Hey everyone! I've been seeing a few people ask about general art book lists to look at when learning how to draw. I thought I'd make this thread to share my top 10, and so others can share theirs. Hope this helps! 1. Figure Drawing: Design and Invention by Michael Hampton https://www.amazon.com/Figure-Drawing-Invention-Michael-Hampton/dp/0615272819 Michael Hampton's book has had a huge effect on me. It's not as clean as I'd like to draw, but the gesture, and anatomical break downs are extremely good. Everytime I look at his book, I find something new I didn't learn on my first time through. I've had the book for about 6 years now, and it's travelled with me all over the world. 2. Figure Drawing for All It's Worth by Andrew Loomis https://www.amazon.com/Figure-Drawing-All-Its-Worth/dp/0857680986 This is the classic book everyone recommends. It is dated, but the concepts are timeless. The way he explains things, and his examples are worth way more than the price of the book. Just owning it to see him apply these extremely simple concepts to complex images is worth it. 3. Constructive Anatomy by George Bridgman https://www.amazon.com/Constructive-Anatomy-Dover-Artists/dp/0486211045 I don't recommend this book for beginners, but everything he's done is a master class on shape design. Some of his students include some of the most famous Illustrators of the past 100 years, including Norman Rockwell. Jim Lee describes Bridgman as one of the most important drawing books in his life. I'll admit he is an acquired taste, but once you do start appreciating his drawings you'll always be impressed by him. 4. The Art Spirit by Robert Henri https://www.amazon.com/Art-Spirit-Robert-Henri/dp/0465002633 I can go on an list hundreds of books on learning how to draw, but all of them art pointless if you don't have a why. I'm not sure how I feel about Henri's art (it's good, just not my taste), but his why to art could inspire anyone. It's a book that's not meant to be read in one sitting. It's something you look at while you're feeling discouraged, or burnt out on drawing. 5. J.C. Leyendecker: American Imagist https://www.amazon.com/J-C-Leyendecker-American-Laurence-Cutler/dp/0810995212 To preface, I have no interest in painting like J.C. Leyendecker. I love his images, but they're too precise for me. The reason I'm putting him in this list is because of his dedication to his craft. He has hundreds of illustrations that are all master works in commercial work. Leyendecker's love for his craft doesn't have to be said, it's demonstrated in his body of work. Even if you don't want to paint like him, just his work alone will inspire you to work harder and do better. 6. Eleeza: The Art of Eliza Ivanova https://www.amazon.com/Eleeza-Art-Eliza-Ivanova/dp/1912843080 Eliza's work is incredibly inspiring to me. She worked at Pixar as an animator for years, and still found time outside of work to dedicate to doing these drawings. They're so different from her work at Pixar, and the reason that's amazing to me is that she was able to have two distinct artistic voices. Another reason to take a look at her work is it's an example of how you don't have to do hyper precise drawing to make pretty drawings. To me her artwork is an expression of her, not an expression of how she wants other to see her. That confidence is something that I want to aspire to in my own drawings. 7. Eclipse: The Well and the Black Sea by Justin Sweet and Vance Kovacs https://www.amazon.com/Eclipse-Well-Black-Justin-Sweet/dp/069252469X Justin and Vance's book for me is an example of what art is supposed to be all about. Just playing around with ideas and telling stories. @Scott Flanders turned me onto their work, and since then I've been obsessed with their drawings. It's so loose, and free but still does a really great job telling the stories they want to tell. Another example of doing art for the message, rather than to just impress other people with how "good" a drawing is. 8. The Big Kopinski by Karl Kopinski https://www.amazon.com/The-Big-Kopinski/dp/B07KZG7D51 @Karl Kopinski's work speaks for itself. To me he's like a 12 year old who's REALLY good at drawing. It seems like he just plays all day, drawing orcs, robots, sexy ladies, and pirate battles. He's another example of a love for the craft and how much fun art can be when you love it. 9. Figure Drawing for Artists by Steve Huston https://www.amazon.com/Figure-Drawing-Artists-Making-Every/dp/1631590650 Steve Huston's book came to me later in my art education, so it didn't have that much of an effect on my development. That being said, his explanations for using simple concepts to create complex drawings are extremely useful. Also his philosophy on art is something that I admire greatly. 10. SPARROW: Phil Hale https://www.amazon.com/Sparrow-Phil-Hale-Number-Book/dp/1600100406 Phil Hale is my favorite living painter. His wacky, disturbing, ideas combined with insane painting skills make me smile. I'm not sure I'd want to paint the things he's painting, but that freedom he has to paint car crashes and robots inspires me.