(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best art history & criticism books

Hey! I graduated from IB in 2007 and did standard and higher level art, got a 6 out of 7 (I slacked a bit towards the end, senioritis). I then went on to do a 4 year Illustration program and graduated with a BFA. I hope you go down a similar path, art is very fulfilling and you seem to have some passion. Don't feel discouraged if your work doesn't yet match your ideas, you need to crank out tons of studies and eventually you'll feel yourself improving in leaps and bounds.

What IB really wants to see from you is a consistent theme. You've got a lot of experimentation in different media which is great, but I recommend you get some inspiration from art history. Just straight up copy old masters, if you see an old painting that you enjoy try to duplicate it and you'll understand it in a way you could never imagine. Try you hand at things like chalk pastels (Nu Pastel is a good brand), charcoal, watercolor, maybe even some oil paint. Avoid using small scratchy lines all the time, try flipping charcoal on its side and making broad strokes or get some powdered graphite and apply with a brush. A quote I try to live by: "Big artists use big brushes."

Find one or two types of media that really appeal to you and run with it, struggle with it, learn from it, study it, become bored with it, master it. I did digital painting for the most part which was sort of cutting-edge at the time and scored me some originality points and still to this day I work in that style.

Contemplate what you think is an interesting theme to make a series of artworks about, go to a local art gallery or museum and see how other artists approach themes. Get inspiration everywhere and write it down, lyrics in songs, things on the news, ideas in the shower. I did 'Creation / Destruction' as my theme and focused on the duality of the two through mythical stories of gods, warfare, self esteem and perception, yatta yatta. You're in high school, remember that this is a good time to just noodle around, try crazy shit, don't worry about being judged for failing, failure makes you better because you learn what not to do. And originality isn't the most important thing, imitate the art you love and once you feel you understand it you can tweak it.

Here's the biggest secrets I never knew in high school. Artworks are broken down into a few essential components, if you keep these concepts in mind you'll do much better.

1. Color is composed of a few parts - value (lightness and darkness), hue (red, green, blue, etc.), temperature (cool or warm), and saturation (how gray the color is). You can have a dark, cool, desaturated red or you could have a dark, warm, saturated red. When you're trying to paint skintones or landscapes, ask yourself - how dark is this color? What hue is this color? Is it cool or warm? Is it gray or saturated?
   
   
2. Take your artwork into photoshop or any editing program and turn it to grayscale or desaturate it. If your art works in black and white, you can apply any color on top of it and it will still work. This is why the art of people like Andy Warhol works, even though the hue is crazy out of control nonsense, the value (lightness and darkness) matches so your eye can read it properly.
   
   
3. When you are drawing from observation, squint to see value and open your eyes to see color. Squinting helps so much, it fuzzes out your vision and will remove a lot of unnecessary detail. When you squint you will only see the most important forms, the lightest and darkest areas.
   
   
4. Reflected light is important for creating realism. When light hits a surface, it bounces off and casts light on the sides of other objects. A sphere, for example, will have a bit of light in the shadow area because it bounces off the table and hits the bottom part. Keep an eye out for this, do studies of things on your desk and learn how light works in reality.
   
   
5. Never center anything. View objects on the page inside of 'envelopes' that encompass their widest points and move these around abstractly. Don't line up the tops or bottoms, keep them uneven, keep the shapes significantly different. I was taught that people usually cannot perceive a change in size unless it's at least twice as big or small. Try to have one center of interest and a couple areas of lesser interest. View your composition as a dart target where the bullseye is the most interesting part and the outer radiating circles are increasingly less important. You should view your center of interest like a shiny jewel. If you surround it in other shinier stuff it won't be as impressive because it won't pop out. But if you put it in a nice velvet box with a subdued but gorgeous color suddenly that gem seems very beautiful.
   
   
6. Few things are ever fully black or fully white. When you are observing a black object, ask yourself if you can imagine a black that's darker than what you're looking at. If 0 is black and 10 is white, a 1 is a very natural darkness. A 9 would work in the brightest highlight on the object. Most objects are a middle tone between 3-7 including skin. Black and white are also boring, instead of black try a super dark color. Instead of white try a really bright hue. Think mostly about temperature, do I want a warm feeling or a cool feeling?
   
   
7. Most objects have a warm-cool relationship when hit by light. Go outside and look at a rock. If it's cool, overcast day, you might notice the light is cool and the shadow is warmer. Not way warmer, but maybe it's a more reddish purple instead of blue. Or go outside when the sun is low and check out how warm the light is. Orangey red tones on everything, but look at the shadows and you'll see beautiful cool blues and purples.
   
   The books I'd recommend are:
   
   The Story of Painting
   
   Imaginative Realism
   
   Everything by Andrew Loomis (Free!)
   
   Classical Painting Atelier
   
   View these websites:
   
   http://www.linesandcolors.com/
   
   http://www.googleartproject.com/
   
   http://gregnewbold.blogspot.com/
   
   http://beardedroman.com/
   
   http://www.artrenewal.org/
   
   Good luck! My website is www.caycegoldberg.com so feel free to contact me if you want critiques or advice or whatever. And don't let the stress of IB take you down, stick through it. It's a tremendous struggle but it gives you a huge leg up on life, you'll appreciate it forever.

Since you don't say whether you want to learn how to operate a camera or the field of photography in general and what interests you in photography in particular this is quite a stab in the dark but here are a few suggestions of books I keep coming back to or hold important.

This assumes that you have a basic understanding on how to operate a camera. If you don't, read your camera manual or something like Adam's The Camera and .


Technical advice

• Light, Science and Magic - the best theoretical book there is about understanding how light behaves and how to work with it. Its exercises are quite focused on artificial light and if you are just getting into photography it won't be easy but at the end of it you will know how to work with light artificial or natural and get to your vision or have a better understanding of other people's work.
  
• Studio Anywhere - this is not the most technical book per se (far from it) and the images are not to my taste but what it lacks in pure knowledge it makes up for with motivating you to take images no matter how little you own. This was a fun (if a bit too quick) read and is a good book to jump into when Light, Science and Magic feels like you are a profoto pack and 3 Chimera modifiers short of what you are trying to do.
  
  Theory/Motivational advice
  
  
• The Ongoing Moment by Geoff Dyer - Great book about the history of American photography, its origin and how it flourished. This book is really easy to read and a very good way to start gaining some theoretical knowledge about the wide field of photography.
  
• Understanding a photograph by John Berger - Great collection of essays from one of the greatest art theorist and a fervent believer in photography as a medium pieced together by Geoff Dyer. Super engaging reads on a variety of topics and styles.
  
• Ways of Seeing by John Berger - An absolute must read in my opinion, not focused solely on photography but in the arts in general. The BBC series is also a great watch and its content is still as relevant today as it was when it came out.
  
• On Photography by Susan Sontag - A very important book, if not the most important when it comes to identifying the role of photography in our world. Personally found it quite hard to read but when it finally hit home it was with great impact.

I have some experience with webcomics. I write and draw Miamaska, which has been going on for 2+years, and I'm about to start my second comic next month.

General advice for web comickers!

(or: How I learned things the hard way and eventually stumbled into a good system)

• Always have a buffer. Always update on time. Be dependable, your readers won't invest in your story if you seem flaky.
  
  
• Don't do video/audio or fullpage ads. New readers will close your tab out of annoyance, and those that stay will be extremely peeved when trying to read a chapter all at once.
  
  
• Set up donation incentives. Wallpapers, progress art for the next update, bonus page when a certain amount is reached, bonus mini-comic, etc!
  
  
• Interact with readers! Put up a comment box, do twitter and tumblr, do request drawings. It's fun, a confidence boost, and a good way to build a fan base.
  
  Regarding dialogue and pacing... what I tend to do is thumbnail an entire scene (3-15 pages for me) first and read through it a few times. I'll leave mini-cliffhangers at the end of each page (like a question, or a realization, or a character entering the scene). During this little review process, I'll also make sure the view for the reader doesn't violate the 180 rule too much, that it's obvious which bubble should be read next, and where the reader is going to look first.
  
  I don't have any experience in the print form of comics yet. So no advice there. Just make sure your comics are in print resolution as well (300+ DPI), or you'll be sorry later.
  
  Resource time
  
  I didn't have many resources starting out, but I'm gonna recommend these for you and anyone else interested:
  
  PaperWings Podcast -- podcast and blog on web comic-making (ongoing, good community, regular but sparse updates, good backlog). Has even more resources on its website.
  
  Art and Story -- podcast on print +web comic-making and the comic industry (ended, but a great backlog).
  
  Understanding Comics, Reinventing Comics, and Making Comics by cartoonist Scott McCloud, worth a read for any comicker. A little more geared towards print, but breaks down comic theory really nicely.
  
  Comics and Sequential Art, Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative, Expressive Anatomy for Comics and Narrative, by Will Eisner.
  
