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20 Best Art Theory Books (2023 Update)
Are you looking for the Best Art Theory Books? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Choosing the Best Art Theory Books can be difficult as there are so many considerations, such as Crayola, Electronic Arts, Melissa & Doug, Nintendo, Penguin Random House, Usborne, WHSmith, Amazon.com. We have done a lot of research to find the Top 20 Best Art Theory Books available.
The average cost is $31.65. Sold comparable range in price from a low of $2.00 to a high of $90.00.
Based on the research we did, we think Art Theory for Beginners [Book] is the best overall. Read on for the rest of the great options and our buying guide, where you can find all the information you need to know before making an informed purchase.
20 Best Art Theory Books (20 Sellers)
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Features:
- Item trademark: for beginners
- Manufacturer: for beginners
- Item weight: pounds, pounds, 0.7, 0.7
$7.50
4.5
Features:
- Languages: english
- Product format: paperback / softback
- Publisher: palgrave uk
Features:
- Now updated to include the results of new research, together with significant contributions from the 1990s.
- Includes writings by critics, philosophers, politicians and literary figures.
- The editors provide contextual introductions to 340 texts.
Features:
- Format: ebook
- Rental duration: 180 days
- Publisher: routledge
Features:
- Binding type: hardback
- Year published: 2016-09-13
- Number of pages: 544
Features:
- About the series
- Bibliotheca universalis compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic taschen universe
- Language: english
Features:
- Use the engaging- step-by-step demonstrations and exercises to try out each essential concept for yourself- making lessons clearer and more memorable.
- Learn theories that apply to all mediums- with specific advice for achieving effects using acrylic- oil- watercolor and pencil.
- Get the inside scoop on professional tricks and shortcuts that make perspective easier than ever.
Features:
- Learn how to critique your own art, quickly identify problems, and fix them to improve both your work and technique.
- Binding type: paperback.
- Year published: 2021-09-12.
$42.24
5.0
Features:
- This new edition expands the original to include more indepth coverage of contemporary art.
- Newly updated bibliography and suggestions for further reading.
- Geared to the needs of the general reader and beginning students.
Features:
- Eye-catching design to attract the people
- Ideal for students and professionals alike
- Made up of premium quality material
Features:
- Flame tree publishing
- Language : english
- Print length : 128 pages
Features:
- Mint condition
- Dispatch same day for order received before 12 noon
- Guaranteed packaging
Features:
- Binding type: hardback.
- Publisher: davis publications inc.,u.s.
- Year published: 1998-01-01.
Features:
- Art in theory 1815-1900 provides the most wide-ranging and comprehensive collection of documents ever assembled on nineteenth-century theories of art. like its highly successful companion volume,…
Features:
- Binding type: paperback
- Publisher: dk
- Year published: 1997-03-15
Features:
- About the series
- Bibliotheca universalis — compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic taschen universe
$90.00
5.0
Features:
- Binding type: paperback
- Europe
- Year published: 20120216
$2.00
Features:
- Introduction
- Define art shape and form
- Various principles of organizations (composition)
Features:
- Binding : hardcover.
- Pages : 240.
- Publisher : walter foster jr.
$7.99
5.0
Features:
- Number of pages: 320
- Sub-genre: history
- Format: hardcover
1. Art Theory For Beginners [Book]
Product Details:
From paleolithic cave-painting to postmodernism, art theory for beginners/i> is a concise and entertaining survey of the major historical and current debates on art. painters, theorists and philosophers are all included to show how the idea of art has developed over the last 5,000 years. art is a visual representation of a range of concepts, stories and emotions, including curiosity, humanity, political statements, and the self. art theory for beginners examines and explains the development of the different ways in which people study, interpret and appreciate art in its rich variety of forms. art theory for beginners is a clear and entertaining introduction to the complex questions that stem from the simple idea of 'art'.
