90+ Art & Photography Books for Free! [PDF]

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If you’re here, you’re probably looking for art books to read and download for free. You’re in luck! On our platform, you’ll find a wide selection of works that will immerse you in the fascinating world of art.

As art enthusiasts, we understand the importance of having access to quality art books. That’s why we’ve worked hard to gather a unique collection ranging from classics to the latest artistic trends.

In our collection of art books, you’ll discover not only the beauty and technique behind the works but also the stories and cultural context surrounding them.

Furthermore, we take pride in keeping our site up-to-date, so you’ll always find new and exciting art books. Are you feeling inspired and eager to begin?

We’re confident that you’ll find a work that will captivate you and leave you wanting to learn more. Happy discovery, and enjoy this artistic adventure!

1) Acting Books

Acting Books

The term Acting is often used to refer to the staging performed by an actor (a person playing a role in theater, film, television or other media). Acting begins with the actor’s personal quest to know and understand their character, which may be fictional or based on reality.

Much of the research that has been done over time has concluded that the first manifestations of acting appear in Greece with the first actor known as Thespis. But the profession as such originated in Europe during the 16th century, specifically in Italy.

Those who act must prepare for it and there are acting schools. However, some actors and actresses do it spontaneously, using their intuition in the composition of the character. Those who make acting a professional job can become admired by the public and acquire fame and money.

2) Architecture Books

Architecture Books

It is known as Architecture the technique and the art of projecting, designing and constructing buildings, changing the habitat of the human being; and studying the good use, the aesthetics and the functionality of the spaces, being these urban or architectural.

This art emerged from the hand of the prehistoric man, during the Neolithic period. By that time, several groups of humans began to develop a sedentary way of life based on agriculture. This new way of life resulted in the construction of fixed and stable dwellings, as well as the construction of ceremonial enclosures.

But the ones who perfected the architecture were the ancient Romans and Greeks. These civilizations laid the foundations of classical architecture and made it a reference point for future centuries. It was during this period that the development of columns, arches, limestone and marble work, renovated cities and irrigation systems took place and concrete was created.

3) Books about Colors

Books about Colors

Color is a sensation produced by light rays in the visual organs and interpreted in the brain. It is a physical-chemical phenomenon where each color depends on the wavelength.

It should also be noted that there are several types of colors. More specifically, we can mention two large groups based on the thermal sensation they represent and their relationship with the environment: warm and cold.

Colors influence human psychology, which gives rise to the psychology of color, according to which red is the color of love and hate, blue is the color of harmony and fidelity and green is the color of hope and fertility.

4) Calligraphy Books

Calligraphy Books

Calligraphy is the art of writing letters beautifully and correctly. As calligraphy it is also called the set of features that characterize a person’s way of writing: “Peter’s calligraphy is terrible”.

The origin of calligraphy dates back more than 4,500 years, in China. The Chinese, in this sense, have an enormous tradition in calligraphic writing, hence the visual beauty of their writing system: the ideograms. In the West, on the other hand, calligraphy was initially based on the signs of the Latin alphabet, used by copyist monks during the Middle Ages.

There are those who claim that people, by writing and showing their calligraphy, leave traces of their personality in the letters they create. In this way, one could say that an individual is insecure or violent, for example, according to its strokes.

5) Calligraphy Exercises Books

Calligraphy Exercises Books

We live in a world where the keyboard replaced pencil and paper as the lord and master of writing. However, learning to write by hand during our first years of life represents a benefit of great value for the future, not only from an academic point of view, but also in the development of our mental and physical health.

The importance of calligraphy exercises is unquestionable. It is an essential complement to integrate the different systems and learning processes, from language, speech and the auditory system, to the development of visual perception and motor skills.

Calligraphy improves our visual recognition and learning of letters and words. Children who practice calligraphy have a higher brain activity than those who only write with the keyboard of an electronic device. In this section you will find the best calligraphy exercises.

6) Cartoon Books

Cartoon Books

Cartoon refers to a graphic satire that is developed by deforming the appearance of something or someone. It is a drawing for humorous purposes, which usually ridicules its model, because it exaggerates or simplifies the physical and facial features or the behavior or manners of the individual.

