kit (Walter Foster Painting Kits)

Amazon Price: $15.56 (as of 08/21/2008)

Italian Floor Easel with Art Accessories

Amazon Price: $89.99 (as of 08/21/2008)

Mega Artist Easel with 3 Canvases

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Princeton Series 6300 Brush Flat Size 4

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Watercolor Books for Beginners 

Watercolor is the most popular medium among beginners. It's easy clean up with soap and water and use of paper as a support seems to be very appealing. However, mastering this beautiful medium with its glowing transparency is no easy task. Here are some good books to get you started.

Watercolor for the Absolute Beginner

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Fresh and Easy Watercolors for Beginners

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Watercolor: A Beginner's Guide

Amazon Price: $14.05 (as of 08/21/2008)

Watercolour for Absolute Beginners

Amazon Price: $17.90 (as of 08/21/2008)

Watercolor Sets to Get You Started 

When you're just beginning it's nice to get a set of materials rather than try and choose from the hundreds of colors, brushes and papers available.

Art File Watercolor Kit

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

The Watercolor Sketchbook Kit: Materials, Techniques, and Projects

Amazon Price: $22.95 (as of 08/21/2008)

The Complete Watercolor Set

Amazon Price: $21.90 (as of 08/21/2008)

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Real Art by Real Artists ~ Auctions at ArtByUs 

Jan Blencowe's original artwork

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Starting out with Acrylics 

Acrylic paints are the medium of the choice for many contemporary artists. They are the most versatile of all the different types of paint. You can use them like watercolor or like oils, there's a broad range of colors and additives that can modify the consistency of the paint. Paintings can be varnished and don't need to be framed under glass, but can be if they're on paper. Clean up is easy with soap and water. Lots of advantages, few drawbacks. Here are some great instruction books to get you started.

Acrylic Painting: Project Book for Beginners

Amazon Price: $7.95 (as of 08/21/2008)

The Acrylic Painters Book of Styles and Techniques

Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 08/21/2008)

Acrylic Landscape Painting Techniques

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

The Acrylics Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist

Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 08/21/2008)

Ready to Paint with Acrylics? 

Here are some acrylic painting kits to get you started!

Acrylic Painting Layer by Layer: Beached Kit (Acrylic Painting Layer-by-Layer)

Amazon Price: $10.84 (as of 08/21/2008)

Acrylic Painting: A Complete Painting Kit for Beginners

Amazon Price: $15.56 (as of 08/21/2008)

Pastel Painting for Beginners 

Imagine painting with hundreds of intensley pigmented pastels. Rich, smooth color gliding onto the paper. These books will tell you how.

Painting the Landscape in Pastel

Amazon Price: $15.61 (as of 08/21/2008)

The Pastel Book

Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 08/21/2008)

On Location - Plein Air Painting In Pastel

Amazon Price: $18.47 (as of 08/21/2008)

Great Products for Pastellists 

SOFT PASTEL PENCIL SET/24

Amazon Price: $31.93 (as of 08/21/2008)

SQUARE PASTELS 12 ASSORTED

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Thomas Kinkade Soft Pastel Set by Mega Brands

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 08/21/2008)

Pastels: Collins Painting Workshop

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Pastel Painting Techniques

Amazon Price: $18.71 (as of 08/21/2008)

Recommended Books on Colored Pencil 

Colored pencil is a beautiful medium and a nice bridge between drawing and painting, for those new to creating art.

Colored Pencil Solution Book

Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 08/21/2008)

Basic Colored Pencil Techniques (Basic Techniques)

Amazon Price: $12.23 (as of 08/21/2008)

The Complete Colored Pencil Book

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

The Complete Guide to Coloured Pencil Techniques

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Colored Pencil Sets 

Below you'll find artist quality colored pencil sets that you're sure to love.

Faber-Castell 126-pc. Art Set with Wood Case

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Thomas Kinkade - Colored Pencil Set Version 1

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Learn How to Paint with Oil Pastels 

Oil pastels are completely different from "soft pastels", they are, as the name suggests, made with oil, and are something like oil paint in stick form.

Oil Pastel: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Oil Pastels Workstation (Workstations)

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Learn to Paint Oil Pastels (Collins Learn to Paint)

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Painting with Oil Pastels (How to Draw and Paint Series #152)

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Oil Pastel Sets for Beginners 

WATER SOLUBLE OIL PASTELS 24 CT

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 08/21/2008)

Oil Pastel Sticks 36-pk.

Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 08/21/2008)

Learn to Paint Portraits 

Portrait painting is a wonderful pursuit whether you want to paint your family and friends or take on commissions for profit, these recommended books will get you started.

Painting Portraits

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Portraits in Oil the Van Wyk Way

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Painting Beautiful Skin Tones with Color & Light

Amazon Price: $18.47 (as of 08/21/2008)

Painting and Drawing Children

Amazon Price: $16.15 (as of 08/21/2008)

Painting Expressive Pastel Portraits

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

More Portrait Painting Books 

Painting Watercolor Portraits, A Simple Approach

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Portraits from Life in 29 Steps

Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 08/21/2008)

How to Paint Skin Tones

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Oil Portraits Step by Step

Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 08/21/2008)

How to Draw and Paint Portraits (Famous Artists School : Step-By-Step Method)

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Learn to Paint Pet Portraits 

Don't forget our furry friends! Painting pet portraits can be very rewarding, and a good source of commissions for the accomplished artist.

Realistic Pet Portraits in Colored Pencil

Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 08/21/2008)

Drawing Realistic Pets from Photographs

Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 08/21/2008)

Painting Animals That Touch the Heart

Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)

Painting Your Favorite Animals in Pen, Ink and Watercolor

Amazon Price: $17.81 (as of 08/21/2008)

Painting Animal Friends

Amazon Price: $18.24 (as of 08/21/2008)

"HOW TO" Art Books for Kids 

Here are some fun b