Best books for adults to read. I’ve read 7 of the 23 titles on this list, and they all gave me lots to think about. Some of these books are also appropriate for children.
It might be too late to be considered for the giveaway (I don’t know for sure), but this children’s book about the Holocaust is so noteworthy that I have to share this article.
This treehouse takes it to the next level. I wonder if my husband could build me one. . .
You might know that I’m a bookaholic. So is my husband, Greg. We love books. We have many bookshelves scattered throughout the house. We have closets stuffed with books we haven’t read yet. We’ve given away hundreds of books. We have books we can’t bear to give away because we have reread them multiple times and plan to reread them again.
These are the books currently on the art book shelf in my writing/quilting room. I have more art books in the bookcase in our foyer.
I’ve pulled out five books that I especially like.
I’ve posted about first book, Samantha Dion Baker’s Draw Your Day: An inspiring guide to keeping a sketch journal, before, and you may want to check out my review.
My son Andrew gave me The Complete Book of Drawing Peopleby Barrington Barber (and two others) for Christmas one year. I especially like it because Barber breaks down the parts of the body and draws them at different angles. Barber also breaks drawings into steps so you can see how to plan and construct them. A few years ago I worked from this book for the Index-Card-a-Day challenge.
A couple of years ago I saw the sketchbook 300 Drawing Prompts by piccadillyinc.com at Target and grabbed it. It has pages with prompts and ample room to draw. I have not yet used it but I intend to start this year—it’s one of my unofficial artistic goals.
I love watercolor, and I want to get serious about it. I bought 15-Minute Watercolor Masterpieces by Anna Koliadych because I’ve seen some of her tutorials on YouTube. I’ve used some of her designs for World Watercolor Month, and I think I’ll use this book again this year. She has a section on mixing colors and watercolor techniques, and she breaks her masterpieces down to doable steps.
The final book I have read many, many times: A Walk Through the Cloisters by Bonnie Young, about the medieval branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, located in Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan. If you’ve followed ARHtistic License for any length of time, you know I’m obsessed with the Cloisters, and especially with the unicorn tapestries that are housed there. Unfortunately, this wonderful book filled with history and gorgeous photographs is out of print, but you might be lucky enough to find it in a library or used book store.
Now it’s your turn. What are some of your favorite art books? Share in the comments below.
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I have a project I’m looking forward to. This past Christmas, my pregnant middle daughter gave me a book, Tell Me Your Life Story, Grandma: A Grandmother’s Guided Journal and Memory Keepsake Book.
She said, “I feel a little guilty for giving you homework.”
I said, “Do I have to finish it by the time the babies are born?” (The twins were born February 14, 2023.)
She said, “How about by the time they’re five.”
Yes! That I can do. I haven’t started it yet, but now that I’ve seen my granddaughters, I can’t wait to begin.
The book is divided into sections: Early Years; Childhood; Interests & Pursuits; Family Tree; Family, Friends, & Relationships; Motherhood; Beliefs &Values; Reflections; Short Questions; and Notes to Loved Ones. In each section are prompts and ample space to address each one. They can be completed in any order.
Here are some sample prompts:
What were your favorite subjects in school?
Which traits do you share with your siblings? In what ways do your traits differ?
In what ways do you consider today’s world a better place to raise children compared to your childhood days?
Has anything happened in your lifetime that you hope future generations never go through?
Who are your top five most-listened-to singers, bands or musicians?
Some of the questions are straightforward; others require some pondering. I think I will make a rough draft before I write my answers into the book. And I suspect I will remember a few more stories to share on ARHtistic License, some which are true, and some which are merely told and handed down and may not have happened exactly as I heard them.
Of course, I could have done a project like this without a book to lead me through it, but up until now I haven’t, even though I’ve thought about it many times.
Now it’s your turn. Have you written your family’s story to hand down to your children’s children? Would you? Did you or would you wing it, or find a book to help you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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An interesting and easy painting technique to try. I challenge you to make a painting, post it on your blog or social media, and add a link below in the comments. Maybe I’ll do it too.
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ARHtistic License 