  Those books are pretty popular, so you can probably pick them up from the library or find them on the web somewhere.

Obligatory Ira Glass quote if you haven't seen it

I'm gonna keep this as short as possible, but I know your struggle. In all likelihood if you're like me you have this spark or inspiration inside of you. But it's like being an infant that can't talk. It's frustrating because you want to create this vision of a beautiful piece of work that's in your head, but you feel like you don't how to proceed. You have to keep that spark alive, but also realize you may not have the skills or experience to actualize it. That's completely ok.

My biggest piece of advice is to let go of perfection. Look to your favorite artists for inspiration, but try to not to compare. What you hear from them is hours and hours of experience and it's unfair to compare yourself to that. I've been down that road, it leads to nothing but anxiety and procrastination. Instead here's what you should focus on. Just finish everything you start. No matter how shitty or imperfect. Let go of the idea of writing something good and just practice creating.

Also here's a book that you might like Also this one is pretty good too Though I'd recommend the mastering creative anxiety book first, it gives little lessons in the form of short stories and is more light hearted. Art and Fear gets a bit heavy at some points.

No problem! I have no experience with the UK industry but I can't imagine it's too different:

• My degree was a necessity. Job/intern experience was preferred and mine definitely helped my application, but since I started at an entry level gallery job (as a curatorial assistant) it was the degree that was the most important thing.
  
  
• There's not a huge market, honestly, in terms of simple availability - there are plenty of art galleries, sure, but there are way more people trying to get jobs in them. I'm not working in my specific field of interest, but I can't really be picky at this early stage of my career. It also depends what you want to go into: curating, conservation, acquisitions, education, exhibition design, fundraising, research, auction houses, consultation... art history as a degree opens so many more doors than people first realize, I think. Some of these fields are a lot more specialized than others.
  
  
• Books in general: my favourite is probably the Art in Theory three-part series. For AH as an academic discipline, you really can't go past it. I also really like Berger's Ways of Seeing, which is a really important text for analyzing artworks. For an overview of the art itself, Gombrich's The Story of Art is a good bet. The Getty's Guide to Imagery series is also fascinating (and very wide-ranging).
  
  
• Resources: subscriptions to JSTOR, ABM (Art Bibliographies Modern), ProQuest, and Grove Art / Oxford Art Online will be your best friends. If you're at uni, you should have access through your school. I'm also a huge fan of Trove (it's an Australian resource but there should be a comparable English one) which allows you to search for resources by subject/keyword and then tells you where said resources are located (both digitally and hard copy).
  
  Hope that helped a bit!

I suggest hopping right onto two illustrated books!

"Philosophy for beginners" (By Richard Osborne)
https://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Beginners-Richard-Osborne/dp/1934389021/ref=sr_1_2/138-6850700-4480729

&

"Introduction to postmodernism" (By Appignanesi & Garrat)
https://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Postmodernism-Graphic-Richard-Appignanesi/dp/1840468491

I recommend these books to anyone that can read.

These are more like comic books as the books basically rely on illustrations and puzzling/overly clever/humourous commentary, with not so much text in the traditional sense (there aren't, iirc, whole pages of text), and great fun to read through. The book about postmodernism is a real head scratcher, a decent challenge to anyone enjoying Twin Peaks I think. :)

If I could add something to this, then I would also suggest getting a dictionary and an etymological dictionary (or use the free website Merriam Webster Dictionary on the web, to look up English words whenever you need to, or feel like refreshing your knowledge about words, or just for spell checking). The 'etymology' of a word hints at a deeper meaning with words. The antithesis to proper use of words, are imo 'synonyms'. Also, maybe don't use words like "absolutely" if you don't what you mean by it, as you may be thought as being disingenuous and dishonest (as if relying on ironic distance to try add positive spin with a statement that is basically meaningless), as if you were allowed to make two points with a particular statement at the same time, essentially making a point about making a point about something. Red card! As if saying "I absolutely love your idea", when you maybe mean something like "I love your idea because it is a good idea for me to sound like I love your idea."

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disingenuous
Oddly enough, this one particular entry in the dictionary, does not seem to have a section for 'etymology'. :D

Basically, don't forget that understanding the language one speak is important for understanding meaning in general as a cultural thing (the world you actually live in). So one is challenged to relate to problems like "meaning" and "knowledge". In our post modern world, it is sort of shown that one can always doubt true knowledge, because knowledge isn't what you could otherwise be tempted to want to think of as being 'apriori' knowledge.

And then, I guess you could also watch the movie "Hero" (2002).

(Sorry to be slow to respond; I just got back from work.)

Thanks for your long, thoughtful comment.

My critique of the painting grows out of the long history of paintings like this and how they were used. There's a ton of writing on paintings like this -- just as there were a TON of paintings like this -- which were hung in men's bedrooms/private spaces. Such paintings might now seem pretty tame but at the time they were not. According to art historians, they were painted precisely to help with male desire. (See, for example, T. J. Clark's The Painting of Modern Life, about painting in Paris in the 19th century; the book shows page after page of paintings just like the The Massage and discusses their "uses." Another commenter here mentioned John Berger's Ways of Seeing (book or video. Or watch Hannah Gadsby's amazing Nanette on Netflix.)

But even through they seem pretty tame now, such paintings still feed attitudes about women. And the attitude toward women this painting presents is all in-line (for me) with what we are seeing now in the Kavanaugh hearings, for example: The attitude toward women of this painting, like the apparent attitude of Kavanaugh and the other "Renate Alumni" guys, is that women exist for men. Women are supposed to be passive objects for male desire.

Compare this painting to Manet's Olympia, for example, which also shows a white woman and a subservient black woman. The white woman looks directly at viewers, meeting their eyes, making it hard to think of her as just an object to look at; in the painting we discuss here, by Debat-Ponsan, the white woman's face isn't even shown. Both paintings put women of color in secondary, passive positions.

One painting alone is not going to teach men to believe that women are passive objects. But it is precisely because there are THOUSANDS of paintings like this, shown over and over and in different places, that they can teach attitudes I think we don't want to have toward each other.

So I clearly disagree with you that this painting and the current male-dominated-political drama have nothing to do with each other. This painting, as part of a long tradition of representations of women in art and film, has a large part to play in how men learn to think women are their playthings.

I think a lot of people will disagree with me, but the classic How to Draw Manga series is great for getting started on drawing full body characters even if you don't want to draw in the manga style.

Another big book that people bring up on a regular basis is Dodson's Keys to Drawing. I have it, but I can honestly no longer remember how much of a direct effect it had on me. I do know that my community art instructor referenced it heavily during my first year of classes. So the ideas it presents may actually have been a bigger part of my development than I remember.

My biggest advice though would be to try a little bit of everything: watch drawing youtube videos, read articles on drawing. Follow your favorite artists on social media. Google drawing tutorials.

Do studies of other people's work (draw from their drawings). The important thing is to never post these studies as your own work (for obvious ethical reasons). Dodson's book does talk about how to do this and what to expect to come out of it.

Finally, I highly highly recommend exploring the drawing and art sections of your local library if available. A lot of drawing books are good for one read through and then they don't even have much benefit as references. If you are going to buy, buy as many of the books used as possible. These things are super expensive and many of them are mandatory purchases for art students, who then resell them when the class is over. So there are a lot of them on the used market.

They aren't Orthodox theologians, but:

• Christianity: The First 3000 Years - can't beat this for an academic, accessible, comprehensive, and fair point of view of every corner of the Christian world in history. Literally every corner. You can skip chapters/parts that don't apply to Orthodoxy if you wish.
  
  
• A Short History of Byzantium -
  focuses more on the Byzantine Empire and so leaves out a lot of stuff, but it does cover the Ecumenical Councils and a lot of Orthodox history. There is also a harder-to-find 3 part trilogy of this abridged book.
  
  Orthodox Writings:
  
  
• Bishop Ware's The Orthodox Church has an overview, but it's pretty light.
  
  
• Orthodox Alaska provides a historical look at the history of Orthodoxy in Alaska, which is pretty great (and super interesting).
  
  There are probably not many good histories of the Church by Orthodox theologians, to be honest.
  
  

INVESTIGATING...

1. With newbies, I make it ultra obvious until they get used to looking around. First I make sure to be clear in my descriptions. I also really push passive perception. I will share that they notice things around them. Whatever makes sense in context that might give an indication they should look around more closely. If that doesn't get them biting them I simply ask "Do you want to look around more carefully?" Then if they say yes I ask them to roll an investigation check. Newbies frequently need to be given more obvious prompts until they get used to operating more independently.
   
2. If they are veteran players I usually don't have to do the above. I let them make their choices but I make sure I am really clearly describing the area.
   
   MAPS...
   
