45: Some of My Favorite Books For Creative Inspiration
Featuring everything from a family heirloom and scenes of city and nature to cats, colors, and things carried.
I have so many books, but I don’t actually read that much. I mean, I’m always reading—online news, posts here on Substack, magazines—but finding the time to sit down and finish a novel or biography is rare for me. I seem to use all that time for drawing and writing in my sketchbooks instead. Recently I read The Guest by Emma Cline and loved it. I immediately went out to get another book by her, but as soon as I opened the second book, I got distracted. I’ll come back to it eventually, but I’m starting to think my attention span comes in short bursts.
I’m much better at reading and looking through books that are visually inspiring and motivate me to keep drawing and creating. Books I can pick up for five minutes at a time. I have so many of these—piles of coffee-table books, illustrated books, photography books, children’s books I wouldn’t dare part with even though my kids have outgrown them, and quirky books filled with collections of old typefaces, patterns, and color combinations. Some are one-of-a kind or limited edition. One is a diary from the late 1800’s that I discovered on the shelves at our families house in Springs, NY. There are some that I open regularly, and I thought I would share a selection with you. Though a few are harder to find, most you can seek out, and maybe you’ll find some inspiration in them too.
In the City: Drawings by Nigel Peake and In the Wilds: Drawings by Nigel Peake
Nigel Peake’s drawings have been a favorite of mine for years. His lines and patterns are simple yet expressive. Drawing from his childhood, nature, and architecture, Peake creates line work and abstract patterns that are both familiar and fresh. I turn to these books often for inspiration. When I first began drawing regularly in a sketchbook, I wasn’t confident in drawing actual things as much as patterns and letters, so I really relate and feel a connection to Peake’s work.
The City Out My Window by Matteo Pericoli
This book is a whimsical collection of black-and-white line drawings of window views of famous New Yorkers. Pericoli pairs each drawing with personal stories, offering a glimpse into how people connect with the city outside their windows. The views may be outdated, but I love seeing what people like Nora Ephron and Stephen Colbert saw from their windows and reading their corresponding thoughts about life in the city.
In and Out of the Garden by Sara Midda
I’ve been a fan of Sara Midda for a long time and wish these books were still in print. Her delicate watercolor drawings, combined with words that act more like texture, create an experience meant to be felt rather than read. The writing is so tiny, it is really hard to read. But as in my work, the words aren’t meant to be read by the viewer; they are more of a visual element. If you find a used copy, it’s worth holding onto for its subtle beauty.
Central Park New York by Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao
This collection of black-and-white photographs is one of my favorites, capturing the essence of Central Park. Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao uses a vertical format and multiple perspectives inspired by traditional Chinese landscape paintings to show the dynamic life and landscapes of Manhattan’s “lung,” Central Park. It’s a stunning piece of art that I am so happy to have discovered. My favorite city photographed in such a classic and timeless way.
The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden
This book was a gift from a dear friend and neighbor who loved my sketchbooks, and it’s been a source of inspiration ever since. Edith Holden’s visual diary offers an authentic glimpse into history, with beautiful drawings and elegant hand lettering. It’s a reminder of how visual diaries can teach us about humanity in a genuine way. If you are a nature journal fan, this book is a must-have!
Women Holding Things by Maira Kalman
I’ve always loved Maira Kalman’s paintings and writing. I have many of her books, but this one, her latest, is my current favorite. It’s a collection of paintings and words about the many things women hold—from moods and dreams to groceries and newborns. It’s a beautiful and thoughtful reflection on the burdens and joys women carry.
A Dictionary of Color Combinations by Seigensha Art Publishing
This small book is a gem for any creative. It’s full of inspiring color combinations that are perfect for sparking new ideas. It’s also a great-looking little book to have on your shelves!
Yuko Higuchi’s Cats & Other Creatures
This little book always makes me happy. Created by Japanese illustrator Yuko Higuchi, it’s full of whimsical and fun characters. I discovered it at Blick on Broadway, and it never fails to bring a smile. The pages, I think, are meant to be used as postcards, but I wouldn’t dare pull the collection apart.
