5 Books That Will Give You An Art School Education

1. Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon

A fantastic short book with a lot of pictures (for those of you that love picture books). It's a very easy and quick read, but is packed with valuable info.

Here are a couple insights that I found valuable:

• It’s okay to imitate other creatives

• Don’t worry about being original, just get started

• Procrastination can be productive for creatives

2. Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon

Another great short book in the style of Steal Like An Artist. This time Austin writes about how you need to share your work to the public and start building an audience even if you aren't the best of the best.

Here are a couple insights that I found valuable:

• Share your thoughts, process, and creations online

• You don’t have to be an expert to share your thoughts and creations.

• By sharing in the open, you also attract an audience.

3. Creativity For Graphic Designers by Mark Oldach

If you're a designer then this book is perfect for developing your creative muscle. It's a pretty dense read but is a must for developing creativity as a designer or creative in general.

Here are a couple insights that I found valuable:

• Dealing with clients and still being creative

• How to brainstorm and ideate

• Brining an idea to the finish line through execution

4. The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp

Honestly, if you read one book from this list it should be this one. I read this one in a creative class in college and it totally changed me as a creative. There are dozens of exercises in here that will directly help build your creativity. Twyla also speaks from her experience as a professional choreographer and how she uses these methods to build experiences from nothing.

Here are a couple insights that I found valuable:

• Creating rituals at the beginning of the creative process

• Dozens of exercises to train creativity

• Creative 'scratching'

5. Meggs History of Graphic Design by Philip Meggs & Alston Purvis

This is a classic art history book that is required reading during art history classes in an art school. It's a massive book full of the story of art from 25,000 BCE to current day and all of the artists in between. This is a must have book for inspiration and knowing your history. Knowing the history of your industry is one of the most important pieces of knowledge you can have.

Here are a couple insights that I found valuable:

• Iconic book of comprehensive history of graphic design

• A must have for any visual creator

• Great inspiration throughout history dating back to ancient art and design

I hope you enjoy these book recommendations! These will fundamentally change you as a creative, creator, designer, writer, etc.

If you enjoyed this, I think you would enjoy this video I created on my Youtube channel about 5 great design tools you can use.

Thanks!

-Bradley