There is no single approach to this creative modality. There are artists who make caricatures of famous people and in newspapers, graphic humor uses this style to ridicule or criticize characters related to current events. In this sense, its purpose is satirical and scathing, since the drawing has a critical social intentionality.

Currently, there are many well-known cartoonists and others of great talent that are located in public places either in squares, shopping malls, among others, in order to provide their services and, in this way, the family can obtain a humorous portrait and the cartoonist can earn a living due to their great talent.

7) Cinematography Books

Cinematography Books

Cinema, better known as cinematography, is a technique and an art that consists of the capture, editing and projection of frames in a fast and successive way. The result is the illusion of a moving image.

Cinema is usually divided into a multitude of genres, according to certain characteristics and similarities between films (style, theme, intention, audience, form of production), such as animation, commercial, police, action, science fiction, romantic, documentary and experimental films, among others.

If film is your passion or you are just entering this world, we hope that our compilation of books about cinema in PDF format will introduce you even more into this interesting art that most people enjoy for being a great means of human expression.

8) Colorimetry Books

Colorimetry Books

Colorimetry is the science of color quantification, measuring the wavelength at which a specific color can be perceived by the human eye; to determine the exact wavelength at which the desired color is observed, the spectral color curve is needed as a reference.

Colorimetry is not only useful for questions related to the scientific field but also for other areas that can benefit from it, such as makeup or photography, having multiple uses.

Colorimetry is based mainly on color harmonies, these are divided mainly into two groups, warm and cold, and within these in four more according to the seasons of the year. The seasons of between seasons or transition correspond to the warm harmonies, in this case, spring and autumn; while summer and winter belong to the cold ones.

9) Coloring Books

Coloring Books

The coloring books we offer on our site are not only for children, but there are books for all ages, so that everyone can have fun. We offer you a wide variety so that you can choose the ones you like best.

Books tell wonderful stories, with the difference that you can intervene, but adding color to what they tell us. They are also very helpful in the learning process because they activate the mind for creative thinking.

10) Creativity Books

Creativity Books

Creativity, also called original thinking, creative thinking, inventiveness, constructive imagination or divergent thinking, is the ability to create, innovate, generate new ideas or concepts, or new associations between known ideas and concepts, which usually lead to new conclusions. , solve problems and produce original and valuable solutions.

Creativity is typical of human cognition, and it is what differentiates it from forms of artificial intelligence. It is present to varying degrees in numerous personality forms (called creative personality) and is found in a pure and free state during childhood, the greatest example of which is the games of the imagination.

There is no age limit to encourage creativity, but it can increase its development at any time in life.

11) Dance Books

Dance Books

It is important to emphasize the fact that dance has its origin in prehistoric times, since man has always had the need to express his feelings, not only through verbal communication but also through what would be the corporal communication.

The concept of dance comes from the former French dancier. It consists of a sequence of body movements that rhythmically accompany the music. Likewise, dance is understood as a means of expression and communication.

If you are passionate about this artistic manifestation full of beauty, do not hesitate to take a look at our collection of books on dance, you will surely find a lot of value in them.

12) Diagramming Books

Diagramming Books

Diagramming is a field of design that is responsible for organizing written, visual, and in some cases audiovisual (multimedia) content in space. All of these elements can be found in printed and electronic media, such as newspapers, books, magazines, etc.

The edition incorporates principles of graphic design which, in turn, is an independent profession or present in degrees related to design, beyond being a discipline that is part of the curriculum of professions such as journalism, advertising, and some architecture courses at universities and colleges.

The intention of the text is sought to be expanded in order to facilitate its reading and under a continuous aesthetic appearance, combining typographies, colors, and composition pleasantly that generates impact.

13) Drawing Books

Drawing Books

The art and technique of sketching is what we know as Drawing. Through the action of drawing, an image is captured on a surface such as a canvas or paper, using various techniques.

On the other hand, it can also be said that Drawing is a style of graphic expression on a horizontal surface, that is, in two dimensions. Moreover, it is one of the well-known visual arts.

Drawing is a tool that allows you to express both thoughts and objects. When something cannot be expressed in words, the best option is to draw it.