   
3. I do not rely heavily on actual maps unless there is a tactical reason they need one. I use Theater of the Mind. As long as I am describing things well, it can actually enhance play since everyone has a clear picture in their head of a 3 dimensional space instead of a flat map.
   
4. I rarely ever draw a map while in game. It takes too much time. When I do need a map, if the space is complicated enough that I actually feel the players need a map, then I need time to draw it accurately anyway. If the space is something like a 20x20 room with nothing in it but the PCs and the bad guys then I don't usually need a map.
   
5. I also hate spending hours and hours on maps when my players may never even go to the whatever I am mapping. Therefore I use a hybrid of things to provide a map when it is necessary, but almost always prepped ahead of time.I don't always draw the map, though. I sometimes rely on other resources. Examples below:
   
   

• I sometimes use these: https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Tactical-Reincarnated-Accessory/dp/0786966793/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=grids+dnd&qid=1571626033&sr=8-6
  
• and these https://www.amazon.com/DUNGEON-TILES-REINCARNATED-WILDERNESS/dp/0786966319/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=grids+dnd&qid=1571626069&sr=8-11 upon occasion.
  
• I also bought this and use this for larger maps. I create them then save them for reuse/retasking later. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RGYL979/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I only buy it when it is on sale.
  
• I do have erasable battle grids but I ended up rarely using them. If I am putting in the effort to create the map I would like it to be in a format for reuse/retasking later on. And what if the players come back through the area? Having to draw the thing again seems a waste of energy. That's just my preference.
  
• There are also generic maps available for all kinds of settings for very little cost on the Dungeon Master's Guild website. Tons of options. Many look quite professional. Sometimes I use those if they fit with my needs. Example selected at random: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/190205/A-Dozen-Maps
  
• Along with the above, frequently there are really nice looking maps available for specific official modules. I don't believe there are any for Dragon of Ice Spire peak but I know there are many offerings for other modules. Some are really, really good.

Spike knives are great to practice knifemaking on. They will be decorative however since, as you pointed out, they do not contain enough carbon to heat treat or keep an edge. But do work with them; it's free steel and you can practice how to go about profiling a knife on them.

As far as hammers go, I have known accomplished smiths who are happy with the hammer they picked up at a flea market. I've also known those who have made their own, or those that have bought from Centaur Forge or from other smiths.

It seems everyone has their own idea of what works for them. Quality of steel, balance, and ergonomics are obviously the main priorities, but the rest is up to you.
At this stage, just use what's economical until you start refining your smithing style.

Pick up The Backyard Blacksmith and The $50 Knife Shop. If you've got time, I would also invest in The Art of Blacksmithing, mainly for it's ideas on projects and moving metal.

As for your forge questions, I'm not sure what the best answer is as I primarily work with coal and only occasionally work with gas. The gas forges I use are pretty big, so I don't have experience in your model. Maybe try to stick a RR spike in there, close the doors, and see how it does? You can make small knives for now until you figure out the direction you want to take. Hope this all helped, good luck!

Oh man! There's a bunch of options, depending on your goals.

If you want to get started simply and quickly, work through Loomis' Fun with a Pencil (the pdf is still free online, but might be gone soon as the books go back into print). If you enjoy that, the other Loomis books are excellent as well.

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is a classic that, from what I understand, teaches you how to see things like an artist and draw accurately.

When you start out and find yourself overwhelmed by doubt about your work, read Art & Fear. When you finish that, work your way through the rest of this list (I'm doing the same right now).

Best of luck! And keep drawing :)

Honestly the best way to draw great Manga styled artwork is to improve your skills overall; start from the drawing basics and build yourself up. When you have the basics down, then you can start to explore different art styles. That said, as for learning a particular style, one of the best ways is to just practice (and I mean PRACTICE, as much and often as possible) by copying what you like - make sure to pick your favorite pages from manga and figure why they work for you aesthetically.

A good series of books for learning a bit more about the process is the How To Draw Manga series, which have been around for a long time now and were authored by various Japanese Mangaka. One that was interesting was Volume 2; the volume was about traditional techniques with toning (among other things).

• Mastering Composition
  
• Composition
  
• Picture This
  
  I didn't see any sites that particularly stood out to me, but a lot had good info. Some are simple and some have complex geometric breakdowns. Find what you like and works for you. I personally don't like the complex geometry approach, I have a short attention span and I would never spend the time planning a piece to that point, especially when I can get the same look with a simpler approach. Rule of thirds is the rule I fall back on the most, it never steers me wrong. Based on the two images you posted you have good instincts, don't get overwhelmed by all the rules and theories about composition. In the end, do what you think looks best. The more pieces you create the more you will develop your eye. Also, it is great that you are open to constructive criticism, some artists get so butt hurt that they cannot learn anything.

Great work. It's a really wonderful, beautiful map.

Can I use this to vent for a moment and maybe I am looking in the wrong spots and maybe a fine person in this subreddit can help but the biggest trouble I find is finding generic ass battle maps for use in roll20. I google for maps and, just google battlemaps yourself and they are all pretty bad. But then I find one I like... and it costs like $5. I can't shell out $5 every time I need a map for roll20. That's going to add up. I've used tools to build my own maps but it can take upwards of 2-3 hours for me to build out a pretty shitty looking map. I mean, you know how long it takes I am sure since you built this quality map that I will never use.

These maps are great for people who have the time to build an encounter around the map but I do the opposite since I run modules. I can find nice digital versions of the maps used in the modules but they never provide, for example, "A forest map." for combat in a forest. Or "Bridge Map." Or "mountain pass map." I am basically looking for the digital equivalent to something like these.

Spending a little money on a nice collection of digital maps is perfectly reasonable to me but all the maps I see on this subreddit or online are way, way, way to specific and I just want a nice collection of nice looking generic battle mats.

My dad is the one who put the idea in my head and after some research I'm inclined to agree with them. He no longer works in the field but up until recently he did and also taught geophysics.

I think you may have misinterpreted what I said. I know that scientists agree that global warming is manmade. And I absolutely agree with them. What I'm saying is that human activities have exacerbated a process that the earth goes through periodically (I don't think we'd be having "global warming" right now if it weren't for human activity) and is causing it to happen very rapidly. That certainly isn't a dismissal of what is happening nor what the implications are. There's even a body of research that supports these ideas. I just disagree with the idea that people get in their heads that the earth is unchanging and let it color their view of what actually is happening right now. I would suggest picking up the book The Little Ice Age by Brian Fagan if you would like to read a nonfiction novel on the subject of climate change in human history and its human and geothermal causes...it's a great read.

Thank you! I really appreciate the offer. Academics often don't have anyone to edit them for things like grammar, wording, etc. and it definitely shows. Glad I could teach you about something new! If you're interested in reading a popular science book on a similar topic, you could try reading something by Brian Fagan like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-The-Tattoo-R-Klanten/dp/3899554426/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398737634&sr=8-1&keywords=tattoo+gestalten

http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Criminal-Tattoo-Encyclopaedia-Volume/dp/0955862078/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1V5WZKHAXJRCDY01GV56

Milton Zeis, tattooing as you like it (Yellow Beak Press) is great but hard to find. Yellow Beak has a couple other cool books but I think mostly out of print.

In my experience the best books are small-run publications put out by individual artists. For example, State of Grace shop puts out a lot of cool books that you wont find on amazon or in stores : https://www.stateofgracetattoo.com/product/

For a first painting this is good, to get a better likeness pay attention to proportion. Check and recheck the eyes, nose and lips, if you get the relationship(measurements) between them right the rest of the picture falls into place. If you really want to improve check out these books, they'll give you some great pointers:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lessons-Classical-Drawing-Juliette-Aristides/dp/082300659X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346328001&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Classical-Painting-Atelier-Contemporary-Traditional/dp/0823006581/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1346328001&sr=8-3

Good luck and keep at it :-)

i don't recall any book that cover exaggerated anatomy....i don't read too much book sorry..... one that was fun to read was https://www.amazon.com/dp/4889960422/ref=sr_1_31?__mk_pt_BR=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=how+draw+manga&qid=1572536562&s=books&sr=1-31 but that actually cover more how to draw manga than anatomy....

in the beginning is hard to grasp the shape correctly, try not focus model in orthographic planes...is better use more the perspective plane to get the volume more correclty... other good tip is use the silhouette mode to see the true shape of object ... sometimes the sulpture look good but something look odd because the base shape is odd..... and more detail you put in it makes hard to see .... if that make any sence.... lol

Something like this that they did for LoZ BotW would be sweet to have along the way, more like you were saying with concert art, interviews with the creators, storyboards, side stories, behind the scenes, world building, lore, history, mythology, and the like. Then after the show is done, a thick compilation of those books together would be amazing! Kinda like the Goddess Collection for LoZ, lore and history and plot and making of, art and artifacts, everything else you could’ve ever dreamed of

Glad you mentioned that MGS 2 analysis, totally wanted to bring it up myself having read it recently. That same site's MGS 4 analysis could be worth a read too. While by no means the only games to inspire interesting analysis, MGS 2 and MGS 4 in particular have inspired some interesting writings because various people felt that those games' stories were (if you were paying attention) clearly antagonistic towards the player's expectations.