2. The End Of Art Theory [Book]
Product Details:
Art theory', understood as those forms of aesthetics, art history and criticism which began in the enlightenment and culminated in 'high modernism', is now at an end. these essays, examining the interdependencies of advertising, film, painting and photography, constitute a call for a 'new art theory' – a practice of writing whose end is to contribute to a general 'theory of representations': an understanding of the modes and means of symbolic articulation of our forms of sociality and subjectivity.
Specifications:
Publishers | Macmillan Education UK, Red Globe Press |
Product dimensions | 145 x 216 x 14mm |
Language | English |
Reviews:
All you need to know about what happened after the Enlightenment.sdmalagodi
3. Art In Theory 1900 – 2000: An Anthology Of Changing Ideas [Book]
Product Details:
Since it was first published in 1992, this book has become one of the leading anthologies of art theoretical texts in the english-speaking world. this expanded edition includes the fruits of recent research, involving a considerable amount of newly-translated material from the entire period, together with additional texts from the last decades of the twentieth century. the features that made the first edition so successful have been retained: the volume provides comprehensive representation of the theories which underpinned developments in the visual arts during the twentieth century. as well as writings by artists, the anthology includes texts by critics, philosophers, politicians, and literary figures. the content is clearly structured into eight broadly chronological sections, starting with the legacy of symbolism and concluding with contemporary debates about the postmodern. the editors provide individual introductions to each of the 371 anthologized texts. material new to this expanded edition includes texts on african art, on the bauhaus and on the re-emergent avant-gardes of the period after the second world war. post-modernist debates are amplified by texts on gender, on installation and performance art, and on the increasing globalization of culture.
Specifications:
Weight | 2.39 lb |
Reviews:
This is very interesting. but again. You are probably buying this for class, no? Find the cheapest one and buy it.offsetsmith
Disappointing after paying what i did for this book for it to arrive damaged in two arrears.chanellechristel
4. The Methodologies Of Art: An Introduction [Book]
Product Details:
Since the nineteenth century, when art history became an established academic discipline, works of art have been “read” in a variety of ways. these different ways of describing and interpreting art are the methodologies of artistic analysis, the divining rods of meaning. regardless of a work's perceived difficulty, an art object is, in theory, complex. every work of art is an expression of its culture (time and place) and its maker (the artist) and is dependent on its media (what it's made of). the methodologies discussed here—formal analysis, iconology and iconography, marxism, feminism, biography and autobiography, psychoanalysis, structuralism, race and gender—reflect the multiplicity of meanings in an artistic image. the second edition includes nineteen new images, new sections on race, gender, orientalism, and colonialism, and a new epilogue that analyzes a single painting to illustrate the different methodological viewpoints.
Reviews:
Ett måste för konstvetarenBillie
5. The Metropolitan Museum Of Art: Masterpiece Paintings [Book]
Product Details:
In line with best-selling the louvre: all the paintings, and rizzoli's successful the hermitage collections and the barnes foundation: masterworks, this title offers an exquisite tour, unique in its lavish illustration, scholarship, extent, and graceful packaging. as the first large survey published in 30 years, and the first large general survey of the met's paintings collection it is the first to celebrate the greatest and most iconic paintings of one of the largest, most important, and most beloved museums in the world. this impressive book’s broad sweep of material, all from a single museum, makes it at once a universal history of painting and the ideal introduction to the iconic masterworks of this world-renowned institution. lavish color illustrations and details of 500 masterpieces, created over 5,000 years in cultures across the globe, are presented chronologically from the dawn of civilization to the present. these works represent a grand tour of painting from ancient egypt and classical antiquity and prized byzantine and medieval altarpieces, to paintings from asia, india, africa, and the americas and the greatest european and north american masters. this unprecedented book includes an introduction and illuminating texts about each artwork written by kathryn calley galitz, whose experience as both a curator and educator at the met makes her uniquely qualified. european and american artists include duccio, el greco, raphael, titian, botticelli, bronzino, caravaggio, turner, velázquez, goya, rubens, rembrandt, brueghel, vermeer, david, renoir, monet, van gogh, gauguin, cézanne, degas, sargent, homer, matisse, picasso, pollock, and warhol. for those wishing to experience the met’s unparalleled collection or to study masterpieces of painting from throughout history, this important volume is sure to become a classic cherished by art lovers around the world. iconic works in the met include: sargent's madame x, velazquez juan de pareja, brueghel the harvesters, van gogh cypresses; rembrandt aristotle and bust of homer; pollock autumn rhythm; emanuel leutz george washington crossing the delaware; el greco view of toledo; caravaggio musicians; vermeer young woman with water pitcher; monet water lilies; picasso seated harlequin.
