Resources

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Just some helpful stuff that I'd like to link back to in future journals. Most of these books have already been referred to in the past, but I wanted to update the list and make a new journal that doesn't sound like it was written during the worst summer ever.

Generally, I recommend all of the following topics:
- Composition (photography books sometimes have helpful advice)
- ART HISTORY (study the masters, get to know where stuff comes from. I promise it won't hurt you, and I can assure you, even Japanese artists have to learn to draw real stuff.)
- Drawing from Life (yeah I think it's boring, too. It's helpful. Your camera is great, too, but sometimes cameras distort perspective.)
- RESEARCH I'm not just saying that because I love research, I love research because it's awesome!

If you're not a reference freak like me, that's okay. I chose to make art my life. You have probably decided to do something else with your life, though I know a couple of you out have your own libraries. How you do what you do is entirely up to you! I'm just offering my own references.

Yes, some of these are textbooks from college. I don't own the fairy book, I bought it for someone one year for Christmas. It's loaded with good advice.

DRAWING

- - Basics - -
Design Basics, David A. Lauer and Stephen Pentak
Drawing the Head and Figure, by Jack Hamm
Anatomy and figure construction by Sloan Andrews (1935)
The Art of Drawing (The Grumbacher Library B-077) by Walter Brooks (1965, $1.00)
Drawing the Living Figure, by John Sheppard

- - Animals - -
How to Draw Cats and Kittens by Frank C. Smith (Scholastic, 1986 - childhood inspriation)
How to Draw Animals, by Jack Hamm

- - Fabric/Clothing - -
I do not currently own any books, but I do spend a lot of time looking at fashion and costume books at bookstores and libraries. Catalogs and fashion magazines are also wonderful.

- - Basics for Fun - -
Faeries, Mermaids, and Angels: Creating Magical Worlds with Watercolor, by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
Anatomy for Fantasy Artists, by Glenn Fabry, Ben Cormack (Contributor)
Drawing Cutting Edge Comics, by Christopher Hart
Drawing Cutting Edge Anatomy, by Christopher Hart
Vanishing Point: Perspective for Comic Book Artists, by Jason Cheeseman-Meyer
How to Draw Anime & Game Characters, Vol. 1: Basics for Beginners and Beyond, by Tadashi Ozawa
How to Draw Anime & Game Characters, Vol. 2: Expressing Emotions, by Tadashi Ozawa

- - Fun - -
Freaks!: How to Draw Fantastic Fantasy Creatures, by Steve Miller
Fantasy Artist's Pocket Reference: Dragons & Fantasy Beasts, by Finlay Cowan

DIGITAL

- - Basics - -
The Non-Designer's Design Book: Third Edition, by Robin Williams
Photoshop CS3 in Easy Steps, by Robert Shufflebotham
Illustrator CS2 in Easy Steps, by Robert Shufflebotham
InDesign CS2 in Easy Steps, by Robert Shufflebotham

- - Fun - -
Hi-Fi Color for Comics: Digital Techniques for Professional Results, by Brian and Kristy Miller
Imagine FX, magazine
Layers, magazine
The Magazine Stands!

WRITING

- - General - -
The Writer's Digest Handbook of Novel Writing
www.sfwriter.com/owindex.htm How to Write (website), by Robert J. Sawyer

- - Genres - -
World Building, by Stephen L. Gillet, edited by Ben Bova
tinyurl.com/googlebooks-howtow… How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, by Orson Scott Card - Viewable Online!

- - Writers - -
This is not a list of favorite authors! That would be madly long! These individuals made the list not for creating my favorite characters of all time or writing my favorite books, or because I couldn't put their books down and read every one, but for style. They are here because of the way they write. For depth, brilliance, and crazy-awesomeness. The first four are writers I reach for instinctively when I need advice.
Robert Jordan
Stephen R. Donaldson
Mary Stewart
Gary Jennings (you should be +18, though ...)
Bram Stoker
J. R. R. Tolkien
Micheal Crichton
© 2010 - 2024 AlysaTaladay
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