"Killing is Harmless", an ebook entirely about Spec Ops: The Line, could also be worthy of consideration.

I recommend buying her Making Comics by Scott McCloud as well as Understanding Comics as these two books are an extremely valuable asset for anyone who wants to pursue making comics. He does not go into the national Japanese comics drawing style, but he does go into detail about the story-telling techniques used by Japanese artists, which is much more important (IMO) than Big Eyes Small Mouth. Making Comics also will teach her some very important lessons about character building and world creation that she should learn as early as possible so as to not have to break any negative habits.
However, if she's not interested in the full process of making comics, and just wants to draw, and you're dead set on buying her a Manga Drawing book, make sure it's by a Japanese artist, I recommend this one. These artists have grown up surrounded by this style instead of discovering it later in life like an American would, and therefore adding American influence to the style, further diluting what the Japanese have worked hundreds of years to create. Also, if you are going to buy her a Manga drawing book, please also buy her a figure drawing book to help her set herself apart from all the lookalikes online. This is also very important if she wishes to attend art school or major in art, as every single professor will tell her to "Stop drawing that anime stuff, and focus on observational drawing."

EDIT: Formatting.

I'm a blacksmith and I'm going to restate what biggguy said. Your best bet of finding one of us is at a living history museum (such as the Mystic Seaport Museum, where I apprenticed) or at a renaissance festival or something similar. We're really eager to explain our trade to anyone who's interested, so questions will be received quite well. And depending on where you go, the smith may let you do something really basic like make a hook.

Doing it at night is conceivable, but I will prepare you for something kinda sad. It can be expensive to get into. Lessons are particularly pricey. And getting your hands on an anvil, tongs, hammers, vise, chisels, etc., and most importantly a forge and fuel, can be quite costly depending on how you go about it. That being said I purchased my own smithing equipment a year ago and can say that it is a very rewarding hobby, and an art to itself. You learn so much about the modern and the ancient world in the act of smithing. Also, The Art of Blacksmithing is, in my opinion, a necessity.

I hope I helped you a bit. If you have any questions, just ask.

Does he enjoy Zelda? Then I highly recommend these two books (unless he already bought them):

https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Zelda-Art-Artifacts/dp/1506703356/

https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Zelda-Hyrule-Historia/dp/1616550414/

Both hardcovers, one gives a detailed history/timeline of most of the Zelda games. The other covers rare artwork of the Zelda series. Any Nintendo or Zelda fan would love these!! The ultimate gift!

• Planeswalker's Guide to Kaladesh
  
• The Art of Magic: the Gathering - Zendikar
  
• The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Kaladesh (Releases January 3, 2017)
  
  There are other nuggets of worldbuilding in the Kaladesh block stories (KLD, AER) and Battle for Zendikar block stories (BFZ, OGW), as well as flavor texts from the blocks and small stuff like the Consulate ARG account but not exactly necessary for D&D if you want to have more creative freedom. Enjoy!

Doesn't seem like you're as interested in getting help with writing as you are in getting help with illustration.

Still, regarding writing, I strongly recommend reading Scott McCloud's two seminal books on comic books: Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics.

I learned as much about comics from reading those two books as I learned about film from reading Story, by Robert McKee.

I.e., my appreciation and understanding of both media forms increased exponentially.

conceptart.org has some good stuff, they make DVDs too. You could probably pirate them, were you a person of low moral fiber.

There are some good books out there too, which you can probably get from the local library. You might need to use interlibrary loan though, my local libraries have a poor selection of art books, but there isn't anything they haven't been able to find at another library.

Color in Contemporary Painting

The Art of Color

Mastering Composition

Abstraction in Art and Nature

The Art Spirit

Some people don't care about theory, but personally I find it inspiring. Art in Theory 1900-1990 is a good collection of writings by artists, critics, and the like. If you're weak on art history you might want to study some of that first, History of Modern Art is pretty good.

just had a look you grind your knives, cool they look beautiful. However if you want to make a Proper knife (an its clear you have the eye to make one and the youth to spend 1-2 years getting your skill up to the very start of profesional sellable level ) learn how to pattern weld, you can build a small forge fairly cheaply from an old oil can, Get that skill an you will never be out of a job once your reputation spreads far enough. http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=24457 http://octavia.net/the-creation-of-a-pattern-welded-blade/
http://owenbush.co.uk/videos/ Good luck from an ex blacksmith, p.s : Oh an buy http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Art-Blacksmithing-Alex-Bealer/dp/0785803955

The two most interesting books I've read on video games have been Tristan Donovan's fascinating history of the medium, "Replay: The History of Video Games". It is a very in-depth history that gets down into a lot of nitty gritty stuff about the birth of video games and stays very in-depth up until about the late 90s when it starts to go big picture. Still a great read.

If you're looking for something that's more of a critical piece, I'd suggest Brendan Keogh's close reading of Spec Ops: The Line, "Killing is Harmless". It's an incredible way to enhance your playthrough of what is already an incredibly emotional game. Keogh breaks down everything from the allusions to literature and film to the significance of scripted events in the game. The only advice I have is if you haven't played the game before and you try and read along as you play the game you do get hit with some spoilers as Keogh assumes you've finished the game when you're reading the book. Still def worth your time though.

Check out the "Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopedia" series. These are fascinating tattoos that tell the stories of the people covered in them, so it's a look at some really nice tattoo work and a view into a rarely seen world. It's a well bound, well art directed book that looks nice on a shelf or a coffee table. There are also other volumes in the series so your friend can add to their collection if they want, or just enjoy the first one.

Here's an Amazon link so you can see cost and cover art:

http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Criminal-Tattoo-Encyclopaedia-I/dp/0955862078/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411775129&sr=8-1&keywords=russian+tattoos

I like my Chessex wet erase, but I am old school that way.

This set provides a nice set of printed maps you can use in a variety of situations https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Tactical-Reincarnated-Accessory/dp/0786966793/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2K4MRCP2E6OJX&keywords=tactical+maps+reincarnated&qid=1562638140&s=gateway&sprefix=tactical+maps+re%2Cprime-instant-video%2C149&sr=8-1

For cheap mini's, there are several companies making flat printable mini's you can stick in bases. The other option would be to head to a LFGS that sells pre-painted singles or buy them online. The more common ones can be pretty cheap. Just be sure that you get some with large (2') bases. Many of the baddies are large sized.

Sweet action, thanks OP!

For anyone interested, here's my usual Nintendo Book recommendations ;).

• Zelda BOTW Collectors
  
  
• Zelda BOTW Regular
  
  
• Art & Artifacts
  
  
• Hyrule Historia
  
  
• Art of Splatoon
  
  
• Art of Fire Emblem Awakening
  
  
• Playing with Power
  
  
• Super Mario Adventures
  
  
• The World of Professor Layton
  
  Would be REAL nice if the Deluxe BOTW guide or the Mario Bros. Encyclopedia would go up right about now as well ;)

I am most familiar with the climate changes of the Medieval Warm Period (ca. AD 800-1200) and the Little Ice Age (ca. 1200-1900). Some great pop science books about those two have been written by Brian Fagan: 1 and 2. For modern climate change, if you are really wanting to get in depth, you can check out the latest IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report. I realise that present-day climate change is an incredibly controversial topic among some sectors, so keep in mind that there are lots of competing viewpoints out there.

Please let me know if you want something less pop science-y about those two past events -- I've got some great textbook and article recommendations too for the specialist.

Well, then I recommend you read this book so that you'll ready for the possible coming apocalypse: The Little Ice Age.

It's a great read. You can follow it up with this: The Long Summer.

I had actually just finished 'The Bell Jar'. It was very interesting and sad. I have conflicted opinions on it.

Just started reading On Ugliness, the complementary book to History Of Beauty. Since I have an attraction to grotesque, I love it. Usually there isn't an actual discussion on ugliness, only as contraditction to beauty, so it's incredibly interesting, imo.

Edit: Oh! also fanfiction.

There are two collections, both, as far as I know, currently out of print, of Tolkien's general artwork, and one specifically of the artwork from The Hobbit. They are, in order of publication:

Pictures by J.R.R Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien; there are two slightly different editions. Both sell for pretty premium prices.

J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator, edited by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull; available in both hardcover and paperback. I don't remember offhand if the two editions differ at all. The paperback is available pretty cheaply, and the hardcover can be got much cheaper than the above book; this also covers more of Tolkien's art than the first book did.

The Art of The Hobbit, edited by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull; currently in print.

In addition, there have been a number of catalogs of exhibits of Tolkien's paintings that have contained a number of his works, and some of the calendars contain his paintings and drawings as well.

