Book Recommendations For The Beginning Artist

In this video I give my recommendations for what books are useful to the beginning artist. I also give you two recommendations for KZbin Channels you should be watching.
Here is a list of the books:
You can buy many of these on my Amazon Affiliate page:
amzn.to/3OM5EUQ
Instructional Books:
(2:36) Drawing Lessons From The Great Masters by Robert Beverly Hale
(4:43) Anatomy lessons From The Great Masters by Rober Beverly and Terence Coyle
(6:10) On drawing Trees And Nature by JD Harding
(7:06) Painting Techniques Of the Masters By Hereward Lester Cooke
(8:51) Creative Illustration By Andrew Loomis
Technical books
(10:44) The Craft Of Old Master Drawings BY James Watrous
(11:47) Artistic Anatomy By Dr. Paul Richer
Books on Artists:
(14:14) The Claude Lorraine Album
(15:43) The Complete Etching of Goya
(16:39)The Drawings of Heinrich Kley
(17:25) Anders Zorn:101 Etchings
(18:49) The Memoir of Eugene Delacroix

[@katzenGEGENrechts]

"deeper dives into historical methods" and "interviews with other artists" sound very promising when done by you.

[@mkompan]

Thank you!

[@ichirofakename]

1. I'd like to mention one book that I find particularly appealing, Harold Speed's The Practice and Science of Drawing. This book is remarkably incisive, perceptive, analytical, and free of mumbo-jumbo. Though published in 1913, it is still in print, easily available. 2. I'm frustrated that there don't exist similar resources, including books and youtubes, for me as a hardline abstractionist,as there are for classical realists. Maybe more conceptual than technical, obviously. Though I WOULD like to know how Morris Louis managed to pour paint so precisely and cleanly.

[@mkompan]

That's a famous one, that I think I read at some point. I'll have to track down and read (or reread)

[@kenneth1767]

The Journal of Eugene Delacroix sounds like something I would thoroughly enjoy. Will go onto the Hughly-prized shopping list. On the topic of beginner, I'm new to ink drawing, especially hatching. I've watched a couple of your hatching videos and wondering if you would like to do a stillife demonstration of everyday objects in a composition. Slowly working through your videos. This channel is a river of knowledge with sparkling nuggets everywhere. So appreciated, as I live in village far from 'civilization', and most of the books I own are imported from the US as good quality second hand. Thanks again Marc for your channel. It is a light in what sometimes feels like a dark realm.

[@mkompan]

Thank you for the very kind words Kenneth. Whether in a village or a big city, being an artist is lonely, and books like Delacroix’s journal are a welcome companion.

[@amats3]

Thank you for the recommendations. I own most of them but was particularly thankful for learning about the Journal of Delacroix. I’m about 1/3 through the book. It’s amazing that an old master of 0:05 200 years ago was pondering many of the same thoughts on life and art. A wonderful find. Thank you sincerely 🙏🏻

[@mkompan]

My pleasure! I’m glad you’re enjoying Delacroix’s journal. I’ve been rereading it, and it’s such a valuable resource.

[@_justnick]

8:47 that gave me a good chuckle

[@Mirnagi]

Thank you! Checking some of these out at my library

[@mkompan]

My pleasure!

[@JennyEverywhere]

Always glad for your advice, sir.

[@mkompan]

Thank you!

[@RebeccaAlzofonPainter]

Good heavens, these are the same books I pull from my shelf most often. In the order of exposure, and therefore influence, the etchings of Goya captured my imagination as a child 60 years ago; then Kley, which I copied as a teenager. My book collection is not sprawling, so I was surprised to see how much our top picks overlap. The only two I do not own are the Zorn and Delacroix memoir.

[@mkompan]

Thanks for your note Rebecca! It's nice to know there are like minded artists out there, and that I'm not the lone voice in the wilderness recommending these books. Your work is great, BTW!

[@RebeccaAlzofonPainter]

Thanks for the props! I do fountain pens too, like you.@@mkompan

[@starr-starr]

Thanks for the recommendations!

[@mkompan]

My pleasure!

[@stephenwhite4960]

Hi Marc ,Theres only one thing wrong with your channel "It's not on often enough!" May I suggest that you draw pen and ink anatomy studies with commentary on the anatomy as you go in your excellent style. Thanks for all your excellent videos which I keep coming back to time and again and have bought several pens on your recommendation and I am delighted with them.Thanks again and hope to see you more often.I have most of the books you suggest and will try to obtain the others

[@mkompan]

Thank you Stephen! I’ll do my best to post more often, but my teaching/parenting responsibilities have to come first. I’m planning to do video on various approaches to studying anatomy. Look for it soon!

