The Library - Recommendations
Over the past thirty years Gina Marie has devoured many art instruction books. Here we are going to list some of her favorite art instruction books to get you started on you honing your art skills if you are novice, or refreshing or learning a new skill for the old hand at the trade.
Composition: Understanding Line, Notan and Color A mentor to Georgia O'Keeffe, Arthur Wesley Dow literally "wrote the book" on composition. This book was irst published in 1899. A well written informative manual that has influenced generations of teachers and students. This book is relevant to all of the visual arts, and it employs a easy to follow workbook format to explain and teach the principles of having harmonic relations between line, color, and varied light and it's patterns. Create Better Compositions by Design The path to better painting begins with Mastering Composition. This effective guide blends clear, visual instruction with 5 step-by-step demonstrations to show you how to plan and paint your best work yet. Composition is the key, and here you'll learn to design paintings with new skill and confidence. It all begins with the armature or structure of the picture plane. Every great painting has one, and you'll see through several famous examples exactly how the Old Masters used armatures to create movement, narrative, harmony and fluidity. Based on these examples, you'll practice what you've learned following a series of hands-on demonstrations. Once you understand the basic principles of design, you'll be amazed at how quickly and effectively your compositions come together. Soon you will be painting more boldly and confidently than ever before with less reworking and overworking. Whether you're a beginner looking for basic instruction or a more advanced painter troubleshooting a specific problem, the proven methods in this book will work for you. Ideal for all mediums, Mastering Composition gives you the knowledge you need to create powerful paintings out of every subject. Confident Color: An Artist's Guide To Harmony, Contrast And Unity The approach to color theory in Confident Color makes selecting colors easy and efficient. Readers will learn the importance of color schemes and color contrasts and how to use them effectively when painting. They will learn how to create a color scheme or palette for their paintings, as well as how to use similar colors, contrasting colors, neutrals and complements to take their compositions to new heights. A lively illustrated color glossary provides a refresher on color basics so that the reader can focus on more complex theories. Alleviates the struggle artists have when determining color combinations by providing 7 step-by-step demonstrations that show how to select and make color schemes, color contrasts, compatible colors and more. Includes an assortment of work from 52 contributing artists using a variety of mediums. Bold Visions: A Digital Painting Bible This comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the rapidly expanding area of digital painting features beautifully displayed finished works of art alongside practical demonstrations. Artists will learn to create a wide range of subject matter from futuristic spacescapes and revolutionary vehicles to medieval landscapes and beautiful maidens. An in-depth materials section introduces all the equipment you are likely to need, from computer hardware and software to more traditional art media. A detailed basic techniques section caters to both newcomers to the digital medium and those who wish to brush up on their skills. Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy Digital artist Bert Monroy invites you into his personal studio in Berkeley, California, to share the inspirations and secrets behind his stunning art using Adobe Photoshop. In this DVD-ROM video, Bert continues to develop the core principles of his book Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy: Digital Painting, dissecting more paintings and taking you even further along on the path of your own creative process. With 13 new demonstrations and lessons from Bert, you will learn about: • Light and Shadows • Reflections • Layers and Layers styles • Textures • Smart Filters • Alpha Channels and Calculations • Chaotic Patterns • Creating Brushes Design First for 3D Artists Working on a project for most 3D artists means hitting the keyboard first without ever touching a pencil. But in the world of animation, the pencil is revered as the most powerful tool in the animation process, because it directly addresses the design aesthetic of an animated project. Production design is the process by which an artist establishes the tone for a particular film by offering a unique aesthetic vision that is in support of the story. As a 3D artist, to overlook design is to overlook the fundamental process that greatly influences not only the film itself but also your contributions as a professional. To combine the disciplines of traditional design and 3D animation is a choice that only you can make. The result of this choice is a broader artistic skill set that increases your creativity and consequently increases your worth as a professional. Plain and simple, Design First for 3D Artists is going to teach you easy-to-use design techniques that will make you a better designer and increase your worth as a 3D artist. Directing the Story: Professional Storytelling and Storyboarding Techniques for Live Action and AnimationFrancis Glebas has put together a really comprehensive and thought-provoking look at the art and craft of film making, specifically directing. His approach, which is to ask a lot of seemingly innocent questions, has much the same effect as the good storytelling he is trying to teach us.it draws us in and makes us think. I can't imagine anyone, in or out of our business, who won't find any number of helpful ideas as they work their way through the filmmaking jungles!! - Roy Disney, Director Emeritus and consultant for The Walt Disney CompanyProfessional storytelling tools, techniques and strategies clearly explained and put into practice - teaches by example!
