So much about digital art is found on YouTube, Reddit and in paid courses. Sometimes, I just want to read a book about the hobby I love. Here’s a list of some of my favorites. These also MAKE GREAT GIFTS for digital artists!
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Steal Like an Artist
Every artist experiences a lack of inspiration at times. This short book by Austin Kleone is a perfect read for any artist – especially when they can’t find their inspiration.
This book is filled with short, motivational chapters specific to art. I keep it nearby and pick it up when I’m looking for motivation or inspiration.
Real Artists Don’t Starve
Jeff Goins lays out several simple strategies for artists to use their creative abilities as an advantage to earn, despite the false narrative that all artists are “starving artists.”
The book is filled with stories from both modern and historical artists, outlining their success in art, finance and life.
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
This is a book everyone should read, but it’s aimed specifically at artists. It’s 161 individual stories about personal habits of creatives. They’re fascinating, motivating and in many cases hilarious.
With Tim Ferriss as publisher, Mason Currey and Adam Verner compiled this fantastic collection of inspiring anecdotes you can’t stop reading.
Visual Storytelling
Morgan Sandler covers a lot of fundamentals for digital creators in this epic how-to for telling stories without saying a word.
The most important concepts of lighting, composition, camera settings and much more are covered in detail. Great for photographers, 3D artists and film makers.
Everydays: The First 5,000 Days
Beeple is one of the most prolific digital artists in the world. He’s well known for his collection of “Everydays.”
There aren’t many others who can compile this large of a collection in print.
The book is beautiful and high quality. I find it’s a great conversation starter sitting on my coffee table.
Looking for More? See my list of Best Gifts for Digital Artists.
About Me
My name is Brandon. I’m a digital artist from California working primarily with 3D and video. I’ve personally read all of the above books (and many more) on the topic of art and inspiration.
I began this site as a way to share my own artwork, but it’s grown into a place to learn about digital art – especially how to use the open-source 3D software called Blender.
Have a look around the site. If you’re a Blender user, I think you’ll find my YouTube tutorials helpful for beginners.