So many books, not a lot of time. Artists find inspiration, insights, and guidance through art books, and I know at least a couple that changed my life as a creative.
Here’s a list of must-read books, curated specifically for digital artists, to get your creativity flow.
From critical publications about the culture and future of digital art to wholesome guides that will help you build a fulfilling and successful career as a digital artist, these art books are perfect for every digital artist to feel inspired, discover new perspectives, and get practical tips.
Whether you are a digital artist seeking to get a creative boost and expand your knowledge in the field, or are on the hunt for the perfect gift to surprise the digital artist in your life, this list is for you.
Here is 18 books that deserve a prominent place on the shelf of every digital artist.
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The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
This book changed my life and I know I’m not the only one – The Artist’s Way has amazing exercises to help artists get in touch with their own creativity while making our inner child happy. Some of these exercises, like the morning pages where you journal three pages every morning, turned into lifelong habits for me, for which I’m so grateful.
Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers by Leonard Koren
This one is for the perfectionist – the book is a solid reminder that your creations will not be complete until something about the process or outcome is imperfect. It’s a philosophical explanation to how the true beauty is not only in the imperfections, but your acceptance of them.
A Dictionary Of Color Combinations by Sanzo Wada
This is the coolest book ever – Sanzo Wada (1883-1967) was an artist, teacher, and costume and kimono designer in Japan. He helped lay the foundations for contemporary color research through his traditional and Western influenced color combinations. Based on his original 6-volume work from the 1930s, this book offers 348 attractive and sensuous color combinations.
Photo Obscura: The Photographic in Post-Photography
Photo Obscura takes a fresh look at how photography is changing in the digital age. With AI, computational media, and hybrid art practices, the book explores how traditional ideas of what a photograph is are being challenged. Read my conversation with the author to see how post-photography is reshaping how we see images, blending the past and the future in surprising ways.
Artists Re:thinking the Blockchain
This one is for those who are interested in critical thinking around Web 3 – with contributions by a diverse array of artists and researchers, this book discusses system structures, strategic importance, and cultural landscape of the blockchain technology for artists.
This book became an underground classic since its publication in 1994, cherished by artists for its candid and insightful exploration of the challenges inherent in the creative process. The author delves into the internal and external battles faced by artists illuminates why art often doesn't get made and the nature of the obstacles that cause many to abandon their artistic pursuits.
The Language of New Media by Lev Manovich
This is for the film buff – making use of film theory, art history, and literary theory, the author shows how new media works create the illusion of reality, address the viewer, and represent space. Manovich also discusses parallels between the histories of cinema and of new media, digital cinema, screen and montage in cinema and in new media, and historical ties between avant-garde film and new media.
This one is all about building a successful art career – it’s a practical guide to address how artists can navigate the crucial business and legal aspects of a fine art career. From diversifying income streams to finding an alternative to the gallery system; reviewing a license agreement to the best digital marketing practices, this book covers the business side of art.
The Art Spirit by Robert Henri
Written 100 years ago, The Art Spirit by Robert Henri is considered one of the most influential book for artists. Henri offers practical advice on painting, but more importantly the book is about how to become an artist. For Henri, there was no greater human ambition than to be an artist, and The Art Spirit is a glorification of how mundane difficulties pale to the joys of the artistic life.
Digital Currents: Art in the Electronic Age by Margot Lovejoy
This is for the art&technology enthusiast – the book explores the growing impact of digital technologies on aesthetic experience, examines the major changes taking place in the role of the artist as social communicator, and provides an analysis of the art-historical roots and the larger cultural and social context for understanding art in the electronic age.
The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel
This is for women empowerment! Katy Hessel tells the story of art as it’s never been told before, with many art forms often ignored or dismissed from the Renaissance to the present day. It’s an art history book with an exclusive focus on women with more than 300 works of art.
For your inspiration, here’s 10 Digital Artists: Women in digital arts you need to know
This is for inspiration – poet, artist, and AI researcher Sasha Stiles brings together masterful human poetry with captivating language experiments by her AI alter ego to question what it means to be human in a nearly post-human era. The book also features full-color photos of Stiles' critically acclaimed art.
Sasha Stiles is also featured in 10 Digital Artists: Human meets AI to expand creativity
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
This one is to unlock your creativity – the book presents ten transformative principles that helps readers discover their artistic side and build a more creative life: “Nothing is original, so embrace influence, school yourself through the work of others, remix and reimagine to discover your own path.”
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon
From the same author, this one is about getting known as an artist – full of illustrations, quotes, stories, and examples, this book offers ten transformative rules for being open, generous, brave, and productive as an artist or entrepreneur in the digital age.
Show your work to us! Submit this form to apply to get featured on Digital Arts Blog
Art and Electronic Media by Edward A. Shanken
This one is a comprehensive review of the turn of 20th to 21st century art – addressing the relationship between art and electronic technology, including mechanics, light, graphics, robots, virtual reality and the web, the book offers an exciting perspective on where art can go from there.
Virtual Art: From Illusion to Immersion by Oliver Grau
This is for the virtual reality artist – this book shows how virtual art fits into the art history of illusion and immersion: “[Oliver Grau] describes the metamorphosis of the concepts of art and the image and relates those concepts to interactive art, interface design, agents, telepresence, and image evolution. Grau retells art history as media history, helping us to understand the phenomenon of virtual reality beyond the hype.”
The Artist in the Machine: The World of AI-Powered Creativity by Arthur I. Miller
This one is for the AI artist – Miller investigates the creativity of AI-powered computers and probes the nature of consciousness and speaks to researchers trying to develop emotions and consciousness in computers. The book is a celebration of the creative possibilities of artificial intelligence in art, music, and literature.
Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic by Lisa Congdon
This one is all about finding what sets you apart as an artist – it’s a guide to the process of artistic self-discovery that shows how to identify and nurture your own visual identity, navigate the influence of artists you admire, push through fear and insecurity, and appreciate the value of your personal journey.
Art, Inc.: The Essential Guide for Building Your Career as an Artist by Lisa Congdon
From the same author, this book reveals the many ways you can earn a living by making art—through illustration, licensing, fine art sales, print sales, teaching, and more, it’s all about turning your passion into a profitable business.
Digital Art by Christiane Paul
This is an excellent book by the curator of digital art at the Whitney Museum of American Art – Christiane Paul surveys the developments in digital art from its appearance in the 1980s to the present day and explores broader themes and questions raised by these artworks such as viewer interaction, artificial life and intelligence, political and social activism, networks and telepresence, and issues surrounding the collection, presentation, and preservation of digital art.
From Technological To Virtual Art by Frank Popper
This one is for the humanist – an influential historian of art and technology, Frank Popper, analyzes the development of immersive, interactive new media art and its humanization of technology. With its emphasis on interactivity, philosophical investigation of the real and the virtual, and its multi-sensory nature, the author offers a new model for thinking about humanist values in a technological age.
The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love by Jackie Battenfield
This one is all about the business side of being an artist – it’s a realistic and practical guide to professional success in the field of visual arts. Providing real-life examples, illustrations, and step-by-step exercises, the author presents strategies for self-management, including marketing, online promotion, building professional relationships, grant writing, and portfolio development.
This one is for tackling artist’s block – the book is full of solutions and exercises for overcoming all manner of artistic impediment. The author asked 50 successful international artists working in different mediums about how to conquer self-doubt, stay motivated, and get new ideas to flow.
Which of these books are you excited to read? Or did we miss an excellent book for digital artists? Let us know in the comments!
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