It’s hard to single out a specific book made for all conceptual artists. the field is huge and there is a lot to cover regarding the fundamentals of art, conceptual ideas, technical painting skills, and of course the professional side of the conceptual art industry.
In this post, I’ll be sharing the best concept art books that address all of these areas. I’ve divided the post into three distinct sections: art fundamentals, digital painting, and the core of creating concept art & business.
You are reading: Best concept art books
Each section is geared toward artists at different skill levels so you can jump in or work as you see fit. Either way, I think all of these books can be valuable to aspiring or professional concept artists, depending on their current needs and skills.
fundamentals of art
The basic fundamentals of art are the first thing every conceptual artist should study. these basics are hard to put into words, although I did my best in a previous post.
The fundamentals are the skills you will use across the board for all of your art. these skills include measuring, rendering, perspective, light & shadow, shapes, colors and figure drawing (among others).
If you’re not sure where to get these basics, check out some of the books below.
how to draw
Scott Robertson teaches concept artists and digital artists from Art Center in California & he lectures all around the US. His book How to Draw is easily one of the best resources I’ve ever found for understanding perspective and drawing from imagination.
every concept artist needs to learn how to draw realistically and imaginatively. these two techniques merge, allowing concept artists to create anything from their mind with a realistic rendering.
Scott Robertson’s book is not specifically aimed at novices, and in fact can be quite difficult for inexperienced artists. however, the lessons are plentiful and worth the agony if you force yourself to practice them every day.
Scott’s teaching style is dense but impeccable. She will learn a lot from this book and it should be one of the first books she gets to learn perspective along with perspective facilitated by ernest norling.
light for visual artists
Understanding light and shadow is another tricky subject. This relates to value and how you render values in a drawing/painting. Light for Visual Artists teaches the raw scientific points along with the artistic techniques to give you tips from both sides.
This book cannot make you a master draftsman or an expert in representational value. can only offer tips and resources for teaching the concepts of light.
If you practice and put these ideas into your exercises, you will get much more out of the book.
Lighting can be found everywhere and is an important part of every piece of art you create. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has trouble with lighting and needs an artistic approach to the subject.
fundamentals of art: color, light, composition, anatomy, perspective and depth
The folks over at 3DTotal have been publishing some great work over the past few years. Their team knows how to teach this stuff because many of them are professional artists. Some even work as freelancers or in-studio concept artists for game companies.
the fundamentals of art book covers all the main fundamentals in a very concise publication. It’s 272 pages long, so it’s definitely a detailed book. however, you don’t delve into the details of any of the big fundamentals like shape, anatomy, or perspective.
Instead, the goal is to introduce artists to these fundamental topics by guiding them along the way. you’ll learn a lot about each skill set and why it’s so important for digital art.
but this is really just a getting started guide for beginners and not something you can rely on for long. I recommend it to artists as a basic manual to get into the fundamentals, but not as a professional study guide.
figure drawing for artists: making every mark count
Studying and learning figure drawing from a book is very much like learning to drive a car from a book. You can read about it all you want, but getting into the figure room will always be the greatest teacher.
But there are plenty of books detailing figure drawing tips and techniques that apply to real-world practice. Artist Steve Huston has released a new figure drawing book for artists that discusses the fundamental concepts behind every figure drawing.
This can work as a guide for new artists who aren’t sure how to analyze the figure or how to render it on the page. Steve has years of experience and is a trusted figure drawing artist. he even includes his own figure drawings in the book to show techniques visually.
again, this book will not directly help you improve your figure drawing. only study time can do that.
However, if you’re looking for a place to start and get some tips, I’d definitely recommend a copy of this book.
human anatomy for artists: the elements of form
Lastly we come to one of the most dense human anatomy books to date. Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form by Eliot Goldfinger is my go-to recommendation for anyone who wants to master the human figure.
The only way to draw something from your imagination is to memorize the general concepts of how it looks, behaves, and works. The human body is one of the most complex subjects to study and it is worth mastering each part of the anatomy to help you better understand the figure.
Concept artists often need to exaggerate muscles, poses, and facial features that require an understanding of human anatomy.
If you get this book, keep in mind that it’s not a fun read. it really is a technical manual with bones, tendons and muscles for each part of the body. but if you want to become a professional artist, you’ll need to learn all of this at some point.
digital painting
Once you understand the basics of drawing, you’ll want to move on to painting. some artists prefer oil paints, but for concept art you will always work digitally.
There are really three parts to digital painting. first is to understand how to use a graphics tablet. The next thing is to understand the painting software of your choice (the most common is photoshop). then the third is your underlying artistic ability.
