Post your favourite art book

[cat]

As Misj' did again make me order an art book, I thought it would be nice to have a list of art books and opinions about them. Please make sure to add either a link to a shop or the ISBN so we can find it. Also, please just don't list all the books you have but tell us what you like or dislike about the book.

I'll start with two books:

Creating Characters with Personality by Tom Bancroft
ISBN-13: 978-0823023493
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creating-Characters-Personality-Animation-Graphic/dp/0823023494

This book is fantastic, because it does not only focus on drawing, but it helps to give your characters different personalities and looks. There is a project that spans the whole book so you can see the different steps of character creation. I found it very helpful when working on my current game.

The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard E. Williams
ISBN-13: 978-0571202287 (this seems to be a newer version than I have)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Animators-Survival-Richard-Williams/dp/0571238343

The bible for animation. This book starts with the history of animation, gives great insight about the background and production of animation and is full of drawings and examples. There is a huge section about walkcycles and it also teaches basics like timing and tweening, choosing keyframes, etc... The only drawback is that there is hardly anything about front and back walkcycles.

[Ponch]

Dynamic Anatomy by Burne Hogarth
ISBN-10: 0823015513
http://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Anatomy-Practical-Art-Books/dp/0823015513
I have several books by the guy, and I've referenced them so often that they're practically falling apart (not that you'd know it from how I draw people in Barn Runner). This guy is fantastic.


How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way by John Buscema and some guy who's not an artist
ISBN-10: 0671530771
http://www.amazon.com/How-Draw-Comics-The-Marvel/dp/0671530771

I received this as a gift the year it came out and I thought it was the greatest thing ever. I was twelve, and didn't know any better. But all these years later, a lot of my art books have been loaned out (and kept) or lost in a move, but my ratty old copy of this book is still here and still oddly special to me. I like to thumb through it every now and then, and bask in the nostalgia rays.

[Anian]

How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way by John Buscema and some guy who's not an artist
ISBN-10: 0671530771
http://www.amazon.com/How-Draw-Comics-The-Marvel/dp/0671530771

+1 on this book. People starting out with drawing could really use this, it covers pretty much all the basic concepts (though not going into detail) from shading, perspective, anatomy, to how to set up a comic page and inking. Btw the other "some guy who isn't an artist" actually is a writer and is ok as an artist, by the name of Stan Lee. 
I picked this book some years ago because it was the cheapest when I was looking through books at a comic book store in the city (I think the only one in my city that's actually specialized for comics).

[Babar]

* Babar  is sad he didn't pay closer attention to the books Ponch mentioned before they disappeareded. SUSPICIOUS!

I don't think I had an actual art book when I actually started drawing stuff...what I got I got much later, and I guess it hasn't really sunk in yet

I did spruce up some skills with those little concept art things they had at the end of these graphic novels I had. Phil Norwood was VERY helpful

[Ponch]

* Babar  is sad he didn't pay closer attention to the books Ponch mentioned before they disappeareded. SUSPICIOUS!

Nothing suspicious at all. I had too many books listed. And one them had boobies on the cover. Didn't want this thread getting locked. 

Stop accusing me of sinister deeds and post some books already, Babar. 

[Ilyich]

Figure Drawing for All it's Worth by Andrew Loomis
ISBN-13: 978-0857680983
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Figure-Drawing-All-its-Worth/dp/0857680986/

This one's a classic - it's very coherent, covers most of the basics and features lots of masterful illustrations. If you want to learn how to draw the human form in a realistic way - this book is a definite must.

His other books, like Successful Drawing and Creative Illustration are very good as well, and even cover a little more ground, but tend to stray too much into the 50s-style adverts territory. Which I think is awesome in a way, but, obviously, not very handy for our modern times.

[Misj']

I looked through my bookcase...and noticed that I need more books. That being said, here's a selection of a few books that I find useful or inspiring.

A N I M A T I O N
Cat has already mentioned The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard E. Williams. But there are a few addition I would like to make:

       
Character Animation Crash Course by Eric Goldberg
Contains a lot of the same information as the survival kit, but from a different perspective (and less elaborate). This one might be a bit more towards the entry level (without being dumbed-down), but I like to have them both alongside each other.
Link: Amazon.co.uk

Drawn to Life by Walt Stanchfield
Ok, this book won't teach you to draw, and it won't teach you to animate. It will however make you a better artist. It's a collection of 20 years of lectures by Walt Stanchfield at Disney Animation, and it's a book you'll want for the wealth of information (even though the drawings are very sketchy and rough).
Link volume 1: Amazon.co.uk
Link volume 2: Amazon.co.uk

Elemental Magic: the Art of Special Effects Animation by Joseph Gilland
If any of your drawings or animations contains either of the following, you'll want to have this book: Liquid (e.g. water), Fire, Smoke, Explosions, Magic, things braking. The only other things I can add is this: you'll never look at a candle flame and smoke the same way again. And I just found out he has a second volume...which I now have to order.
Link: Amazon.co.uk

C H A R A C T E R   D E S I G N
Creating Characters with Personality by Tom Bancroft is one of my favorite books on this subject, but there are two other books that I find really inspiring and helpful:

 
Action Cartooning and Fantasy Cartooning by Ben Caldwell
Caldwell's style may not be for everyone, but personally I really like it, and these books help you think about your character's appearance. I regularly go back to these books just to be inspired.
Link Action Cartooning:    Amazon.co.uk
Link Fantasy Cartooning: Amazon.co.uk

I'll probably add some more books in the future (on different subjects).

EDIT: Oh...and maybe one of the moderators could turn this thread into a sticky...possibly in the critics lounge where we also have the paint-programs and the tutorials. I think it may be very useful for general use.

[Armageddon]

Drawing the Head and Hands by Andrew Loomis
ISBN-10: 0670283851

As mentioned above Andrew Loomis gets into 50s style adverts, but that's exactly what I needed it for. It's a very good book and explains a lot in a short time span, I'm still no good at drawing with a pencil but I can draw a pretty good head now.