Source: I'm staring at all of these while I type. :-)

Thank you! I've been painting for what seems like a long time, but that's all relative, I guess...I'm in my late 20's, to give you an idea. I do have a degree in painting, but something that helped me a ton were these books: 1 and 2. Read those and you're well on your way! :)

I read a great book called Art & Fear.

There's a section where they talk about the teacher of a pottery class. At the beginning of the semester he divides the class in two. Half of the students will be graded on the quality of their work. The other half will be graded on the quantity of their work. I think he actually graded that second group's work by weight.

The crazy thing is, the students who were judged by the sheer volume of the work they produced also happened to produce the highest quality work.

I always thought that was an enlightening story. Great book by the way; short and sweet. Here it is on Amazon.

JJN also has a single-volume history of Byzantium, A Short History of Byzantium, which is easier to find. Being a layman, I can't vouch for its historical accuracy, but it's an easy and enjoyable read.

It's not exactly what you asked, but you would probably really enjoy The Shape of Ancient Thought by Thomas McEvilley. "Spanning thirty years of intensive research, this book proves what many scholars could not explain: that today’s Western world must be considered the product of both Greek and Indian thought—Western and Eastern philosophies. Thomas McEvilley explores how trade, imperialism, and migration currents allowed cultural philosophies to intermingle freely throughout India, Egypt, Greece, and the ancient Near East."

https://www.amazon.com/Shape-Ancient-Thought-Comparative-Philosophies/dp/1581152035

Ways of seeing by John Berger. A great book on visual communication.

How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul by Adrian Shaughnessy. The title says it all.

The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst. My go-to book on typography - covers everything related to typography with beautiful detail.

https://www.amazon.com/Army-Dawn-1942-1943-Liberation-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B000ZMRSGM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1484576145&sr=1-1&keywords=an+army+at+dawn

Rick Atkinson has three excellent WW2 books each one focused on a single US Army campaign

and if you like the Near East this is a must read

https://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Byzantium-Julius-Norwich/dp/0679772693/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1484576209&sr=1-1&keywords=a+short+history+of+byzantium+by+john+julius+norwich

To everyone interested in this thread:

A few years back for a reddit gift exchange, my giftee got me the first book in THIS series - RUSSIAN CRIMINAL TATTOO.

It is really cool and very unique and DEFINITELY worthwhile for anyone who looked through the imgur link and wanted more.

Books or video on composition? I can recommend two books:

I got this from the library and so far I’m enjoying it

Mastering Composition: Techniques and Principles to Dramatically Improve Your Painting (Mastering (North Light Books)) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1581809247/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_39W8Ab8K4X8ZF

This was my textbook for my color and composition class

The Elements of Color: A Treatise on the Color System of Johannes Itten Based on His Book the Art of Color https://www.amazon.com/dp/0442240384/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_teX8AbVYTBXVT

Yeah definitely. Here's the book on Amazon , you can check out the other ones they have (which are a lot). The Existentialism one was great too.

This is super common.

I'm going to paste an extract from a book called Art and Fear:

> The ceramics teacher announced on opening day that he was dividing the class into two groups. All those on the left side of the studio, he said, would be graded solely on the quantity of work they produced, all those on the right solely on its quality. His procedure was simple: on the final day of class he would bring in his bathroom scales and weigh the work of the "quantity" group: fifty pound of pots rated an "A", forty pounds a "B", and so on. Those being graded on "quality", however, needed to produce only one pot -- albeit a perfect one -- to get an "A". Well, came grading time and a curious fact emerged: the works of highest quality were all produced by the group being graded for quantity. It seems that while the "quantity" group was busily churning out piles of work - and learning from their mistakes -- the "quality" group had sat theorizing about perfection, and in the end had little more to show for their efforts than grandiose theories and a pile of dead clay.

TL;DR: Just fucking write.

This pretty much covers it.

(Actually a really great coffee table book.)

I first read A Short History of Byzantium by John Julius Norwich. It is an adaptation of a larger set by the same author, but I felt it was pretty engaging for a primer.

I don't! I remember the Gnome book...this looks equally awesome :)

Pretty fabulous list! I would've tossed in John Berger's Ways of Seeing and some Jung, though. Penrose's Road to Reality has been in my "to read" queue for ages.

If you liked this, you might like Ways Of Seeing by Berger, a classic art criticism text:

http://www.amazon.com/Ways-Seeing-Based-Television-Series/dp/0140135154/

Pretty eye opening to people like me who had never been exposed to the thought processes that go into making art and the formation of different movements in art.

Gotcha. The canvas paper is fine, I would use Liquin by W&N for medium, along with the paint thinner for very thin washes.

This book and the other WG textbooks on classical realism are very good if you want to go in that direction. Might be a good supplement for the ol' college of YouTube.

PS I <3 Bob Ross, he was the man.

Oh, no way! Well, the version I bought earlier today does not have it, but that's ok I guess. Psyched to have two more books to get into. They were my favorite back as a kid, that and the book Gnomes

I bought a few 'How To Draw Manga" books (the Japanese translated ones, not the American or British ones with the same name) years back and 'Volume 1' ("building characters") had a whole section on "head angles" & "head shapes", the body, body types etc. All things figure & character related. If you want to save £££'s though you could do an image search for "Head angle reference", I found a lot of good ones this way a few days ago, along with ones for feet and torso's.


I found the exact book if you're interested, its dirt cheap now!:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Draw-Manga-Compiling-Characters/dp/4889960422

Well you have a few options, if you are starting out fairly new to the bigger world of Tolkien then go for the wonderful books 'The Art of the Hobbit' and 'The Art of the Lord of the Rings' both edited and introduced by Wayne Hammond & Christina Scull. If you are not aware of them they are a very dedicate pair who have worked wonders to expand the world of Middle-earth. Followed by 'Artist and Illustrator' again from Hammond & Scull. You should find those immensely informative and maybe quite a revelation that Tolkien was a superb illustrator.

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Lord-Rings-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0544636341

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0547928254/ref=pd_aw_fbt_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TCC0X4650YGR6KYX2CX4

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0618083618/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498172899&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=artist+and+illustrator

The links are all to Amazon US but you will if you shop around on marketplace or eBay find them cheaper.

The Hobbit and Rings books are both slipcased and are superbly put together.

I just got done reading The Art of Fear for the umpteenth time and every single time it gives me a reason to continue doing what I am doing and to never compare yourself with those around you and realize that every other artist out there has the same anxieties that I do in creating content. It is a wonderful book and I immediately recommend it for artists of all levels.

If you want more fun aesthetics of ugliness reading and think you'd be interested in a super visual take with a heavy focus on classical painting, check out On Ugliness by Umberto Eco

https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Criminal-Tattoo-Encyclopaedia-I/dp/0955862078/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=russian+prison+tattoos&qid=1565314534&s=gateway&sr=8-1

I have all three and they are great to read/flip through. A small part of history I never really gave much thought towards but am glad I found out about. They might be at a library check them out.

I enjoyed John Norwich's three volume series: Byzantium: The Early Centuries, The Apogee, and Decline and Fall. If that is a bit too verbose for your liking, he has also published a Short History of Byzantium which summarises his trilogy.

If you like the art, consider the official [Kaladesh Art Book] (https://www.amazon.com/Art-Magic-Gathering-Kaladesh/dp/1421590506). Also encourages Wizards to continue making them if they sell well.

Do you have a picture book about gnomes???! I found one in a thrift store about 8 years ago and have loved it!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0810909650/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

If you like beautiful art, consider buying the artbooks:

Wild Zendikar: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Magic-Gathering-Zendikar/dp/142158249X/

Gothic Innistrad:
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Magic-Gathering-Innistrad/dp/1421587807/

Steampunk Kaladesh:
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Magic-Gathering-Kaladesh/dp/1421590506/

Your best resource is the resident blacksmith. But here are the books I've taught myself with:
* The Backyard Blacksmith by Lorelei Sims

• The Art of Blacksmithing by Alex Bealer
  
• The Blacksmith's Craft by Charles McRaven
  
• Practical Blacksmithing by M.T. Richardson
  
• Practical Blacksmithing & Metalworking by Percy W. Blandford
  
• A Blacksmithing Primer by Randy McDaniel
  
  I am incredibly jealous of your opportunity, that living history stuff always seems like a blast.

I completely agree.

Also, the BOTW concept art from the upcoming Art & Artifacts book looks like it was based on WW. With those eyes, Link almost looks almost like a grown up WW Link…

I've never watched the BBC series which John Berger's "Ways of Seeing" was based on, though now that I see it's avaiable on YouTube I'll vertainly watch it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnfB-pUm3eI

The book was clear and illuminating. I've re-read it just for the enjoyment of it.

http://www.amazon.com/Ways-Seeing-Based-BBC-Television/dp/0140135154

Ok so I might be really off, but I read a book about gnomes and I think it had something about confusing cats in it. It’s called “gnomes” by Wil Huygen and it more of a book about gnomes in general. It’s a Really large book with great detail. gnomes by Wil Huygen

Let me know if this helps!