Reviews:
Rfrence du Met de New York il vaut mieux le faire expdier en France que l'acheter sur place vu le poids et l'encombrement. Photos grand format et qualit du papier, textes anglais de bon niveau. Et 20% moins cher que sur place. Incontournable pour qui a aim les uvres du muse.cephalon.2007
Wonderful purchase and exceptional piecesabrina26.2
6. Modern Art [Book]
Product Details:
Most art historians agree that the modern art adventure first developed in the 1860s in paris. they turned to everyday street life for subjects, instead of overblown heroic scenes, and they escaped the power of the salon by organizing their own independent exhibitions. – after this first assault on the artistic establishment, there was no holding back. in a constant desire to challenge, innovate, and inspire, one modernist style supplanted the next: symbolism, expressionism, futurism, dada, abstract art, renewed realism, surrealism, abstract expressionism, pop, minimal and conceptual practice. – this indispensable overview traces the restless energy of modern art with a year-by-year succession of the groundbreaking artworks that shook standards and broke down barriers. introductory essays outline the most significant and influential movements alongside explanatory texts for each major work and its artist. – about the series – bibliotheca universalis — compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic taschen universe!
Reviews:
Great condition and information 👏customer
Great Book but print is way too small because this is a miniarurized version of the original book .artagraphix
7. The Art Of Perspective: The Ultimate Guide For Artists In Every Medium [Book]
Product Details:
Everything you need to know to put your drawings and paintings into perspective! if the concept of perspective makes you think of confusing angles, fancy measuring gadgets and complicated theories, get ready for a very pleasant surprise. forget everything you think you know (or don't know) about perspective. this book builds an easy-to-follow, ground-up understanding of how to turn a flat painting or drawing surface into a living, breathing, dimensional scene that lures viewers in. no matter how you look at it, it's the ultimate guide to perspective for artists of every medium and skill level.
Reviews:
A classic art instruction book. Clear explanation about basic and more advanced techniques.l. w.
Its just what I wanted to further develop my skills from my class!merlynpi
8. Art Fundamentals: Theory In Practice: How To Critique Your Art For Better Results [Book]
Product Details:
Unlike being in class or in an enthusiast's group, creating alone means critiquing alone. there is so much information available demonstrating where you might be going wrong, yet assessing your own work still feels overwhelming. this follow-up title to the bestselling art fundamentals (2nd ed.) provides the knowledge, framework, and solutions needed to critique and improve your own work. the previous book covered shape and light, color, perspective and depth, composition, and anatomy. art fundamentals: theory in practice, equips you to assess how well you have executed the fundamentals, identify problems, and solve them. experts reveal how the fundamentals can go wrong and how to spot problems in one's own work. they not only explain how to improve, but also how to assess if the revised version is a true refinement. to improve beyond the fundamentals and take your art to the next level, subjects such as infusing your work with emotion, mood, and storytelling are explored. case studies show professional artists critiquing their own work. this is a book to keep by your side while drawing and painting, allowing you to continually critique, fix, and improve your skills and take your art to the next level.