Drawing can be classified in:

  • Artistic drawing: expression of the artist executed by means of various techniques and materials.
  • Technical drawing: it is used to represent things in the most precise and exact way, such as plans or topographies.

14) Drawing Exercise Books

Drawing Exercise Books

Since we were kids, we have done our best to make a drawing to gift to our parents or other special people, and for them, it was a work of art that they usually placed with pride on the refrigerator, on an album, or in a place where they usually keep things to remember.

As we grow up, drawing has not been that complicated for some people, and for others, it is instead. These problems arise due to the lack of basic skills that are usually ignored when learning to draw.

To learn to draw, you should start from the simplest, and the best way is to practice with drawing exercises, in this section you will find both techniques, practices, and activities.

15) Fashion Books

Fashion Books

The word Fashion comes from the French «mode» and the Latin «modus», and is defined as a combination of clothing, complements, accessories and adornments, based on uses, customs and tastes; used by the majority during a given period. These may set the trend, according to the duration of such period.

Fashion is very complex and variable. Over time, fashion has been changing based on preferences and progress, but it has primarily been influenced by the beauty standards set by different cultures.

Many experts say that fashion is nothing more than an attempt by man to facilitate much more, to integrate into new groups. This is because by means of appearance, an identity can be defined without the need for the real personality to intervene.

16) Furniture Design Books

Furniture Design Books

Furniture designers create designs for furniture products on mass-production or handcrafted lines. They take into account the function of a piece of furniture, its appearance and the limitations of the material (e.g. wood, metal or plastic).

The creation and design of furniture has been closely linked to the world of architecture and interior design since the early 20th century. In fact, quite a few architects of the last century combined the design of buildings with that of tables and chairs. Many of these designs still appear today in magazines and furniture catalogs.

Since then, the history of furniture design has developed into an industry of its own. Furniture designers usually work from a design given to them by the client. The designer negotiates with the client, decides the type of furniture needed, its function, the type of person who will use it and the budget available. In large companies, designers usually receive the design sketch from management or the marketing department.

17) Graphic Design Books

Graphic Design Books

Graphic Design is that profession in charge of composing images from various elements such as other images, text, effects, colors and symbols, resulting in a visual product that meets the needs of a specific audience with well-defined purposes.

Within design, and consequently, in graphic design, methodological constants intervene. These are: the problem / project / solution, the need, the user, creativity and, finally, the form-function.

A graphic designer is a specialist in the configuration of visual messages, he must understand the conventions and codes of social communication, psychology, color and the rhetoric of the image within a certain context.

18) Industrial Design Books

Industrial Design Books

Industrial design is the discipline oriented to the creation and development of industrial products (which can be mass-produced on a large scale). Like any design activity, it involves creativity and inventiveness.

Its development takes into account economic, functional, aesthetic and commercial factors and constraints. This career is closely related to decoration and architecture. It requires a critical and analytical profile to understand the real needs of people

During the career you learn about the materials with which you will later produce, about the operation of a factory, production times, possible problems in the process and how to optimize them, among other things. Its scope of application is really broad. It covers the simulation of prototypes, the design of automobiles, machinery, household appliances, furniture, everyday utilitarian objects, packaging, etc.

19) Interior Decorating Books

Interior Decorating Books

Interior decorating seeks to develop a pleasant and functional environment. To achieve this, experts analyze the surface components of the environment and work with dimensions and volume. For the realization of an interior design project, the designer has some theoretical tools that will help him in the conceptualization and development of their ideas.

These theoretical concepts can be present from the color, texture to the arrangement of furniture and accessories, through the design of the floor, walls, etc. These design principles are: balance, rhythm, proportion, scale, harmony and unity.

Among the trends that are experienced annually in the field of decoration, and that determine, as in the field of fashion, the choice of certain types of colors or styles, it should be noted that in recent times has managed to acquire great presence and demand what is called minimalist decoration.

20) Mandalas Books

Mandalas Books

Every day, mandalas are becoming better known and are catching the attention of people of all ages. What not everyone knows is that they have an interpretation according to their form and color, becoming powerful allies in meditation as in healing.