The first two can be learned fairly quickly. but developing your artistic ability can take years or even decades to reach the level you want. but the sooner you get into digital painting, the sooner you’ll see improvements.
beginners guide to digital painting in photoshop
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There’s no better place to start digital painting than with the Beginner’s Guide to Digital Painting in Photoshop. It covers all the fundamentals of a Photoshop workflow which is basically mandatory in every creative studio.
Some artists prefer to use their own software, but most game studios and animation studios rely on photoshop for painting. this 3dtotal book explains the brush panel and paint canvas so anyone can understand it.
You also get exercises that teach you the basics of painting in a photoshop environment.
Anyone who picks up this book should already have some artistic experience. you can save it for a later date, but you really won’t learn much about painting unless you study the basics first.
digital painting techniques
Beyond Photoshop basics you’ll want to actually master the techniques and skills required to paint digitally. This is the goal of Digital Painting Techniques, a 288 page masterpiece targeting intermediate-to-advanced artists.
You will learn practical techniques to approach the painting of different subjects and the rendering with precision. this book is also from 3dtotal and is volume one of a handful of books dealing with digital painting.
I recommend starting with this book first so you can see what it’s all about. some people may not like the teaching style and wouldn’t even bother with other books in the series.
but if you have the work ethic and the pockets to pick up the other volumes, I highly recommend it. You can learn a lot from the 3dtotal staff and their exercises can drastically improve your painting skills.
digital painting for beginners
I actually found this book a tad less useful because it focuses more on the transition from traditional to digital painting. Fine artists who already work in oils will love Digital Painting for the Complete Beginner.
but if you’re a complete novice who only has experience drawing in pencil, this book won’t be any better than the other two I mentioned.
However, I know that many artists start young and by the time they are ready for digital they already have skills in other areas. if this is the case, you should definitely pick up this book and expect to learn a lot!
painting is basically the same everywhere in terms of methods and goals. but real media and techniques change the way you approach new projects, so this book can help traditional artists make that shift to the world of digital art.
digital painting with krita 2.9
Adobe Photoshop costs a lot of money so not everyone can afford to start there. But thankfully open source Krita offers a free alternative for digital painting on any operating system.
And if you need a place to start with this software, I highly recommend digital painting with krita 2.9. The book is written by Scott Petrovic, who has years of experience working as a user interface designer and digital artist. he starts the book by explaining the krita interface and quickly moves on to digital painting techniques.
Once you’ve gotten through the basics, you’ll learn shortcuts and quick tips to improve your knowledge. this is much less of a digital painting book and more of a krita software book.
however, scott does share many techniques to improve your digital painting workflow. this may be great for intermediate level artists, but not great for beginners who have no idea how to paint on a tablet.
I recommend following some online tutorials before purchasing this book. scott does an excellent job of introducing krita, but you should already know how to use your graphics tablet before diving into this title.
basics of digital painting with corel painter x3
Another alternative for digital painting is Corel Painter. This is not free but it’s a quality alternative to Photoshop if you want to avoid Adobe products.
If you’re looking for an introductory guide to this program, check out the basics of digital painting with corel painter x3. The book spans 256 pages covering a host of fundamental topics such as composition, color theory, balance, and color mixing.
You will learn the whole painter interface through practice projects, so you should know a bit about digital painting.
but this book can be great for beginners if they are willing to put in the work. Most of the exercises focus on techniques and shortcuts within Painter to improve your workflow. fundamental concepts are consistently brought home, making this a great book for any artist.
bold visions: a digital painting bible
Artist Gary Tonge put together this short but sweet compendium on digital painting. Bold Visions: A Digital Painting Bible targets more advanced artists who want to learn about the “bigger picture” of digital painting.
gary shares many of his own artworks along with advanced techniques used in his work. she covers topics like composition, perspective, and lighting, but not in great detail.
While there are many screenshots and basic tutorials in this book, some level of painting knowledge is expected. And for such a short book at just 128 pages, I’m amazed at the level of detail.
You won’t get a step-by-step instruction manual from Gary’s book. however, you’ll find tons of ideas, workflows, helpful tips, and digital art inspiration from a variety of talented artists.
concept art
Finally, we come to the best books for conceptual artists. I have to admit there really aren’t too many.
If you already know the basics and know how to paint, it’s just a matter of doing it over and over again. with repetition comes failure, insight, and constant growth. Concept art books can help you think about building ideas and getting into the industry. but to do that you already need serious skills as an artist.
However, if you want to read up on the game art industry or learn more about the concept art process, all of these books will prove to be invaluable resources.
big bad world of concept art for video games
This book targets students who are currently studying art and eventually want to go into concept art as a career. Big Bad World of Concept Art for Video Games written by professor Eliott Lilly uses student work and critiques to share his experiences teaching the world’s next young artists.