Pretty sure you are looking for Gnomes. I have a copy from at least 25 years ago. The copy I have is in English, but I'm sure it was translated to many languages. It's not really a children's book, at least not for American standards, as it has some adult subject matter.

these are pretty cool. https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Tactical-Reincarnated-Accessory/dp/0786966793/ref=pd_sim_14_3/133-6169401-0140663?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0786966793&pd_rd_r=613aa1fe-6124-11e9-bd66-f3c4fc150285&pd_rd_w=De8gs&pd_rd_wg=iVqXd&pf_rd_p=90485860-83e9-4fd9-b838-b28a9b7fda30&pf_rd_r=H6TDT5RM9X9Q37TT87HA&psc=1&refRID=H6TDT5RM9X9Q37TT87HA

also Paizo has a lot of flip maps. and chessex battle mats are good.

Not to derail from this particular discussion, but if you're at all interested in Spec Ops: The Line, check out "Killing is Harmless" by Brendan Keogh. You can find some great excerpts from Google.

https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Harmless-Critical-Reading-Spec-ebook/dp/B00B9P2WP6

Something like The Art of the Lord of the Rings and/or The Art of The Hobbit might be good. Those are fairly large (though thin).

They also make a faux leather "Pocket" The Hobbit and LotR set.

Absolutely.

For those interested in the inter-connections between early Greek and Indian philosophy, I can highly recommend Thomas McEvilley's The Shape of Ancient Thought

[This encyclopedia on Russian Prison tattoos.] (Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia Volume I by Damon Murray et al. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0955862078/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_glfmtb0CY1XDF) I am a little obsessed win Russia and I love tattoos. It's a very niche item.

I've never gotten an opportunity to play a good April fools prank. If I could, I'd probably do something silly, but I don't know what. (I'm not very clever...) probably something like wrap their stuff in goofy wrapping paper or cover their car in plastic wrap. I don't know...

Story or fact about me? Ummmm...I used to hide food in my cheeks when I was little like a chipmunk.

These are really great books! Heres a link to one on post modernism http://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Postmodernism-Graphic-Richard-Appignanesi/dp/1840468491

You could purchase the art book they produced for some inspiration as well. Amazon Link

I bought my copies on Amazon (link to the first volume), but I've also seen copies rarely at indie book stores and comic book shops. Hope this helps!

Ναι αυτό εννοώ. Κρίμα.

Καταλαβαίνω ότι το comic είναι πολύ δύσκολη υπόθεση. Το πόσο δύσκολο είναι το κατάλαβα διαβάζοντας τη σειρά βιβλίων του Scott McCloud "Understanding comics: The invisible Art", "Reinventing comics" και "Making Comics". Δεν είχα ιδέα από comics ως μέσο και μου κίνησε την περιέργεια μία ομιλία (keynote address) του McCloud σε ένα συνέδριο που είχα παρευρεθεί. Awesome stuff!

How about some books? Depending on what she already has you could get her a nice edition of The Lord of the Rings or a companion books like The Atlas of Middle-earth or The Art of The Hobbit.

Yep, here we are: this is the entrance to the rabbit hole. I really don't want to start the never ending debate about what is ugly and what is beautiful, and how my ugly is your beautiful and vice-versa.

I'll just attempt to explain what I said by asserting that I find this beautiful (just as its curator intended, I would suspect).

What I mean by "ugly" is that which is valueless on any (or almost any) sane scale (of course, I have just invited you to call me out on the "sane" bit). That which is no way admirable, if you will.That which is forced, uninspired and uninspiring, lukewarm. That which screams "I should not have been created". That which does not belong.

I'm sure I've failed in my explaining, but it's OK. I've gotten used to it.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Power-Center-Composition-Visual/dp/0520261267

and http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Composition-Techniques-Principles-Dramatically/dp/1581809247

While the latter is explicitly a painting instructional book IME that actually improves photography students' ability to see the forest and not just the trees.

This is my absolute favorite blacksmithing book. Highly recommended and very cheap.

Great work! Cannot recommend "The Art of Blacksmithing" enough

Reminded me of this book. It's probably from it. I loved this book as a kid.

Nice! I went with this book to get into Zelda prior to playing the new game...

https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Zelda-Art-Artifacts/dp/1506703356

I hope you picked up the art book! (Available in physical or digital on Amazon, ComiXology and iBooks.)

Now go pick up this book for 5 bucks, it's an amazing in depth analysis of the game.

https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Harmless-Critical-Reading-Spec-ebook/dp/B00B9P2WP6

I HIGHLY recommend everyone check out this book if you want to read more:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B9P2WP6?ie=UTF8&redirectFromSS=1&pc_redir=T1&noEncodingTag=1&fp=1

Have you read the e-book "Killing is Harmless"? It is a "critical reading" of the game that I thoroughly enjoyed. The Line, as a thinking experience around games and what they can be is just a magnificent thing. This book made it better.

Link to the book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Killing-Harmless-Critical-Reading-Spec-ebook/dp/B00B9P2WP6

What I wish someone gave me when I was 11:

Jack Hamm for general drawing skills

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/drawing-the-head-and-figure_jack-hamm/250060/?mkwid=sZCn7b9PK%7cdc&pcrid=70112899992&pkw=&pmt=&plc=&gclid=CjwKCAjwoKDXBRAAEiwA4xnqv0doVAWOVtxzsmsMnRgHRMv0_FHh3RPpLIZe_Utf-5F9iUxN0F7DkhoC4jUQAvD_BwE#isbn=0399507914&idiq=4114568

Scott McCloud series for comic book theory

https://www.amazon.com/Scott-Mccloud-Understanding-Comics-Invisible/dp/B004S2XK4O/ref=la_B000AQ1NPK_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525171935&sr=1-5

https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Comics-Evolution-Art-Form/dp/0060953500/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0060953500&pd_rd_r=9YT79QSGRNSNW8BV913G&pd_rd_w=9zwWY&pd_rd_wg=QoWMK&psc=1&refRID=9YT79QSGRNSNW8BV913G

https://www.amazon.com/Making-Comics-Storytelling-Secrets-Graphic/dp/0060780940/ref=la_B000AQ1NPK_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525171935&sr=1-2

Along these lines, Umberto Eco's On Ugliness is fantastic.

There is also the companion History of Beauty

I have been meaning to read this book after I read a NYT article on the author but haven't got around to it yet (it addresses the commonality of Indian and Greek philosophy):


The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies


A video that might get you interested:


Thomas McEvilley on 'The Shape of Ancient Thought'


About the author:


Thomas McEvilley

NYT article


Edit: Also, check out this blog by Bibhu Dev Misra for very insightful/interesting articles:

Myths, Symbols and Mysteries

Don't limit yourself to photography, there are many amazing painters. Thinking about it, maybe you should x-post to /r/art and similar subreddits.

In terms of books I've done a lot of research but found very little. A common recommendation for photographers is The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman which goes through all kind of lines, contrast, balance, etc. Other books I'm eyeing are Mastering Composition by Ian Roberts and Framed Ink by Marcos Mateu-Mestre. Unfortunately I haven't read any of them yet so I can't comment on the quality.

If you are really serious about it, consider getting a list of most recommended art / photography universities. Then use their websites to find courses and contact teachers personally, asking for (book) recommendations. Begin with one person at each university if they happen to forward your message since you don't want to come across as spam. Some universities even publish course literature on their website. I'd love to hear the responses if you go through with it.

If you are interested in more info on the Russian criminal tattoos, there is an awesome set of books with lots of details and examples

I've heard of this book, has it helped you a lot? I have Art and Fear Same idea. Actually never finished that one. Can't even finish my books haha.

In the entire world, there is no one who can write exactly like me. Yes, there will be ideas, plots, and story ideas similar to mine, but I am my own unique voice that not even artificial intelligence can appropriately analyze and replicate properly yet. And we all only have limited time here to put our voice somewhere the rest of the universe can hear.

Oh, eventually, as you write more, you find out what intrinsically motivates you to push through all the blocks and BS. This motivator will be different from person to person. It won't necessarily come when you're writing, either. It can come very randomly, whether that be in other creative pursuits (reading other stories, drawing, music, etc), or just when you're standing in the shower, blah blah blah.

And if what I'm saying doesn't mean anything (no offense taken)...there's a lot of psychology behind the creative process and fear/anxiety, this book is an interesting primer onto that train of thought, often pops up on books for illustrators or designers to read.

I dont understand the questions but i recommend this to the sub.

Prison tattoos in Russia have a huge meaning. If you like art then you should get these three books. They're amazing and will tell you about each symbol and what they mean.

