Question about art books

Someone asked me about art books and which ones I thought were worth getting. I think that really depends on what kind of art you like to do and what level of experience you have. The How-To books are great if you are a newbie to it all. A lot of the books that come out today are full of techniques and how to do them.

If you are a member of any art-related Yahoo group, then that would be a great place to ask that question. They will also tell you which books they think are not worth getting.

I also like to read the reviews on Amazon. The initial ones are usually positive because I think friends or relatives of the author are plugging the book. As the list of reviews get longer, I get a better feel for the book.

I do a lot of collage so I have all the Joseph Cornell books. I also like found art so I have the Candy Jernigan book. If do collage, then I recommend the booklet put out by Jonathan Talbot on Collage without liquid adhesives. It is great because I can layout my collage and be able to adhere it without taking the layers off to glue it down.
http://jonathantalbot.com/

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is a good one for people who cannot draw like me.

If you are into ATCs, then a good book is Artist Trading Cards by Somerset Studio.

Artists' Journal and Sketchbook by Lynne Perrella - great eye candy

the simple secret to better painting by Greg Albert. I am big on composition.

Collage Discovery Workshop (first and second book) by Claudine Hellmuth. Even though I do not do poppets, she has some good techniques in the book.

Crafting Personal Shrines by Carol Owen - I do cigar box shrines and books shrines

Books Unbound - Michael Jacobs - I do basic bookbinding since I am a teacher

The Complete Guide to Altered Imagery by Karen Michel - great book with little tips, great eye candy. She also has an artist's statement in the back of the book? Do you have one? Mine is on my website.

Metal Craft Discovery Workshop by Linda and Opie O'Brien - must have for anyone who works with metal. I love metal - especially found objects.

Simple Printmaking by Gwen Diehn

The Artist's Guide to Perspective by Janet Shearer. As I said before, I am big on composition.

Celebrate Your Creative Self by Mary Todd Beam - great book to get your creative juices going and some fun techniques.

alphabetica by Lynne Perrella is great eye candy

The Art of Fabric Books by Jan Bode Smiley is a good book for fabric artists

The Decorated Page by Gwen Diehn for art journaling

True Colors by Somerset

Visual Chronicles by Linda Woods and Karen Dinino for journaling

Collage Unleashed by Traci Bautista

Magazines? I am a zinester and love reading other people's zines. I am part of a Yahoo group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheGleanerZine/
The zine itself is one of my favorites. They also have a quarterly mini zine swap. Love getting my package of zines. I get Somerset but am not in love with it. The art is too mainstream and popular for me. It seems that a lot of the same thing is coming up issue after issue. My favorite magazine now is Cloth Paper Scissors. I also like Photoshop Creative from the UK.

That's about it. Hope that helps you spend some more money and raise stock on reading glasses.