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Eliott offers very specific advice on choosing the right school, the right classes, practice exercises, and suggestions for improving your portfolio. He also shares tips for young artists who want to get jobs in the video game industry.
The work of students and professionals is scattered throughout the book to show the quality and progress of different artists. this can be a fun book to help you improve as an artist & to prepare you for a competitive career in concept art.
One thing I will say about the writing is that it is raw and honest. you get no fluff from this book. is a true guide to becoming a concept artist including the possible pitfalls and failure rates of most who attempt it.
If you’re serious about a career as an entertainer, do yourself a favor and read this book. you’ll end up feeling more upbeat and confident about your career choice, or a little hesitant and wondering if concept art is right for you.
any result is valuable and it’s good to know exactly where you stand if you choose to enter this line of work.
how to become a video game artist
Game artist Sam R. Kennedy has plenty of personal experience and colleagues working in the entertainment industry. He puts this to good use in his book How to Become a Video Game Artist.
Each chapter looks at a different job in the concept art industry talking about general concept art, environment art, character art, animators, and even graphical user interface designers. Each of these chapters includes stories from professionals working in the field along with advice for aspiring artists hoping to get in.
You’ll get an overview of each job, including what the job entails and what kind of skills you’ll need. In the final chapter, Sam offers tips for aspiring concept artists on how to improve their portfolios and how to prepare for the game art industry.
I actually did a full review of this book if you want to read more.
the skillful hunter: visual development of a grimm tale at the art center college of design
Three artists share their experiences studying at Art Center in Pasadena, CA and getting into the entertainment industry. The three students Khang Le, Mike Yamada, and Felix Yoon share their sketches and unique journeys that lead them into the entertainment industry.
The Skilled Hunter looks more like a journal or student project than a textbook. It is based on the story of the skillful hunter from the Brothers Grimm, and each concept artist follows that story by designing characters, environments, props, and other paintings for this fairy tale.
Renowned art center teacher Scott Robertson leaves comments below the work offering criticism and insights for readers.
I don’t think this book is required reading for everyone. but it really is fun to watch concept art students create their work based on an existing story, plus a teacher offering critique along the way.
And if you’re thinking of going to the art center, this would be a fun read if you have the time.
imaginative realism: how to paint what doesn’t exist
I know the Gurney books are not specifically geared towards concept artists. But Imaginative Realism is one book that every concept artist must read.
talks about painting what doesn’t exist and shares techniques on how to do it consistently. concept artists basically get paid to create things that don’t exist. this book may not have been written for conceptual artists, but it certainly feels like it was.
Over 224 pages, james gurney shares techniques to represent different imaginary concepts such as creatures, humans, buildings, environments and much more.
Just imagining something in your mind is only half the battle. knowing how to render it digitally is the real test of difficulty.
but with this book by your side you’ll have no trouble moving fast and learning as you go.
beyond the fundamentals of art
Once you move beyond traditional art fundamentals you’ll be left wondering how to approach concept art from a more conceptual point of view. This can be philosophical but also technically creative on how to actually design something.
Beyond Art Basics is another 3dtotal book that expands on their first Art Basics book mentioned earlier in this post.
I really like Beyond Art Basics because it covers topics you won’t find anywhere else. professional concept artists share their techniques for capturing mood, emotion, gestures, and how to design concepts that fit the story.
a professional artist knows that each painting must say something. it must have a feeling, an emotion and a purpose. this book talks about the subtle nuances of this process and helps him consider new ways to approach each piece of art he creates.
drawing basics and video game art
Anyone looking into video game art should read this book. Drawing Basics and Video Game Art isn’t as much of a drawing book as it is a cultural book on the history of game art.
You will learn a lot about how to make concept art for games. but the author delves into a more complex and rich history of gaming about how art styles have changed over the years. a large portion of the book compares how fine art can intertwine with video game art and how this has advanced over the decades.
There are many sections that talk about basic concepts like composition, lighting, figures, and general drawing techniques. this is really an artist’s book, but it’s just leaning towards gaming.
is the perfect book for aspiring concept artists who want to use their art for a purpose.
Each book in this publication can be a valuable resource depending on your skill level. becoming a professional concept artist is hard. the concept art industry is cutthroat and you have to be really good to compete.
but if you put in the hours and study with the best resources, I guarantee you can reach a professional level.
note: if you prefer instructor-led lessons, then the cg spectrum concept art course might help you learn faster. It covers many of the things you’ll learn in these books, plus access to a professional artist and video lessons, all streamed online. it’s a great alternative to books if you can spare yourself the scratch.
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