I know a guy that got a Russian Prison tattoo as a joke. He won't go near Brighton Beach ever.

Talk about a good deal: the kindle edition is only 3 bucks! And you don't have to have a kindle to read it; they got PC and mobile apps.

This is just my personal suggestion as a reader, but... invest in sandwiches.

Whenever I go buy comics, I'm always so excited to start reading them as soon as I can... but I've never been in a comic book store that has places to sit. Instead, I have to go find a diner with milkshakes and give them my business instead. I've always thought that a comic book store with a small menu and a place to sit down after you've purchased your books would do way better. Customers would spend more, and people off the street would be more likely to come in.

also, I cannot recommend highly enough that you read this book. I think everybody who's into comics should, but somebody starting a business especially.

> to somewhat understand postmodernism

This is a very good starter guide.

Also Known as Pack Hardening, Blister Steel, Shear Steel

From what I understand from reading old texts, traditionally, case hardening was a technique were a blacksmith would infuse a piece of wrought iron, which is low in carbon, with additional carbon in the outer layers of the metal. This would allow the smith to harden those layers infused with carbon, while the core of the metal remained ductile. This was typically done by packing the wrought iron in a mixture of ground bone and charcoal (or some other strange recipe) in a tightly sealed box. This box was then heated until the metal was near welding temperature, at which point the outer layers would be near melting, and the added carbon would be able to mix in. One this process was completed, the smith could then reheat and quench the metal, hardening the layers with increased carbon content. This process formed what has been called blister steel or shear steel. It was used mainly before the the ability to produce steel, when wrought iron was still too soft for the application.

In later times, a piece of steel might be case hardened by a process of carefully heating the outer layers of a thicker piece of steel and quenching it. This again leaves the inner portion ductile, reducing the brittleness of the steel. The carbon content of the steel was not affected by this process.


Edit: Sources: http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/11996-case-hardening/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case-hardening
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Blacksmithing-Alex-W-Bealer/dp/0785803955 (the modern blacksmith's bible)
Hardening and Tempering 4th edition Machinists reference book

Ways of Seeing is so, so good. There's a book, too - well worth it.

Good news, you don't even need to wait

This one is the good one for drawing manga. You can find pdfs, so I'd do that, and then order a copy.

​

https://www.amazon.com/How-Draw-Manga-Compiling-Characters/dp/4889960422

You would definitely dig these. They might seem basic, but you'll remember it all, see how it all moves through history, and know what you want to dig into further:

Postmodernism

Critical Theory

Marxism

Philosophy in General

I'm not sure if this is the style you want.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Draw-Manga-Compiling-Characters/dp/4889960422

The whole series have this same style.

hope i helped

boop

here is a warning and heed it well: russians take their tattoos seriously. you will not be taken to task by a sailor for having a nautical star. someone may have an opinion of you if you get something like this, you need to make sure you can handle that opinion.

Amazon. It's where I got my hat, among other LoZ items.

I guess you can say I'm a bit of a fan. If I had more money, I would buy from Gametee as well.

All those things?

That would be a the sizeable part of the entire late antiquity and middle ages.

If there's public library in your neighborhood, I would suggest browsing through their offerings on these periods. There's probably no one book that covers all subjects, especially not one that is accessible enough to non-historians, and doesn't cost a fortune.

On the Eastern Roman Empire, these could be a good introduction:

• A Short History of Byzantium, John Julius Norwich, 1998
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Byzantium-Julius-Norwich/dp/0679772693
  
  
• Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization, Lars Brownworth
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Lost-West-Forgotten-Byzantine-Civilization/dp/0307407969/ref=pd_sim_b_3
  
  Some of the topics mentioned, e.g. the expansion of Islam, are covered on this site, and its numerous links:
  
  http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/byzantium/index.html
  
  
  

Thought I'd provide some Amazon links to these fine suggestions, along with a few of my own.

J.R.R. Tolkien Companion & Guide US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0008214549/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Jc.DCb1A3J8V6

​

Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/000755690X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Qe.DCbHG7HWXM

​

Art of the Lord of the Rings US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0544636341/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_3f.DCbB8Y2ZNZ

​

Art of the Hobbit US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0547928254/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_ng.DCbCX2CT65

​

Tolkien: Maker of Middle-Earth US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1851244859/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Vg.DCbSEH99RE

​

Rateliff's History of the Hobbit US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CF6AZWK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Dj.DCbGWY7970

​

Fonstad's Atlas of Middle-Earth US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0618126996/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Kk.DCbC2XF6NT

​

Letters of JRR Tolkien US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0618056998/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_ml.DCbREBRZH4

​

Carpenter's Tolkien: A Biography US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0618057021/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_xm.DCbY976PAE

I recommend reading this. Actually, the series is more or less the book-form of this sub-reddit

For those on group #1 (like me) I recommend reading "Killing is harmless" after finishing the game.

The Dictator's Handbook by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith


The Little Ice Age by Brian Fagan - insightful/informative book about the role climate change has played in human civilization

>Any literature would be great.

"The Shape of Ancient Thought" is a very detailed comparison between Indian and Greek philosophy starting with the first sources available. Some of McEvilley's arguments have more evidence than others.

https://www.amazon.com/Shape-Ancient-Thought-Comparative-Philosophies/dp/1581152035

https://www.amazon.com/Shape-Ancient-Thought-Comparative-Philosophies/dp/1581152035


Highly recommended!

There's a few books that are good for understanding how design works; John Berger's Ways of Seeing, Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton, and anything by Stefan Sagmeister, Steven Heller, Michael Beirut, Jessica Hische, Adrian Shaughnessy...

Check out publications like Eye magazine and Creative Review.

No doubt from looking up any of these you'll find oodles more too.

Also, the best way to learn is to work with designers, ask them questions, find out why they do something. Have a critical mind though, there's some awful designers out there.

I'm afraid I don't have many resources specific to UX/UI. I studied graphic design at university so I really just apply my understanding from that, but there's loads out there.

In addition to yumchoumein's books, Thomas McEvilley's The Shape of Ancient Thought addresses at least your related question. Obviously, information about Eastern influences on Presocratic thought is less abundant than Eastern influences on post-Socratic thought (not that information on the latter is abundant). If the latter interests you, though, see the Gymnosophists and the following tidbit from this entry on Cynic influences:

>Perhaps of importance were tales of Indian philosophers, known to later Greeks as the Gymnosophists, who had adopted a strict asceticism together with a disrespect for established laws and customs.

This article - The Yogi who met Socrates - was one article that I read on this that seemed to capture it.

The Wikipedia entry on Greco-Buddhism seems to cover everything mentioned above, which I didn't realise until I had typed it, so it's staying...

I wrote a recent undergraduate essay on Heraclitus in which I discussed the similarity between his thought and the thought of the mystics, both Eastern and Western. Read Heraclitus's fragments amid a few Zen lineage texts and you'll be convinced of the universal character of the mystical experience, but I don't suspect Buddhism of having influenced Heraclitus.

There is another one (about artworks and illustrations) coming in February

https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Zelda-Art-Artifacts/dp/1506703356/

And a third one has been announced for Japan

http://nintendoeverything.com/hyrule-encyclopedia-revealed-as-second-zelda-30th-anniversary-book/

In case you needed ideas for next Christmas ;-)

Seconded, with the addition of John Berger - Ways of Seeing

The BBC show 'Ways of Seeing' which the book is based on is available streaming on Netflix and is worth the watch in my opinion.

Pre order the book here. Will probably worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Magic-Gathering-Kaladesh/dp/1421590506/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473867877&sr=8-1&keywords=art+of+kaladesh

I've read it twice before but I wasn't ready. I'm closer now to being able to parse all the references and implications.

Have you by chance read Thomas McEvilleys "The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies"?

If anyone's keen on diving into the game further, there's a REALLY interesting short ebook called "Killing is Harmless" which is an in depth critical reading of the game https://www.amazon.co.uk/Killing-Harmless-Critical-Reading-Spec-ebook/dp/B00B9P2WP6

I hope this helps you out, its called the [little ice age] (http://www.eh-resources.org/timeline/timeline_lia.html) it was when temperatures changed drastically for many years. The change as similar to what is is today. This is natural you are simply denying the facts. You ignored the evidence that he showed you, open your eyes.

More evidence for you:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/344106/Little-Ice-Age-LIA

http://www.meteo.psu.edu/holocene/public_html/shared/articles/littleiceage.pdf

http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-Ice-Age-1300-1850/dp/0465022723

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/opinion/sunday/lessons-from-the-little-ice-age.html?_r=0

Keep in mind that the regular hardcover is currently $25 on Amazon US.

The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506703356/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fpuIyb7S947NK

To anyone who can't justify the price, there's the regular edition for Pre-Order too. (link for Amazon US)

You'd enjoy reading the one critical book I know on the topic of video game narratives, "Killing is Harmless: A Critical Reading of Spec Ops: The Line".

