The best drawing books

Best exercises

Publisher: Souvenir Press Ltd, 2008
ISBN-10: 0285638386

Some of the best drawing books have been used for decades. This was compiled by Kimon Nicolaides' students in 1941 based on his teaching. He developed a system concentrating on the key concepts of contour, gesture, weight and structure, with 64 exercises to be completed over a year. It's well illustrated with examples from Old Masters and student works.

Best drawing book for beginners

Publisher: North Light Books, 1990
ISBN-10: 0891343377

Having illustrated more than 70 children's titles, Bert Dodson is very much an expert. He also knows how to explain drawing in plain language. In a complete drawing system comprising 55, we learn how to free hand action and control it and how to restore, focus, map, and intensify. Plus we get lots of exercises for practice.

Best for core fundamentals

Publisher: 3dtotal Publishing, 2013
ISBN-10: 190941400X

This is one of the best drawing books we've found covering the broad fundamentals. Compiled by experienced artists in the games and film industries, it provides clear overviews of fundamentals like the rule of thirds, rule of odds, Golden Triangle, and Divine Proportions. The book also explores the power of storytelling.

Best drawing book for portraits

Publisher: 3dtotal, 2021
ISBN-10: 1912843390

Artists of any level will find useful nuggets in this comprehensive book on portraits. It covers all bases, from using references, planning and sketching to in-depth tutorials on full portraits. Content is clear and detailed, breaking down topics into manageable chunks, so if you want to focus on tattoos, scars or jewellery, you can.

Best for character design

Publisher: Impact Books, 2019
ISBN-10: 144030081X

Drawing characters can be difficult, but this beginner-friendly drawing book by children’s illustrator Beverly Johnson shows how it’s done. There are chapters on shape, facial expressions, body language, interactions and more. It explores character design from every angle and finds refreshing approaches. We found the exercises offered plenty of practice to help develop new skills.

Best for all ages

Publisher: LOM ART, 2022
ISBN-10: 1912785722

This is one of the best drawing books we've come across for beginners, especially for families. It aims to make learning to draw easy by building up from very basic shapes. It will be a little too basic for some people with more experience, but we found it provides a fun, accessible introduction and makes practice fun for all.

Best drawing book for fantasy

Publisher: 3dtotal, 2020
ISBN-10: 978-1-909414-87-7

If you're interested in drawing fantasy creatures, this features work by 50 artists. Each offers tips on techniques and concepts. The book shows work in all stages, mostly in black and white, occasionally in full colour. This isn't a 'how to' book but more a source of inspiration and ideas. See our full Sketching from the Imagination review.

Best for life drawing

Publisher: Search Press, 2013
ISBN-10: 1782217533

The best drawing book for life drawing provides great insights over almost 100 pages filled with step-by-step drawings and helpful analysis on methods, tone, line, shade and position. Although it's described as a beginner's guide, there's not as much guidance as some beginners might like on things like proportion and anatomical shapes. For more titles, see the best figure drawing books.

Best for head and hands

Publisher: Titan Books, 2011
ISBN-10: 9780857680976

Hands and heads can be the most difficult part of drawing people. Happily, this drawing book by the great commercial illustrator Andrew Loomis deals specifically with these challenges. Explanations are detailed and engaging, and his systematic approach helps us understand the principles behind realistic portraits.

Good for portraits

Publisher: Rockport Publishers, 2018
ISBN-10: 1631594699

This may be one of the best drawing books for portrait skills. The artist Miss Led (Joanna Henly) breaks down the process into manageable, easy-to-understand stages. Aimed at beginners and experienced artists alike, it provides a solid introduction to portrait techniques, exploring topics such as expressions and facial structure. 

Best for gestures

Publisher: Focal Press, 2009
ISBN-10: 0240810961

Once you've learned to draw still figures, you'll want to bring your drawing to life by capturing gestures. This is one of the best drawing books for that, based on a legendary series of lectures by long-time Disney animator Walt Stanchfield. It shows how to add emotions, life and action to your drawings.

Best drawing book on creativity

Publisher: TarcherPerigee, 2012
ISBN-10: 1585429201

Technique is one thing, but to be great at drawing, you need to unleash your creativity. This revised 4th edition of one of the best drawing books in history aims to help there. Betty Edwards delivers a lot of interesting concepts and teaches how to see differently. This revised version includes research on the brain's plasticity and the value of learning new skills.

Best for comic art

Publisher: Atria Books, 1984
ISBN-10: 0671530771

Marvel is the biggest name in comics, and no list of the best drawing books is complete without this manual from Stan Lee and John Buscema. As well as figure drawing, it teaches lessons on composition, shot selection, perspective, character dynamics and more. There are newer, more in-depth books, but we find this book's lavish, full-colour illustrations a real joy.

Great for character design

Publisher: Design Studio Press, 2017
ISBN-10: 1624650341

Part of learning how to draw is having confidence in your work. Here Stephen Silver, the artist behind character design in shows like Kim Possible, offers guidance, encouragement, and inspiration. You'll also find easy-to-follow tutorials. We think Silver's book is one of the best drawing books on character design.

Best for human figures

Publisher: TarcherPerigee, 1982
ISBN-10: 9780399507915

Last on our list of the best drawing books, this classic is packed with helpful advice. Jack Hamm's approach is simpler than that of Andrew Loomis, and this contains hundreds of illustrations and step-by-step tips that can help even beginners draw more confidently. Some drawings may look a little dated (particularly the hairstyles!), but we find that adds to the charm.