The mandala has its origin in India and its name in Sanskrit means “circle or wheel” representing its basic characteristic, although they can be of different forms incorporating all the geometric figures.

21) Music Books

Music Books

The word Music comes from the Greek «mousikē» which means “the art of the muses”, and is known as the art of giving order in a sensitive and logical way to a coherent mixture of sounds and silences, respecting the basic principles of harmony, melody and rhythm, through the intervention of complex psychological and emotional processes.

Music from its origins has been part of everyone’s life, becoming an essential element in diverse fields such as cinematography, celebrations, sports events, and therapies in diverse areas of medicine, to mention just a few.

On the other hand, music has been the source of a huge business at international level, which includes awards events in several countries.

22) Music Theory Books

Music Theory Books

Music theory is often describing how musicians and composers make music, including tuning systems and compositional methods among other topics. Due to the increasingly broad conception of what constitutes music a broader definition might be that music theory is the consideration of all sound phenomena, including silence, as they relate to music.

Identifies compositional elements such as song form, tempo, notes, chords, key signatures, intervals, scales, and more. It also recognizes musical qualities such as note, pitch, timbre, texture, dynamics, and others.

The composition is a creative process that is nourished by one’s own experience and that of others, however, the management of music theory triggers new creative processes and through its formulas allows embellishing and provides solutions to possible difficulties that arise in the process of musical creation.

23) Origami Books

Origami Books

Origami is a Japanese art with a tradition so long that it is lost in time. Although it is somewhat more complicated and can even have a spiritual character if it is proposed, origami could be defined as the folding of paper in order to achieve a figurative form.

Origami is based on folding: no scissors are used or glue is used. The key is to fold the paper in the right place, repeating the action as many times as necessary and in the required order. In specialized origami, thinner special paper is used, but its use has extended to all types of paper and folding, being also common for folding napkins.

The geometric nature of origami, in addition to being studied as a branch of mathematics, has been used as a means of storing and unfolding structure in the field of engineering.

24) Painting Books

Painting Books

Painting is defined as the art of representing graphically, by using pigments combined with other organic or synthetic elements. In painting, knowledge of color theory, painting techniques, theory of pictorial composition, and drawing are used.

Putting into practice the art of painting, consists of applying on a given surface (a canvas, a sheet of paper, a piece of wood, a wall, a piece of fabric, etc.) a specific technique, to achieve a composition of colors, shapes, textures, drawings, among others. Thus giving origin to a piece of art according to certain aesthetic principles.

Painting has been used as an artistic expression since ancient times, and is one of the seven Fine Arts.

25) Photography Books

Photography Books

What we know as Photography consists of the art and technique of achieving images that last, thanks to the action of light. This is a process that consists in projecting and capturing images, either through the technique of fixing them in a light-sensitive medium or by transforming them into electronic signals.

Nowadays, photography acts as an essential tool in the documentary or journalistic field, since it allows the capture of real images to be reproduced in digital or physical media. In this way, events that have occurred in other places and at other times can be appreciated.

There are several disciplines that make use of photography as a fundamental part of their activities, such as journalism, history, science, geography, astronomy, and various applied sciences. Indeed, thanks to the image capture process, the graphic representations of objects can be enlarged to allow their study.

26) Plastic Arts Books

Plastic Arts Books

The plastic arts are those manifestations of the human being that reflect, with plastic resources, some product of his imagination or his vision of reality. This artistic branch includes works in the fields of painting, sculpture, and architecture, among others.

This term is used in Fine Arts to differentiate the visual arts, which must be perceived by the viewer’s sight, from those that also involve the sense of hearing (music, recited text), such as the performing arts.

In the fine arts career, the student is trained in the different principles and concepts common to all artistic disciplines, as well as in the different problems inherent to artistic creation and art history.

27) Sculpture Books

Sculpture Books

Sculpture from Latin sculpere is a form of artistic expression consisting of carving, molding or sculpting a material to create a form with volume.

The sculptures can have a magical or ritual purpose. In those cases, the work goes beyond aesthetics, as it is attributed with different meanings. Nowadays, however, the sculpture is usually considered as an artistic work, without any other symbolic charge.