Maija Isola: Art, Fabric, Marimekko
I bought this book in 2014 in San Francisco, and it has remained a bedside favorite ever since. Though it seems to be a rare find now, it holds a special place in my heart. My sister and I grew up with bright red flowered sheets designed by Maija Isola, so her patterns evoke a deep sense of nostalgia for me. This book beautifully shares the full history of Isola’s career, showcasing all of her iconic patterns, along with the sketches and drawings that preceded them.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
I love this book for many reasons, but the first is that you can pick it up and open to any page to find inspiration. It is full of motivation and provides clarity to the roller coaster that is the creative process. Rick Rubin has a way with words, and with just a few, he can get you to make your art, music, writing, etc, and enjoy the process.
Nutshell Library Mini Book Set by Maurice Sendak
Just because they are classic, adorable, small, filled with Sendak’s illustrations and quirky stories, and fit into a little box. An all-my-life love for these little books. I wish I had added this set to the top of my illustration above, but I remembered it too late!
Auntie Theresa’s Mother’s Diary
I found this diary on the bookshelves in the country/beach house my father-in-law inherited from a relative. It’s the house we visit year-round in an area called Springs in East Hampton, NY. The diary was camouflaged among shelves filled with old books. When I pulled it out and realized what it was, my jaw dropped. I sat for hours in awe and wonder, delicately flipping through the pages. The entries date from around 1887 to 1907 (though not all are dated). The first page reads: “This is intended as a record of little Theresa’s life written by her Mamma for her own instruction and pleasure, and doubtless it will be interesting in after-years to the little girlie herself.”
This diary is a bit of an outlier, but I had to include it. I keep it in an archival box, and each time I pull it out, the spine crumbles a little more. It’s a cherished family heirloom, capturing a mother’s love and devotion in every page. It continues to inspire me, both as a touching record of a life long past and as a beautiful example of diary-keeping.
A little while back I made another list of favorite books to inspire creativity for the Shepherd book blog, and there are a few different titles on that list. Read here.
Do you have favorite books like these in your life that you would never part with? I would love to know about them, and I know others reading would as well. Please share!
It is fitting that I can share this class on this particular post.
Sketch and Paint a Stack of Books with Derwent - REPLAY!
In this FREE one-hour class, we plan, sketch, and paint a stack of books. We cover two-point perspective, line, color, and how to simplify your lines to create a beautiful and easy-to-follow project that you can re-create over and over again. Click here to watch.
My new Skillshare class, The Business of Drawing: From Hand to Screen, is live and ready to watch. This class focuses on the business side of my art practice, a topic I rarely discuss with my audience. Here I’m excited to share personal stories of how I grew my business, and practical advice on bringing your handmade, analog artwork to life on screen and in print. You can take the class with a free trial, and if you submit a project to the project gallery before September 1, you will be in the running to win a free one-year subscription to Skillshare.
Note to paid subscribers: A meetup will be scheduled before I leave for Italy on September 12th. Stay tuned for an invitation shared in the chat.
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Most of my Skillshare classes feature my favorite Caran d’Ache art supplies. My relationship with the US distributor, Creative Art Materials, started back when I wrote Draw Your Day in 2018, and they saw how heavily I featured their art tools—many that I have been using since I was in grade school. Click here to find some my favorites on the Orange Art website.
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I just treated myself to The Work of Art, a new book full of interviews with contemporary artists working in many genres, from Sondheim to Kara Walker to Twyla Tharp. Every interview focuses on the practice of making art. A fabulous book ( plenty of photos of journals, notes, sketches) that I will be diving into again and again.
Thank you for all of these new recs! Anything by Lynda Barry gets me to stop thinking about myself and to start making marks on a page. I have used her exercises with my students (who typically have no interest in art and are convinced they cannot draw) to great success. It was her books that gave me the courage to start sketching, to stop criticizing my page and practice true*observation*.