9. Art Theory: An Historical Introduction [Book]
Product Details:
Art theory art theory “[art theory] is a first-class introduction to the subject, revealing an unusual historical range, a command of diverse and often difficult ideas, and a natural flair for seeing the point – of art and of theory… robert williams has written a book i will keep on my shelf for rereading and i look forward to further works by him.” john haldane in the art book art theory, second edition is a unique survey of western thought about art from ancient times to today. this lucid and lively narrative, geared to the needs of the general reader and beginning students, consists of six chapters covering the major periods of western art history: antiquity and the middle ages, the early modern period (renaissance and baroque), the enlightenment, the nineteenth century, early twentieth-century modernism, and postmodernism. this new edition expands the original to include more in-depth coverage of contemporary art. wide-ranging and exceptionally balanced in its analysis, art theory relates theory to the practice as well as to the intellectual and cultural-historical currents of each period. this new edition is an indispensable read for students and art lovers alike.
Specifications:
Reviews:
Good book on art theory, needed it for a class on art criticism, Was very informative and useful. Great book!bigbrd38
10. The Complete Book Of Drawing: Essential Skills For Every Artist [Book]
Product Details:
What does an artist need to know about drawing? and what has to be mastered in order to achieve the drawings you want? in this book barrington barber shows you, offering advice and tips as he takes you through the various stages. from object drawing and still-life composition, the natural world and portraiture, to looking at form and shape, and assessing styles and techniques, the complete book of drawing is a distillation of the many skills that the aspiring artist needs to develop. after training as a graphic designer, barrington barber went into advertising, working for top agencies such as ogilvy & mather, before progressing to freelance design and producing illustrations for a range of books and magazines. he taught art for many years, and now enjoys a successful career as a fine artist. he has written and illustrated a wide range of best-selling instructive art books, which to date have sold 4 million copies around the world. as barrington barber knows from his many years of both teaching and practising art, it is crucial for you as an individual to find your own style and way of doing things. and, uniquely among practical art books, this is what the complete book of drawing provides, by revealing new possibilities and enabling you to look at the world around you with fresh eyes.
Specifications:
Reviews:
This is a good book it shows drawing from the basic and slowly build's you up. A the moment I am going slow, I find it show you to look at objects with more detail I find myself looking at some objects and thinking how I would start to draw them with out thinking. I am enjoying this book very mush thank you. I have no bad comments about it at this time, I like the drawing guide very helpful and the write up is good not over powering to read, with the writing and the drawing they complement one another.ukbbob
Good book with lots of contentReviewed by Lowplex Books custom
11. Gustave Doré Masterpieces Of Art [Book]
Product Details:
This sumptuous new introduction to the artist focuses on these illustrations, first introducing you to his life, work and the rich seam of illustration history that he continued and ignited, from blake and fuseli to today’s newspaper comics, before presenting a carefully curated thematic selection of his finest and most important engravings. from his vision of jacob wrestling with the angel to crossing the river styx, the work of this most prodigious and much borrowed-from artist is represented in glorious full-page reproductions.
Specifications:
Imprint | Flame Tree Illustrated |
Pub date | 15 Apr 2019 |
DEWEY edition | 23 |
Language | English |
Spine width | 19mm |
Reviews:
Comme décrit, super livre, neuf bien emballé !
12. The Art Of Peace [Book]
Product Details:
New york times bestsellerthese inspirational teachings show that the real way of the warrior is based on compassion, wisdom, fearlessness, and love of nature. drawn from the talks and writings of morihei ueshiba, founder of the popular japanese martial art known as aikido, the art of peace, presented here in a pocket-sized edition, offers a nonviolent way to victory and a convincing counterpoint to such classics as musashi's book of five rings and sun tzu's art of war.
