Collecting the “art of” books for some of my favorite media is a great way to look for insight into the artists and processes behind characters, backgrounds, concepts, environments, and styles.

Here is a list of 12 books I’d recommend getting your hands on for some artistic inspiration!

If you have ever noticed the birds in your yard and appreciated their vibrant colors, we have something in common. I’ve been on a bird kick lately, painting a few portraits. It was brought on by a color theory class that left me with a few studies in color. There is such variety and wonder in the world of birds, from birds of prey to songbirds, from sea birds to songbirds. They’re so odd and beautiful, I can’t help but paint a portrait of a handful of them.

I’d like to say that doing a self-portrait is an experiment in self-exploration and navigating feelings of reflection. In honesty, I haven’t painted many portraits before. Working from a photograph gave me something concrete to reference in terms of light and form, but you know that feeling when you see a word write out so much that it starts to become unfamiliar? It was a similar feeling to painting my own face.