If you want to find more of Tolkien's art Hammond and Scull also released The Art of the Hobbit with his illustrations for...the hobbit. And later this year they'll release The Art of the Lord of the Rings!

Except you have the choice not to play the game.

Edit: I'm sounding roundabout. The point they're trying to make is that when you claim you have "no choice" but to do something in a game you always have another option - stop playing. Take out the idea that you paid for the game and think more that you're just there for the experience. If you are doing something you think is wrong, why are you continuing to do it?

I'd also recommend the essay/short book Killing is Harmless which explores the game on a level-by-level basis and is a good, short read.

I recomend reading this aswell, after playing it: Killing is Harmless: A Critical Reading of Spec Ops: The Line

There are multiple volume encyclopedias on Russian criminal tattoos available for purchase online. Your local library might carry these books too. It's all quite fascinating.

Yea they're on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Zelda-Art-Artifacts/dp/1506703356/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485030292&sr=8-1&keywords=arts+and+artifacts

That's the Art Book which is the first. The second book will be an encyclopedia of sorts and isn't up for preorder yet. And we don't know what the third book will be, but should be out this year.

I encountered it in Ways of Seeing, but I don't think they originated it.

• Susan Sontag On Photography
  
  
• Ways of Seeing by John Berger
  
  Both standard texts, but quite academic. Not exactly books for the flickr crowd.

Ways of Seeing

https://www.amazon.com/Ways-Seeing-Based-Television-Penguin/dp/0140135154

It was based on a TV series from BBC

The Art of The Lord of the Rings

The Art of The Hobbit

The Hobbit illustrated by Jemima Catlin

Lord of the Rings illustrated by Alan Lee

The Hobbit illustrated by Alan Lee

The Silmarillion illustrated by Ted Nasmith

Folio Society also has editions with illustrations.

Edit to add:

Beren and Luthien illustrated by Alan Lee

Bilbo's Last Song illustrated by Pauline Baynes

Can't believe this is not already posted, but don't see it.
There is actually a coffee table book of his art called The Art of the Hobbit:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Hobbit-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0547928254

Many (all?) of these images could be scans from the book.

Anvilfire.com
Iforgeiron.com
hammertyme.com
reddit.com/r/blacksmith
/r/blacksmithing
/r/bladesmith
/r/metalworking
http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Blacksmithing-Alex-Bealer/dp/0785803955
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Modern-Blacksmith-Alexander-Weygers/dp/0898158966
http://www.anvilfire.com/bookrev/
Those are just a few to get you started.
ALSO. Start learning metallurgy as soon as possible.

This [Gnomes](Gnomes https://www.amazon.com/dp/0810909650/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8.MHybXM2GCAF) ?

15 cm.

https://www.amazon.com/Gnomes-Wil-Huygen/dp/0810909650/

zincake is correct, Gnomes. I still have a copy on my bookshelf along with a bunch of other mythology, folklore, and fable books.

Was it Gnomes by Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvliet?

Gnomes https://www.amazon.com/dp/0810909650?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Scholastic dinosaur encycloped

Was it Gnomes? That’s really the only book I can think of that included the types of drawings you mention.

Gnomes https://www.amazon.com/dp/0810909650/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_q0BZzbMESSXWG

Have your read Eco's History of Beauty?

Or his On Ugliness?

http://www.amazon.com/On-Ugliness-Umberto-Eco/dp/0847837238

It's not coming out until January, but check out the Kaladesh artbook: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Magic-Gathering-Kaladesh/dp/1421590506.

You can also find information on the plane here.

The second book has been released and is called The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts.

Didn't Nintendo just release that book?...

The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies

Non-mobile:

• Mastering Composition
  
• Composition
  
• Picture This
  
  ^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B9P2WP6

A pro read

>but there is no such thing as russian prison "style" tattoos.

tattoos that arose in Russian prisons in the beginning of, and remained a large part in the 20th century are very specific to the country

https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Criminal-Tattoo-Encyclopaedia-I/dp/0955862078

over the last couple decades, they've been gathered and documented in books and magazines. and yeah, artists now tattoo those very same images onto people. the guy in the picture OP posted says that all of his tattoos are medieval influenced, yet i do know the goat, cathead and alter are all taken from Russian criminal tattoo collections. he probably just went into a shop and flipped through a bunch of books and picked that out, and has attached his own personal story to it.

i've had the pleasure of traveling extensively for tattooing and while i haven't gotten a russian prison/criminal style tattoo yet, i've come close and met some cool artists who still preserve that culture.

These were what first got me into the whole subculture! I started studying the Russian prison tattoos when our Russian population started to grow. We started getting old school Russian criminals in our facilities and their ink was different than what we had seen, yet they all shared cominalities. This series was quite helpful and interesting to me

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0955862078?pc_redir=1406732512&robot_redir=1

It's what really got me into the symbolic nature that tattoos can have and how it relates to gang or criminal culture.

Edit : thanks for the info and those links! I'm going to check them out!

Yes. FWIW, it's a reasonably common thing for creators to feel. A couple book recommendations:

• Art & Fear
  
• The War of Art

David Goodis: Five Noir Novels of the 1940s and 50s

Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia Volume I

Universe Down to Earth by Neil de Grasse Tyson

Walt Disney Uncle Scrooge And Donald Duck: The Don Rosa Library Vols. 1 & 2 Gift Box Set

I distinctly remember it being a section of this book http://www.amazon.com/Gnomes-Wil-Huygen/dp/0810909650

They totally freaked me out, and that's where that illustration is from

You are missing This and This

The tattoo is a take on the tattoo on the cover of a book about Russian Criminal Tattoos.

Here is a link to it, it's on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Criminal-Tattoo-Encyclopaedia-I/dp/0955862078

Definitely grab Killing is Harmless by Brenden Keogh if you were really unsettled by the story. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B9P2WP6

It's called Russian Criminal Tattoo-- here's a link to it on Amazon

> on soviet prison tattoos you will find depictions of marx, engels and lenin

It's interesting that you've mentioned this, as the first thing I thought about after reading the title question were the Russian prison tatoo studies. There are quite a few of them. For instance, the three volumes of the Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia. You can find it on amazon. The same author also wrote a book called Drawings from the Gulag.

Also, here's a study from Post-War Greece. JStore has a lot of stuff on that topic, but I didn't see a cross-country one. I guess, one could produce one by combining all these regional studies.

Might be dumb but... is this what you all are on about? https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Zelda-Art-Artifacts/dp/1506703356/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1506703356&pd_rd_r=FAN8888WT0D1TJBHZ8CD&pd_rd_w=WFiMG&pd_rd_wg=Lzi8Q&psc=1&refRID=FAN8888WT0D1TJBHZ8CD

You might appreciate Umberto Eco's book On Ugliness, and how it was historically associated with moral impurity/degeneracy. People who were visibly afflicted with an illness were often perceived as suffering from divine judgement for their wrong acts.

Yager did this in almost everything, there is actual character progression through the game. The squad actually looks physically beat up, the executions become more brutal, and walker's dialogue becomes more aggressive and unhinged...or more like a Gears of War character's dialogue...
I'll go ahead and leave a plug here for Killing is Harmless, easily worth the $5 if only because it is such a unique piece of game writing.

Off the top of my head? Two reasons:

1. The lack of materials: You need a lot of relatively high-quality iron and/or steel to make a gun barrel that won't split apart or bend when you subject it to the heat and pressure associated with firearms. The Natives simply did not have access to that, and settlers would have almost certainly prevented them from acquiring the materials in sufficient quantities.
   
   
2. The lack of relevant technologies: Forging a gun barrel is a labour-intensive, highly skilled job, requiring specialized smithing equipment. See Alex Bealer's The Art of Blacksmithing for an example of the techniques required to forge a pattern-welded shotgun barrel.
   
   edit: Corrected the link code.

I think every artist has those days. Some more than others, but all of us struggle with doubt. It's part of the process. It weeds out a lot of bad shit. Embrace it or let it win. You have two solutions I'm aware of.

One, walk away. Maybe you need a breather. Read something. Watch something. Do something. Recharge your batteries. Sometimes a block is your brain's way of saying it's got nothing to give anymore. When a campfire goes out you don't curse at it expecting it to flare up. You feed it more wood.

Two, keep pushing. Start writing fast. I mean really fast. Don't stop for air. Stop reading what you wrote. Stop it. Set a timer if you have to and don't let yourself stop typing. It's exciting. You need to be excited.

> I'll spend hours rewriting a phrase or a scene

Stop that. You're making it worse. Just thinking about that. No.

If you want to be reassured that you're not alone in feeling this way, read a book called Art & Fear. If you want to save yourself time and money, just know that someone wrote a book called Art & Fear.