Reading List – March 2022

I love to read and I love to paint… so, obviously, I read the odd book about painting. Below, I’ve listed my current reading list, my recommendations, and some books that I plan to pick up soon-ish.

What are you’re favorite art books? Did I miss some good ones?

Some of these books are kind of old. Don’t let that deter you, many of the best art books are older.

Where to find art books: I’d recommend trying the library first. I bet you will find many of these books, and others, available at your local or through interlibrary loan. Art stores often carry art books. Most in print books can be picked up through Indigo/Chapters. Local used book stores can also be helpful, although that requires a fair bit of patience. Obviously, there is a large (evil?) internet company that is really good at finding everything, including out of print books. Many of their used sellers also have independent sales sites, if you don’t want to deal with Billionaires. For example, you could set up a used book alert at Powell’s (Portland, OR).

My current reading list:

Here are some art and art adjacent books that I am reading or have queued up.

Albala, Mitchell (2022).  The Landscape Painters Workbook: Essential Studies in Shape, Composition, and Color. Rockport Publishers

Blair, David (2016). Tyred Out: Cycling Adventures in Scotland

Gill, Catherine (2011).  Powerful Watercolor Landscapes.  

Hawthorne, Charles W (1960). Hawthorne on Painting.  Dover

Humphreys, Alastair (2020?). The Doorstep Mile: Live More Adventurously Every Day. Amazon

Johnson, Michael Chesley (2022) Beautiful Landscape Painting Outdoors: Mastering Plein Air

Quiller, Stephen (2008).  Water Media Painting.  Watson Guptill

Roberts, Ian (2004).  Creative Authenticity: 16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen your Artistic Vision

Books I own and would recommend:

Obviously, I’d recommend some books higher than others. Perhaps later, I might break them into tiers or list recommendations by topic (composition, color, plein air, technique, etc.). For now, this is the list of books that I would buy again if, say, all my art books were lost by a moving company and I was given insurance money.

Albala, Mitchell (2009).  Landscape Painting. Watson Guptill

Carlson, John F (1929). Carlson’s Guide to Landscape Painting, Dover

Darcy Bhandari, Heather; Melber, Jonathon (2009).  Art/Work. Free Press

Edwards, Betty (1979). Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Fowkes, Nathan (2019).  How to Paint Landscapes Quickly and Beautifully in Watercolor and Gouache. Design Studio Press

Genn, Robert (2003). The Painter’s Keys. Studio Beckett Publications

Genn, Robert (2007). Love Letters to Art. Studio Beckett Publications

Genn, Robert (2010). The Twice Weekly Letters. Studio Beckett Publications 

Godwin, Ted (2002). Studio Handbook for Working Artists: A Survival Manual. University of Regina Press

Loomis, Andrew (2012) Creative Illustration.  Titan Books.

MacPherson, Kevin (1997).  Oil Paintings with Light and Color, North Light Books

MacPherson, Kevin (2006).  Landscape Painting Inside and Out.  North Light Books

MacPherson, Kevin (2018).  Conversations with Nature; Oil Painting in the Tradition of Plein Air

Marine, Carol (2014).  Daily Painting: Paint Small and Often to Become a More Creative, Productive, and Successful Artist.  Watson Guptill

Quiller, Stephen (1989).  Color Choices.  Watson Guptill  

Quiller, Stephen (1994).  Acrylic Painting Techniques.  Watson Guptill

Payne, Edgar A. (1941). Composition of Outdoor Painting.

Roberts, Ian (2007).  Mastering Composition.  North Light Books

Svob, Mike (2002).  Red Hot Paintings that Sell. International Artist

Waugh, Coulton (1974). Landscape Painting with a Knife.  Watson Guptill

On my “to buy soon” list

Here are a few books that I will be buying eventually. The Richard Schmid book (and his other books also) are a bit pricey, but all accounts are that they are worth every penny. I read a copy of the Robert Genn book from the library; it was great. If I stumble on a copy, I will definitely grab it.

Albert, Greg (2003).  The Simple Secret to Better Painting.

Genn, Robert (1981). In Praise of Painting

Mollica , Patti (2018). How to Paint Fast , Loose and Bold. North Light Books 

Schmid, Richard (2014) Alla Prima II.  Stove Prarie Press