Art Books I Love
Dec 11, 2023
Over the years, I've collected several art books. Here are some of the books that have helped me along the way. I keep them in my art studio and they make a pretty stack on my desk.
I'm a big fan of Jean Haines, and I have several of her books. She has a gorgeous atmospheric technique that makes all of her work 'glow'. In her book, 'Atmospheric Flowers in Watercolor: Painting with Energy and Life' she shares her process of using several loose and atmospheric watercolor techniques in order to make paintings that perfectly capture the fluid nature and movement of watercolor. The book is packed with beautiful images of her work. There are a few step by step process images of how she approaches a painting. I wish there were more!
Tom Hoffmann has a book called 'Watercolor Painting: A Comprehensive Approach to Mastering the Medium.'
The book is packed with so many useful skills. He teaches how to see in layers. He shares his reference photos and how to interpret them into a painting..what to include and what to leave out to simplify (something I struggle with). He talks about simplifying shapes and the importance of a value sketch. His book also includes several paintings from other watercolor artists where he discusses their use of color and shape, and I love this as well.
Here's a look at his book.
And one more book I love.. 'Bloom Wild: a free spirited guide to decorating with floral patterns' by Bari J. Ackerman
This book is not a watercolor book or tutorial on how to paint. But it's a wonderful book for artists who love pattern, maximalism, color, and surface pattern design. Bari J. Ackerman is an artist and surface designer with art featured on various home decor products, wallpaper, rugs, and dishes. I find her work very inspiring and unique. Since I do a lot of work in licensing and home decor, I really enjoyed the colorful pages and styling of home interiors with her designs.
Here is a photo of the book.
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