Recommended Reading
By Kelly | January 30, 2010
You really can’t learn everything you need to know about art or animation from internet tutorials. Here I’ve gathered a list of books that may help you in your quest for better art. These are the books in my library that I refer to again and again.
Purchasing the books from these links will support this site through our Amazon.com affiliation, at no extra cost to you. You should also check your local library or bookstore, where you may be able to peruse them for free.
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by Lindsay Cibos and Jared Hodges Known for their manga-style illustrations and comics, Lindsay and Jared have teamed up again for this book aimed at aspiring furry artists. This is the definitive furry art book available – chock full of diagrams and full-color illustrations, with clear instructions for beginning and intermediate artists. They even have a section dedicated to bird anthros! The art is done in a mostly anime/manga style, which may discourage some. You’ll also have to look elsewhere for more detailed tips on human anatomy – check further down the list for book recommendations. Still, if you’re looking for furry art books, I recommend you start here. |
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by James Gurney Award-winning artist and author of “Dinotopia” James Gurney has again put pen to paper to give us insight into his techniques. Followers of his blog Gurney Journey will find similar material in this book. You’ll see the behind-the-scenes details of Gurney’s work- his sketches, studies, miniatures and models. Gurney is strongly influenced by the masters of painting and illustration, and relies heavily on traditional techniques. This is not an in-depth study of any particular method, but rather a sample of problem-solving tricks and approaches to different kinds of illustrations. Great inspiration and reference for intermediate to advanced artists. |
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My new favorite animal drawing book! This is, in fact, the best guide to drawing animals I’ve yet seen. Includes some great advice on pose, construction, technique and anatomy of a wide variety of animals. Good balance of helpful text and illustrative sketches. Artists looking for more detailed animal anatomy will have to do further research, but this is the place to start. |
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This book, cleverly disguised as a dull grayscale exploration of landscape drawing, is in fact an awesome resource for the fundamentals of composition, value and form. Hamm’s text is clear and concise with plenty of diagrams. Great for building or returning to foundation skills. For best results, study the text and do the suggested excercises, and return occassionally to brush up your knowledge. Hamm’s “Still Life Drawing and Painting” is also a great fundementals resource, but is unfortunately out of print. |
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All-in-one resource for animators. Contains all the basics with descriptive text, lots of nice sketches and diagrams, up to more advanced technical info. Not just for animators- if you’re troubled by stiff or awkward poses this book can really help. |
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The style is dated, but this book covers everything from basic construction, to the details of the eyes and hair. There’s even a section near the end for drawing realistic clothing! Lots of diagrams and sketches, in a variety of techniques- so if one method doesn’t click with you, there’s usually another way to try. This is a nice tangible alternative to the out-of-print Andrew Loomis books. |
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I often refer to this book when I have trouble or need some reference. Includes basic info on line, weight, stretch and sag, composition, tension, and caricature. The fantastic section on horses is reason enough to get this book. The only thing it lacks is info on more obscure species. However, you can apply these techniques to almost any animal. Although now I prefer the Weatherly book as a more complete reference for animal drawing, this old standby has solid info and is well worth the price. |
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You’ll likely find a copy of this text in every animator’s library. It’s full of great advice for cartoonists and animators, most of which is conveyed in illustration with some textual notes. The first half deals with cartooning techniques- building and rotating figures and heads, facial expressions, and the like. The last half focuses on animation, with rough sketch examples and different movement cycles. There are several partial editions, so be sure you get the complete text. |
Some other excellent books:
Find used/out of print/obscure books:
half.com
Bud Plant Books
Stuart Ng Books
Topics: Resources | 17 Comments »
December 18th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Another great anthro drawing book is Beginners Guide to Drawing Furry Art by Steve Corbett.
October 24th, 2009 at 7:10 am
This is the second entry I read tonight. And I am on my third. Got to think which one is next. Thank you.
June 7th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
hm well um the only book i heard of was furry fever but i dont kno about
June 7th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
i need a book that show more than this that can help show me how to draw furries?
May 9th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Have you heard of the book “Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery?”
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:36 am
is there also a book for drawing anthro’s?
May 9th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
i agree that freaks is another really good book it shows you a little of everything you need to know =^w^=