[@alexeydyakonov8210]

Must have!

[@mkompan]

Thanks!

[@atelierthhun1165]

Many thanks for this. I'm fond of Cennini's The Craftsman's Handbook which I find fascinating for insights and always end up feeling deeply grateful for instant, easy, reliable materials. As a difficult but rewarding text Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting has been a constant companion too. I'm intrigued with all your recommendations for serious study.

[@mkompan]

My pleasure. Cennini is a great historical document, and does make you appreciate the modern convenience of the art supply store. I’ll have to check out Carlson’s book.

[@fish8cat]

You are a gem! I love your channel

[@mkompan]

That’s nice of you say. Thank you.

[@henksmith8611]

Thanks for the book recommendations ! They came at a great time as i am looking to buy some of my first art books. You got any recommendations of books which contain good reproductions of Michelangelo drawings or Raphael drawings ? Since there are a lot of those books for them

[@mkompan]

You're welcome! I don't own super high quality books with drawings by Raphael or Michelangelo, but have access to a pretty good university library. As soon as the semester starts, I'll head down there and recommend some titles.

[@GurtTarctor]

When I worked in an online book store warehouse I came across "Perspective & the Projection of Shadows & Reflection" by J. Petty, my edition is from 1905. It's rather dry and technical but seems well laid out, and I find the geometric diagrams quite interesting to look at. I'll post an imgur link in a seperate comment that has a few pictures I took of it (youtube tends to auto-hide comments with links IIRC).

[@mkompan]

Thanks for that recommendation. The perspective of shadows is difficult, esoteric subject that's not often covered, either in classrooms or textbooks. Loomis touches on it in his "Successful Drawing," but as far I know only one book tackles it in detain, "How to Render" by Scott Robertson.

[@DiegoTarragonaCovers]

i swear this video is right what i was looking for these last days, so really thank you for it i'm definetely checking those others channels when i have the time (also they are perfect while working haha) on a random separate note, i just saw about the new moonman v1, for the capacity it has, size and for how good the nib looks (talking fom other videos, currently i can't afford it) i think you'll be really interested on it

[@mkompan]

Glad this was so timely! I’ve seen reviews of the V1. It’s a very strangely designed pen, and I’m not sure if it’s up my alley. Then again, if it gets to be popular, I might have to review it anyway.

[@steventhomas7292]

Thank you Marc for the book and channel recommendations, just wondering if you have any knowledge/reference of the French artist Mathurin Meheut (1882 - 1958). Thanks for the great content, looking forward to your next installment.

[@mkompan]

My pleasure! No, first I'm hearing of this artist, but from what I saw online, his work is terrific.

[@renskee.jellema8697]

Hi Marc, thank you for the tips! I've ordered both anatomy books by Robert Beverly Hale (first editions, because the latest edition has poor quality reproductions).

[@mkompan]

My pleasure. And you’re right, the early hard-cover editions are better quality.

[@MrEllinan]

I find useful the initial disclaimer: there's not only one way to use a book. Regarding the anatomy books, and by the looks of Paul Richter's one, I own one from Valerie Winslow, the Classic Human Anatomy in Motion, and it covers not only every bone and layer of muscles, as the name implies how these moves and change with the action. The quality is impressive aparently render in color pencils: totally recommend it.

[@mkompan]

Thanks for the recommendation. I’m not sure I’m familiar with Winslow’s book. And that’s a good disclaimer. I’m planning to make a video on the various ways of studying anatomy.

[@MrEllinan]

@@mkompan Her first book is full on anatomy. The second one, according to her, is "complementary" information which didn't make it on the first because of the edition limitations (still is a big book with a lot of technical and practical information). I'll definitely be looking for that video as well, thanks a lot for the insights from this one!

[@mkompan]

@@MrEllinan Thank you! I'll look into those books.This is subject where you just can't have enough textbooks.

[@MrEllinan]

@@mkompan That's true, and even if it is the same subject the origin of the artist has a different "flavour" to it.

[@TheDynamite333]

Well Professor, your current channel rating is a total criminal act against all humanity 😁. I can't thank you enough for the suggestions, I'll try my best to get my hands on those books.

[@mkompan]

Is there such a thing as a channel rating? Or are you just referring to my subscription numbers? At any rate, I’m happy that you found this video useful.

[@TheDynamite333]

@@mkompan I'm just referring to your numbers.

[@pipisplashtown8239]

Get your self some affiliate links for these books.

[@mkompan]

Good call!