Amazing books for art lovers

For me, art has always been something intimately connected to emotion. Everything I felt when I created or saw something I liked came from a place I could never explain.

When I found myself face to face with the opportunity to study the subject, I confess that I was afraid that the magic would be destroyed and art would never be the same for me again.

So I finally let myself go (actually I was forced to do it because I needed to pass a college class, but let's pretend it was a personal journey) and I saw that the more I read and the more I discovered about the history, other artists and opinions, the more art made sense to me.

And when I talk about making sense, I don't mean that it stopped being something connected with emotion and became something very delimited - quite the opposite, it was by studying art that I understood that it can come from anywhere, take any form and make you feel absolutely anything (including nothing).

On this journey of exploring a world so close to me yet so distant, I read a lot. Many people helped me along the way with recommendations that changed the way I began to relate to art—and that's why I wanted to share with you the reading tips I've gathered along the way.

Here are some incredible books to add to your list:

Is This Art? - Will Gompertz

Will Gompertz is definitely a name that will come up more than once here - he has a way of writing that feels more like a conversation with a close friend than words written by the exceptional person that he is.

I find this book particularly interesting because it tells part of the history of art in a quick, non-boring way, and raises questions that will make you rethink everything you think you know about the subject. I've tried reading other books on history and I confess I couldn't make it to the end - this one, despite only discussing modern art , never left me feeling tired and taught me much more than I could have imagined a single book could.

"Art did not exist to reproduce the visible; what it does is, rather, make life visible."

The book is much more theoretical than the others I will recommend below, but I promise with all my strength that it is worth it.

Through the Walls - Marina Abramovic

This book is a biography. If you've never heard of Marina Abramovic, I suggest you do a quick search of her works and watch this video (it's what first connected me to her).

Although many people judge the artist and say incredibly harsh things about her, I see a magic in her, something I can't put into words, but which was only reinforced by reading the book. She is my favorite artist—not necessarily because of her work, but because of who she is and what she stands for.

It's a reality check about what it means to be a real artist and about all the work and physical and emotional investment that goes into what we see ready-made out there.

"I feel that if we see art as something isolated, something sacred and separate from everything else, it means it is not life. Art should be part of life. Art should belong to everyone."

Think Like an Artist - Will Gompertz

This is a much more practical and intimate book for artists and creatives . It doesn't cover much art history, artwork, aesthetics, or anything too theoretical, but it does offer practical tips on how to apply creativity wherever you are.

I won't go into too much detail on this subject because we've already written a post here with some of the teachings of the work - run there quickly and then come back to me.

"Artists always seem glamorous and blissfully detached, but in reality they work tirelessly: they are like dogs, who keep gnawing on the bone when most of us have given up and gone home."

The Artist's Way - Julia Cameron

I must confess right off the bat that the style of this book isn't one of my favorites. Reading it (which is actually a course) was quite difficult for me, and it contains some references that haven't always connected with my beliefs and feelings.

However, it gave me insights and suggested exercises that I'll probably carry with me for the rest of my life —and that's why it earned a spot on this list. It made me discover things about myself that I didn't even know, so it's definitely worth reading (but know that you need to go into it 500% invested in the process).

"Take control of your life and what happens? A terrible thing: you'll have no one left to blame."

Disney's "The Art of..." series

Disney's series of books that explore the creative process behind some of its most iconic films is a must-read. Packed with explanatory texts, sketches, colors, settings, characters, expressions, and costumes, the books are a treasure trove of references and inspiration for any artist .

As far as I know, the series hasn't been translated into Portuguese yet, but even for those who don't understand English, I think it's worth the investment due to the amount of visual references.

You can find these books on sites like Amazon (in Brazil) by searching for "The Art of *movie name in English*". I have Moana, Coco, and Tangled. Of the three, Moana is the one that has won the biggest place in my heart.

Creativity Inc. - Ed Catmull

Ed Catmull is the president of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. In this book, he shares a brief history of Pixar from a business perspective and offers incredible tips for overcoming obstacles and harnessing the creative potential of any individual or company.

" Failure is not necessarily bad. In fact, it is not bad. It is a necessary consequence of doing something new."

Steal Like an Artist - Will Gompertz

This is the last book by Will Gompertz that will appear here, I promise (because this was the last tip I had to give anyway).

"Steal Like an Artist" is a mini-book that frees you from the pressure of creating innovative things never before seen in human history. It's inexpensive and dynamic, making it worth having around.

"Not everyone will understand you. People will misinterpret you and what you do. They might even call you names. So be comfortable with being misunderstood, belittled, or ignored—the trick is to be working, too busy to care."

Which are your favorites?

Have you read a book that transformed the way you view art? Leave a comment so we can have even more references and learn more (about history, creativity, art, the world, and ourselves).

With love,
Re