Specifications:
Reviews:
Excellent book. I keep it with me and read it again when Needed. Very uplifting.LYNN
13. Discovering Art History [Book]
Product Details:
This new edition of discovering art history is an in-depth, comprehensive approach to art. the program includes an extensive survey of western art, studies of non-western art, as well as an introduction to art appreciation. engaging studio activities throughout the text are keyed to chapter content. this premier art history program will show students how the visual arts serve to shape and reflect ideas, issues, and themes from the time of the first cave paintings to the twenty-first century. the student book includes: in-depth profiles of artists, artistic periods, and movements vibrant maps, timelines, and diagrams student profiles for peer comparison of studio exercises
Specifications:
Language | English |
Release Date | January 2006 |
Length | 638 Pages |
Age Range | 8 to 12 years |
Grade Range | Grades 3 to 7 |
Reviews:
14. Art In Theory: 1815-1900 An Anthology Of Changing Ideas, By Harrison
Product Details:
Art in theory 1815-1900 provides the most wide-ranging and comprehensive collection of documents ever assembled on nineteenth-century theories of art. like its highly successful companion volume, art in theory 1900-1990, also edited by charles harrison and paul wood, its primary aim is to provide students and teachers with the documentary material for informed and up-to-date study. its 260 texts, clear organization and considerable editorial content in this anthology furnish a vivid and indispensable introduction to the history of the art of the period. the anthology is also invaluable to anyone interested in the wider cultural debates of the nineteenth century, and in the development of modern aesthetic theories. harrison, wood and gaiger collect writings by artists, critics, philosophers and literary figures, some reprinted in their entirety, others excerpted from longer works. among the major themes treated are concepts of genius and originality, modes of landscape painting, approaches to realism, the question of modernity and debates over impressionism, theories of optics and color, the aesthetics of photography, and the rise of photography. each section is prefaced by an essay that situates the ideas of the period in their historical context, while relating theoretical concerns and debates to developments in the practice of art. each text is briefly introduced by an outline giving the circumstances of its original appearance and indicating its relevance to the development of modern artistic theory. an extensive bibliography is also provided.
Specifications:
Dimensions | 171 x 248 x 54mm | 2,188g |
Imprint | Blackwell Publishers |
Publication City/Country | Oxford, United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Illustrations note | 0 |
15. The Story Of Painting [Book]
Product Details:
From the byzantine era to post-modernism, from giotto to hockney and beyond, "sister wendy's story of painting" is an in-depth look at 800 years of western art. more than 750 full-color photographs and supporting illustrations, documents, and drawings pertaining to the artists and their times bring the art to life. more than 450 masterpieces — all faithfully reproduced in superb full color — chronicle the developments and movements in painting over the past 800 years, from gothic to renaissance, romanticism to impressionism, post-impressionism to modernism.each movement is introduced by visual timelines that provide an instant overview of the important artists and paintings of that era. sister wendy beckett analyzes more than 30 of the world's most famous paintings in- depth, including botticelli's 'the birth of venus, ' rembrandt's 'the jewish bride, ' monet's 'the waterlily pond, ' and van gogh's 'self-portrait.' using enlarged details of the paintings, hidden meanings and symbolism are reveal and painting techniques explained.
Specifications:
Illustrator | Copiously illustrated |
Binding | Hardcover |
Place of Publication | New York |
Date Published | 1997 |
Reviews:
16. Gustav Klimt: Drawings & Paintings [Book]
Product Details:
Specifications:
Imprint | Taschen |
Pub date | 20 May 2018 |
DEWEY edition | 23 |
Language | English |
Spine width | 46mm |
Reviews:
Very interesting book. Just love looking at it. Love reading it.wayne*coychurch
17. Art Fundamentals: Theory And Practice [Book]
Product Details:
The original textbook that set the standard for art foundations courses across the country, art fundamentals has guided generations of students through both the essential elements of art and the rich and varied history of their uses. our intent is to stimulate without locking students into a restricted mind-set or mechanical copying of ideas.
