Are you looking for some books that can guide you along your artistic journey?
Do you want to be able to complete graphics assignments in the shortest possible time and are you looking to draw in a realistic style?
If that’s the case, then check out this list of the 11 best drawing books for beginners I have come up with. I’ve read all these books, some more than once.
Fun Fact: if you’re a beginner you should actually start with the books listed in the second half of this list.
Why?
The books listed in the first half are advanced drawing books and they are full of high-level illustrations. You can use them to liven up your portfolio or submit them to illustration contests. Scroll to the end to learn more.
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Light for Visual Artists: Understanding & Using Light in Art & Design | Best Overall |  |
| Perspective Made Easy | Budget Pick |  |
| Figure Drawing | Upgrade Pick |  |
1. Light for Visual Artists: Understanding & Using Light in Art & Design
Pros:
- Cited by many artists as the best book on light
- Has been organized into sections on color, finishes, drama, natural light, and artificial light
- A valuable resource for animators, digital illustrators, painters, photographers, and artists working in any medium
- Suitable for both beginners and professionals
Cons:
- Not much on the science behind light
- A few out-of-date photos of equipment and lighting systems
- Some of the color photos are of such poor-quality that reading the captions is frustrating
- Not much about CGI lighting
- Poor printing
Light for Visual Artists is a great book on light because it covers a wide range of subjects, and there is the option of using it as a reference for information on specific lighting situations.
It is very useful for artists, but the book is also great for anyone in any walk of life who is interested in learning more about light.
Each section covers the subject thoroughly and has many anecdotes about the different situations the author has experienced.
2. Force: Dynamic Life Drawing
Pros:
- Teaches to see accurately and draw what we see
- We can see differences in body shapes and the impact of forces on them
- Several sections teach to draw poses and body types
- Easy to read
- Good for Intermediate to advanced audience
Cons:
- The printing could be better
- Challenging to follow by newbies
If you need a book that can show you how to see and draw the body accurately, this is the book for you.
This book will help you to see three-dimensional things dynamically. The author believes that drawing should be fun, and this is also how he teaches readers to draw. This book is perfect for beginners and intermediate artists.
3. How to Draw: drawing and sketching objects and environments from your imagination
Pros:
- Suitable for artists, architects, and designers
- Teaches most basic perspective drawing skills
- Explains how to draw accurate perspective grids and ellipses
Cons:
- Editing could be better
- Not for anyone having no design background
How to Draw is for architects, artists, and designers. It is helpful to the amateur, the student, and the professional. It will teach you how to draw any object or environment from your imagination. It starts with the most basic perspective drawing skills.
4. Framed Ink: Drawing and Composition
Pros:
- Great for both beginners and seasoned comic artists
- Highly informative
- A lot of tips and tricks for beginners
- Amazing guide to visual storytelling
Cons:
- Doesn't cover computer drawing programs like Photoshop and Illustrator etc
- The publication could have been better
This is by far the best book on comics drawing composition and visual storytelling. It has a full-color format with lots of photos and diagrams to help you get the most out of every page. The book is intended for beginners and seasoned artists and takes a unique approach to teach using frames and comics. It gives descriptive breakdowns of elements like anatomy, figure drawing, comics, and character development. Truly brilliant.
5. Figure Drawing: Design and Invention
Pros:
- Step-by-step approach
- Emphasize on surface anatomy
- Comprehensive
- Film and television coverage
- Pays attention to the human body
- Covers various media and genres
- Clear, easy to follow format
- Numerous drawings and photos
Cons:
- Not for beginners
- Poorly organized
- Some text is too small
This book is the best for both experts and beginners. Figure Drawing: Design and Invention has an easy-to-follow format and high-quality color pictures. They provide concepts that one can easily follow, but it also covers more advanced techniques that more experienced artists will enjoy.
The explanations are logical and concise. The book covers everything from action, animals, and cartoon drawings to portraits and human anatomy. The book provides results from various approaches to drawing, and it covers all artistic media.
It’s a common problem to see older techniques beat newer and more modern techniques. However, Figure Drawing has a broad scope, and excellent graphics that let artists from all over the world offer their different approaches in drawing and painting.
6. Drawing the Head and Hands
Pros:
- Excellent tips and tricks of perspective drawing
- Reinforces specific proportions that artists often neglect.
