These titles are widely considered the "industry standard" for self-taught artists. Many are now in the public domain or have legal PDF versions available through the libraries above.
| Your Goal | Do This | |-----------|---------| | | Buy/rent the correct edition (required plates & code) | | Self-teach drawing | Skip this book – use Keys to Drawing (Dodson) or Draw (Currie) | | Learn color/value theory | Use Itten’s The Art of Color (free @ Getty) + Gurney’s Color and Light (buy used) | | Just want a reference PDF | Only accept a 14th edition or newer , scanned at 300dpi+ from a library print copy | These titles are widely considered the "industry standard"
The arrangement of elements within the frame to guide the viewer’s eye. 2. Recommended Books for Theory and Practice These titles are widely considered the "industry standard"