Discover the Best Books for Artists, Recommended by Artists!
Completely updated! Our top picks for artists on the topics of creativity, inspiration, mindset and business, recommended by artists for their outstanding content.
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Art, Inc.: The Essential Guide for Building Your Career as an Artist
Lisa Congdon
This empowering, accessible guide offers practical steps for turning your art into a business. From licensing and pricing to building your brand, Congdon shares tips and hard-earned wisdom for creatives ready to take themselves seriously.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Elizabeth Gilbert
Gilbert’s playful, open-hearted philosophy on creativity encourages artists to embrace curiosity over fear. A vibrant celebration of artistic risk-taking, this book invites readers to create freely and joyfully—without needing to be perfect or successful.
The Creative Act: A Way of Being
Rick Rubin
Legendary music producer Rick Rubin shares a spiritual, meditative take on the creative life. Less a how-to and more a guide to being, it invites artists to tune in, trust their instincts, and find inspiration in stillness.
Creative Block: Get Unstuck, Discover New Ideas
Danielle Krysa
Part interview collection, part creativity workbook, this resource features insights from 50 contemporary artists along with exercises to break through resistance. It’s a motivating jolt of inspiration when your studio practice feels stalled.
Creative Girl: The Ultimate Guide for Turning Talent and Creativity into a Real Career
Katharine Sise
Ideal for emerging artists and makers, this upbeat guide helps creative women transform their passions into successful careers. Covers branding, pitching, and persistence with energy and encouragement.
Daily Painting: Paint Small and Often to Become a More Creative, Productive, and Successful Artist
Carol Marine
Marine encourages artists to paint every day to build skill, discipline, and confidence. Full of practical advice and friendly wisdom, this book is perfect for overcoming procrastination and developing a steady creative rhythm.
Dare to Sketch: A Guide to Drawing on the Go
Felix Scheinberger
This lively, illustrated guide encourages artists to take sketchbooks everywhere. With loose tips and inspirational prompts, it’s ideal for anyone wanting to build a portable, spontaneous drawing practice infused with personality.
Steven Pressfield
A sharp, no-excuses manifesto for pushing through resistance, finishing projects, and ignoring your inner critic. Especially good for artists who overthink or stall mid-process, this book gives you a loving kick to keep moving forward.
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (New Edition)
Betty Edwards
A groundbreaking method that helps artists shift into perceptual “right-brain” thinking. Edwards teaches fundamental drawing through cognitive retraining—ideal for beginners or returning artists who want to see the world with fresh eyes.
Everything She Touched: The Life of Ruth Asawa
Marilyn Chase
A beautifully written biography of Japanese-American sculptor Ruth Asawa, whose delicate wire sculptures defied expectations. Her story of resilience, motherhood, and artistic persistence is a compelling inspiration for artists forging their own path.
Lisa Congdon
This encouraging guide helps artists uncover what makes their work distinct. Full of interviews, exercises, and practical reflection tools, it’s especially useful for creatives seeking clarity in style, subject, and self-expression.
Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art
Stephen Nachmanovitch
A lyrical meditation on spontaneity and the creative spirit, this book blends philosophy, music, and visual art. Perfect for artists interested in intuition, flow states, and the sacred freedom of unstructured creation.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Angela Duckworth
Though not art-specific, Duckworth’s research into long-term effort over raw talent is essential reading for artists. A persuasive argument that success comes not from flashes of brilliance, but from sticking with your creative calling.
Jerry Saltz
In this candid and passionate book, art critic Jerry Saltz offers 63 bite-sized rules for embracing the artistic life. Funny, wise, and deeply human, it’s a pep talk from someone who loves and defends artists at every stage.
Alyson Stanfield
A definitive guide for professionalizing your art career. With actionable tips on self-promotion, time management, and building visibility, this book helps artists move beyond the wishful thinking stage and into confident entrepreneurship.
Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad
Austin Kleon
This third book in Kleon’s series is all about sustaining creative momentum. With thoughtful insights and visual wit, it helps artists weather burnout, stay focused, and keep making—even when life gets tough.
Sharon Louden
Essays on the lives of thirty-one artists over the age of fifty, which explore how they have sustained their creative lives and the different paths they have taken throughout their artistic careers.
Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color, and Composition in Photography
Bryan Peterson
Though written for photographers, this book teaches invaluable lessons in visual thinking, composition, and seeing the world in fresh ways—skills every visual artist can use. An excellent read for improving artistic observation.
Brainard Carey
Career-minded artists will benefit from this book that explains how to be a professional artist. Whether you’re a beginner, a student, or a career artist looking to be in the best museum shows, this book provides ways of advancing your plans on any level.
Ian Roberts
This in-depth guide demystifies the foundational art of composition. With clear examples and timeless principles, Roberts teaches how to create visual balance and impact; essential for painters, illustrators, and anyone working in two dimensions.
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Carol S. Dweck
Dweck’s influential work on “fixed” vs. “growth” mindset applies powerfully to the art world. For any artist struggling with perfectionism, comparison, or fear of failure, this book offers a framework for embracing growth through persistence.
Peter London
London advocates for art-making as a soulful, inward journey—not just a product for display. This beautifully written book encourages deep personal expression, ideal for artists craving authenticity and renewal in their creative process.
Veronica Lawlor
A practical workbook designed to jumpstart your drawing habit. With 365 quick exercises, it encourages daily sketching and experimentation. Great for artists looking to stay sharp or reignite a consistent creative routine.
Grayson Perry
With wit and clarity, British artist Grayson Perry breaks down how the contemporary art world works—who gets in, who decides value, and why it matters. A cheeky but smart primer for artists navigating galleries and public perception.
Jeff Goins
Goins dismantles the myth of the starving artist with examples of creatives who thrive through smart strategy and persistence. Offers permission to make money from your art—and a roadmap to do it with integrity.
Austin Kleon
This follow-up to Steal Like an Artist is a guide to building an audience by sharing your creative process. Perfect for artists wary of self-promotion, it offers simple ways to connect with others without selling out.
Austin Kleon
A manifesto for remixing, borrowing, and transforming the influences around you. Kleon champions creativity as a process of thoughtful theft—great for any artist looking to loosen up and make something uniquely their own.
Studio Thinking 2: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education
Lois Hetland et al.
Based on research at Harvard’s Project Zero, this book outlines eight key habits cultivated through art-making. Though written for educators, its insights into the thinking behind creativity are invaluable for artists of any level.
The Artist’s Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love
Jackie Battenfield
A clear and comprehensive manual for managing your art career. Covers grant writing, exhibitions, time management, and financial planning with a tone that’s both businesslike and encouraging.
Brainard Carey
This book unfolds the confusing and often treacherous terrain of the art world, revealing the inner workings of a system that has few rules but many opportunities.
Temple Grandin
Grandin explores the strengths of visual thinkers and how they process information. While not art-specific, it validates and explains the minds of many visual creatives—and how society can better support them.
Lynda Barry
Part memoir, part creative workbook, Barry’s genre-defying book explores memory, storytelling, and image-making. Visually rich and emotionally raw, it’s a brilliant companion for artists reconnecting with their imagination.
Your Inner Critic Is a Big Jerk
Danielle Krysa
With humor and heart, this book encourages artists to ignore doubt, comparison, and perfectionism. Full of short, punchy reminders that you’re not alone—and that your voice deserves to be heard.
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