Five Art Books for the Creative Life
Finding the right creative partner, who can give you the advice you need in the way you need it, can be one of the most powerful tools for any artist. These 5 art books for living a satisfying creative life deliver those tools through personal and practical advice from practicing artists. If you’re looking to expand your career, generate new ideas, and overcome creative roadblocks, any one of these is a great place to start!
Be The Artist: The Interactive Guide to a Lasting Art Career, by Thomas Evans
This is a great read from Thomas “Detour” Evans. It focuses on providing practical advice for making effective decisions about your career. This guide will help you set and achieve goals that will help you navigate the constantly evolving art world. This handbook has tips that can form the foundation of a satisfying and self-sustaining art career.
Art and Fear, by David Bayles and Ted Orland
This book has helped me, and many other artists, identify the personal and cultural barriers that prevent artists from achieving their full potential. Those barriers come through the fears we all experience at some point or another — fears of failure as well as success. This is a must-read!
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, by Austin Kleon
Austin Kleon brings both humor and structure to the creative process to help you unlock creativity through practical and inspirational lessons. This is a a great book to reveal new ways to transform everyday activities into opportunities for new ideas.
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron
This classic book is designed to help unlock creative potential in artists of all kinds. Julia Cameron uses her unique approach to guide artists through cycles of self-discovery and creative expression. This is a great place to start forging practical tools to build creativity and emotional resilience.
Art, Inc.: The Essential Guide for Building Your Career as an Artist, by Lisa Congdon
Professional artist Lisa Congdon earns a living by making art — through illustration, licensing, fine art sales, print sales, teaching, and books like this one.
Sharing her experience as well as insights from other practicing artists, she creates a vision for a balanced creative life.
Meet the Artist
Scott Maier is an artist and a content contributor to artistsnetwork.com. He’s also the author of the instructional art book See, Think, Draw: An Easy Guide for Realistic Drawing and Beyond.
Great book choices, Scott! Thanks!