- Excellent study in human portraiture
Cons:
- Broad shallow coverage of multiple topics
- Poor printing
- Not for beginners
The author has a specific teaching style and can be challenging to follow for beginners who start drawing. However, it is not written poorly in any sense.
This book begins with a comprehensive section on human anatomy, which is very important if you want to replicate natural bodies. This is followed by a similar section from which you will learn about anatomy created by light and shade. This is very useful for portraits, often used as a starting point when studying living beings.
The author dedicates a section to the anatomy of the head and then to the hands, which beginners often omit. Knowing how to draw realistic hands is particularly important if you are going to draw comics or caricatures.
7. The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: A Contemporary Perspective On the Classical Tradition
Pros:
- Step-by-step guidance
- Special tips and hints for practical guidance
- Separate chapters for each critical topic
- Include illustrations of the author’s stunning artwork
Cons:
- Poor print quality
- Some find it boring with incomplete details
- Lacking depth
This book is not for complete beginners who want to get started with figure drawing.
As you can see from the image, this book is nothing more than an illustrated book with lots of drawings. The drawing style is unique and different from what you usually see. So if you prefer a step-by-step manner of learning figure drawing, this book isn’t for you.
You may have to search a little longer for the information that you want. The drawings are highly-detailed, making them look intimidating, but you don’t have to follow them as such.
8. Figure Drawing
Pros:
- Written by an artist
- Very insightful
- Easy to understand
- Straightforward and to-the-point
- Many techniques
- Tons of reference photos
- Concise instructions
Cons:
- The technique is not described well
- Bit old-fashioned techniques
Figure Drawing for All It's Worth by Andrew Loomi is a classical guide for drawing human figures. It discusses the old-fashioned techniques of drawing human figures, inspiring many newbies to make their artwork more realistic.
9. Perspective Made Easy
Pros:
- Good at teaching newbies
- Great reference book for anybody learning the basics
- Teaches you about the differences between traditional and contemporary drawing
- Clear, concise, immediately applicable discussions of the horizon and vanishing point
- Emphasis crucial relationship of eye-level to perspective drawing
Cons:
- If you have background knowledge, you may find the book confusing
- Tiny images
- Some newbies find it hard to understand and follow
Did you know that there are different types of perspectives? This famous drawing book for beginners discusses all perspectives and teaches you how to get started with perspective drawing.
You’ll learn about one-, two-, and three-point perspectives, as well as the other perspectives that you can employ in your artwork.
This book includes many exercises and step-by-step tips that will ensure you learn everything you need to know about the basics of perspective.
10. The Skillful Huntsman: Visual Development of a Grimm Tale at Art Center College of Design
Pros:
- Beautiful visuals
- A well-told Grimm tale
- Well-written
- Shares the work of 3 artists
- Contains detailed background research
- Suitable for anyone interested in becoming a concept artist
- Discusses techniques for character design
Cons:
- Have multiple printing errors
- Doesn't offer very comprehensive information
This unique graphic novel-style book is a must-have for anyone familiar with the Grimm Brothers fairy tales. It was first published in France in 2007 and has since been translated into several languages. The story is told in a graphic novel format in this retelling, from the first to the last page.
11. Designing Creatures and Characters: How to Build an Artist's Portfolio
Pros:
- Covers a variety of techniques
- Broken down into easy to follow chapters
- Teaches character and creature designs
- Easy to use format and instructions
- Teaches you the basics of illustration
- Great for artists at all experience levels
- Can be used as a reference manual
Cons:
- The title is a bit misleading
- Could be more detailed
The variety in this book is incredible, as it covers everything from category to weapons to monsters. It introduces you to characters differently and allows you to create your own unique personal pieces. Each chapter is broken down in a way that allows you to follow along with the author.
Conclusion
We recommend these books for adults that want to foster a lifelong interest in drawing. Through the use of fun and engaging lessons, you'll learn everything from how to put perspective in your drawings to how to draw a variety of stunning creatures. The books discussed above will help you build an impressive skill set, no matter your age, but it's especially suited for adults.
We're confident that you'll read these books cover-to-cover, all the way through to the final chapters, where the lessons are revealed. They all are pretty well-written in a friendly way, and you won't want to put it down—a great read for anyone interested in trying their hand at drawing.
Our Recommendation
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Light for Visual Artists: Understanding & Using Light in Art & Design | Best Overall | |
| Perspective Made Easy | Budget Pick | |
| Figure Drawing | Upgrade Pick | |