The Scribbles Institute | Coach's Picks

Library
Coach's Picks

It's a privilege to present the following list of visual art and drawing books. These books have instructed and inspired me through the years. I enjoy introducing them to parents, teachers, and young artists of all ages. --Rob Court

Drawing With Children
by Mona Brookes
If you're serious about teaching your child to draw, this book is a great place to start. Drawing With Children is a best-selling guide for parents and teachers on how to encourage drawing.

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
by Betty Edwards
This perennial classic is an excellent source for parents, teachers, and aspiring artists. Edwards' instructional method will help you bust out of the childhood level of drawing and to explore the essence of representational drawing. Although written for adult students, the lessons can be adapted for middle-schoolers and up.

The Old Man Mad About Drawing: A Tale of Hokusai
by Francois Place
This wonderfully illustrated book brings to life the Japanese 19th century illustrator and printmaker Hokusai. 4th to 6th graders will enjoy the enchanting story about a young apprentice named Tojiro. He learns about drawing and life from the great master. Also featured are actual woodcuts and brush paintings by Hokusai.

Dynamic Anatomy
by Burne Hogarth
Every time I open this book I'm inspired by the powerful figure drawings of legendary cartoonist and teacher Burne Hogarth. If you know a young artist who's set on drawing action heroes, then this will be a valuable source of information. It's one of those books that stays on the the action comic artist's book shelf for many years to come. Appropriate for middle-schoolers and up.

Sketchbook for the Artist
by Sarah Simblet
Sarah Simblet's insights, sketches, and selection of contemporary and classic drawings reintroduced me to the thrill of drawing. Her demonstrations help to develop natural skills and to explore different subjects that can fill a high school or college-level artist's sketchbook.

The Encyclopedia of Drawing Techniques
by Ian Simpson
I've had this book around my studio for a couple of decades. Concise text and quality images demonstrate the usage of materials and drawing techniques. Ian Simpson has compiled a wide range of artistic styles that introduce the world of drawing. I recommend it for adult art students and K-12 art teachers.

The Art Pack
by Christopher Frayling, Helen Frayling,
and Ron Van Der Meer
The Art Pack is a well-crafted visual treat for art students of all ages. It's fun to crack open this book. The pages are filled with 3D pop-up illustrations, colorful images and concise, informative text. The Art Pack is an enjoyable way to learn about art concepts and art history.

The Art Book
published by Phaidon
Weighing in at 510 pages, The Art Book is one of the all-time great coffee table books. This visual anthology is an A-Z of important artists in western art history. Arranged alphabetically, each page contains a brief biography of an artist and a large, full color work of art by the artist. It's an amazing, cross-referenced resource that I use frequently.