Fill Your Oil Paintings With Light & Color
by Kevin D. MacPherson

GET THIS BOOK!

Regardless of what you are painting, MacPherson teaches you how to start a painting, how to develop it, and how to keep your color clean. This is a fantastic book, for oil painters of any subject matter.

Harley Brown's Eternal Truths for Every Artist
by Harley Brown

A fantastic resource for artists. Another 'must-have' for the serious painter. Brown's writing style is relaxed and natural. His information is sound and vital.

Painting Portraits
by Everett Raymond Kinstler

An Excellent book on portrait painting by a contemporary master. A must have for any serious portrait painter.

Sight & Insight: The Art of Burton Silverman
by Burton Silverman

The definitive book on Silverman's work. Great plates of his work, and great analysis of his thinking and working methods. This artist is one of my favorites.

The Best of Portrait Painting
Edited by Rachel Rubin Wolf

A great sampling of contemporary portraiture.

Portrait Inspirations
Rockport Publishers

Another excellent compendium of a variety of styles of contemporary portrait painting.

How I Paint: Secrets of a Sunday Painter
by Thomas S. Buechner

I don't have this book (yet) but this artist is absolutely amazing. Sensitive, insightful, and skillful.

Asaro: A New Romanticism
by Robert Perine

I've only seen John Asaro's work in art magazines, but it's caught my eye every time I've seen it. Another book soon to find its way into my library.

Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art
by Dan McCaw

Beautiful book, promoted heavily in International Artist Magazine. His very loose style is refreshing, direct, and skillfully handled. Color and composition reign supreme.

Painting People in Watercolor: A Design Approach
by Alex Powers

A fabulous book for those looking to loosen up and be more creative. This guy is great.

Painting What You WANT to See
by Charles Reid

This book was one that taught me much. Reid's style is very loose, but his principles are basic, sound, and traditional. Regardless of your medium, this book will teach you A LOT.

The Natural Way to Paint: Rendering the Figure in Watercolor Simply and Beautifully
by Charles Reid

Haven't read this book yet... but it's by Charles Reid–you simply can't go wrong with him!

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Figure Painting in Watercolor
by Charles Reid

An out of print book by the master.

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Portrait Painting in Watercolor
by Charles Reid

Another out of print book by the master. This has EXCELLENT images of wonderfully loose portrait paintings. Again, even if you don't work in watercolor, this book will inspire you to get the essence of your model, and be more expressive.