Reviews:
This hard to find book available NEW and reasonably priced. Made the perfect gift!!entspecialistsnwpa
18. Art Theory [Book]
Product Details:
Art theory has great prominence since bygone era. many people are fond of art and in fact artists are taking the art form to portray their views on any particular situation, trend, or a topic. the art theory was refined in the twentieth century by adding many other art forms. this visual language has huge demand since ages. people are exhibiting interest in buying these arts by shelling out astronomical prices. every remarkable art piece has something portrayed in-depth. art theory accentuates the concepts of modern and contemporary art practices. with the increase in demand for art theory, the educational institutions and universities have introduced this as one of the courses in their colleges. as part of this art theory, people, especially artists, designers, and craftspeople will get to study and interpret art in various forms and will learn how to generate ideas to project their artistic work. the art theory will teach about the society, history, culture, traditions, and social structure.read out this book to get a clear cut idea about the following concepts.introductiondefine art shape and formvarious principles of organizations (composition)structural elementsphotographsexplain the visual language of moving objects aka film
Specifications:
Narrator | Andrea Giordani |
Length | 41 minutes |
Language | English |
Published on | April 14, 2016 |
19. The Complete Beginner's Guide To Drawing: More Than 200 Drawing Techniques, Tips & Lessons [Book]
Product Details:
The complete beginner's guide to drawing contains more than 200 drawing techniques, tips, and lessons for budding artists looking for a variety of subjects to practice drawing.the complete beginner's guide to drawing is a comprehensive hardcover guide to drawing a vast array of subjects, from landscapes and flowers to animals and portraits. this helpful resource begins with a thorough introduction to the essential tools and materials you need to get started, including different types of pencils, sketchbooks, papers, and other tools. then learn the fundamentals of drawing, as well as a variety of drawing techniques, including rendering realistic textures, creating volume, and capturing perspective. the complete beginner's guide to drawing guides beginning and intermediate artists through a series of easy-to-follow, step-by-step projects covering a variety of subjects, including:flowerslandscapeswild animalscatsdogshorsespeoplehuman bodieschildrenstill lifeswith helpful tips and easy-to-follow, step-by-step lessons,the complete beginner's guide to drawing is the perfect resource for beginning artists who want to improve their drawing skills. the complete beginner’s guide series provides a comprehensive guide to drawing a vast array of subjects, from landscapes and flowers to animals and poses. artists will learn the fundamentals of drawing, as well as a variety of techniques, including rendering realistic textures, capturing perspective, and creating dynamic portraits and compositions. with helpful tips and step-by-step artwork to inspire, the complete beginner’s guide series is the perfect resource for practiced beginning to intermediate artists looking to hone their drawing skills and techniques.
Reviews:
20. 100 Works Of Art That Will Define Our Age [Book]
Product Details:
Bold and engaging predictions of which artists and artworks from the past two decades will endure through their power to question, provoke, and inspirejust as picasso’s guernica or gericault’s raft of the medusa survive as powerful cultural documents of their time, there will be works from our own era that will endure for generations to come. kelly grovier curates a compelling list of one hundred paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, performances, and video pieces that have made the greatest impact from 1989 to the present. the global cast includes marina abramovic , matthew barney, christian boltanski, louise bourgeois, maurizio cattelan, marlene dumas, olafur eliasson, andreas gursky, cristina iglesias, on kawara, jeff koons, ernesto neto, gerhard richter, pipilotti rist, kara walker, and ai weiwei. many of the pieces reflect the cultural upheavals of recent times, from the collapse of the berlin wall to the blossoming of the arab spring. a daring yet convincing analysis of which artworks best capture the zeitgeist of our time, grovier’s list also provides a much-needed map through the landscape of contemporary art.
Specifications:
Imprint | Thames and Hudson |
Pub date | 23 Sep 2013 |
DEWEY edition | 23 |
Language | English |
Spine width | 32mm |
Reviews:
Really great book, in depth information and good images.emmercaroline