Come and check out our collection of books on sculpture in PDF format that we have prepared for your enjoyment and the expansion of knowledge on this interesting subject.

28) Theater Books

Theater Books

The word theater comes from Greek and means “place to contemplate”. It is an art that seeks to represent stories before an audience, combining acting, words, gestures, scenery, music and sound.

Almost all studies agree that the first traces of the origin of theater, or something similar, are found in primitive ceremonies and rituals related to hunting. Likewise, after the harvest, thanksgiving rites were performed with music, songs and dances.

A theatrical play usually has little description of the action, this is mainly focused on the dialogue between the characters. It is organized in scenes that are determined by the appearance or not of a new character. This circumstance is largely due to the fact that this type of play is written with the main purpose of being performed and the entry and exit of the actors in a particular role is of great importance.

29) Typography Books

Typography Books

Typography is the technique of writing, using different designs of letters and calligraphy, to highlight what you want to communicate. It is very useful in the field of advertising or marketing, where the visual part is essential to generate a reaction from the public.

When talking about typefaces, which are each of the existing types of letters or the pieces of the printing press used to enhance a particular letter or sign, we must emphasize the fact that they have a series of components that make up their anatomy. Thus, for example, they have a height, antlers, an arm, a tail, a certain inclination, finials, and even an ear.

An element that has allowed to increase and perfect the development of typography has been the creation of the digital world, especially computers and word processors as well as programs for working with images. All of them have contributed to the development of different models, designs, and variants of typefaces.

30) Urban Design Books

Urban Design Books

Urban design is the collaborative, multidisciplinary process of shaping the physical environment for life in cities, towns, and villages; the art of placemaking; design in an urban context.

It is not just about designing the siting and construction of buildings. It is also about managing, at a more general level, all those elements that are part of a city and that influence both the design of the city and the day-to-day life of its inhabitants. Some basic examples are parks or squares.

Urban design brings together many decisions such as environmental care, social equity, and economic viability to achieve the creation of places with unique beauty and identity. It is the fundamental element of urban planning.

31) Visual Arts Books

Visual Arts Books

The visual arts refer to a set of artistic techniques and disciplines ranging from traditional visual arts to the most innovative and unconventional trends that take advantage of the new technologies available, such as digital art, street art and others that have emerged during the twentieth century and so far in the twenty-first.

The concept and use of visual arts was born when World War II ended and was a term used mainly to name the group of arts that involved visual perception. It began to develop when artists from Europe migrated to New York creating a new artistic production with expressive freedom at the end of the 19th century.

The aspect that all expressions of the visual arts have in common is that they are expressed through vision, so they share a series of characteristics, elements and aesthetic principles. Among the criteria we can find harmony, color, composition, space, balance, light, movement, perspective…

32) Art History Books

Art History Books

The history of art is the science that studies the evolution of art through time and space, since different histories of art can be proposed depending on the time period and the geographical territory that is delimited.

The origin of the arts is uncertain and involves not only aesthetics but also the awareness of the creation of a work of art. Some art historians have defined the cradle of art in the Chauvet Cave, where the oldest cave painting discovered, dating from approximately 30,000 years ago, is found.

Knowing concepts of Art History helps people who are enthusiasts of any artistic branch to enjoy the works of art, prevailing over the fact of only seeing the artworks without delving into their meaning, time or place of creation; the greater the understanding of a particular work of art, the greater the pleasure experienced by those who contemplate it in depth, analyzing its historical context and meaning.

33) Landscaping Books

Landscaping Books

Landscaping is an art and a science that focuses on the creation and improvement of outdoor spaces, whether through planning, design, or conservation. The key to successful landscaping is combining beauty with functionality, creating areas that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical and sustainable.

On this page, you will find a selection of landscaping books that will allow you to dive into this fascinating world. From basic techniques to advanced concepts, these free books provide essential knowledge and tips so you can take your landscaping skills to the next level.

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to access a wide range of landscaping resources, specially selected to meet the needs of both beginners and experienced professionals. Explore our collection, download the books that interest you the most, and start transforming your outdoor spaces into true works of art.

Well, here ends our selection with the best books on Art and Photography. We hope you liked it and already have your next book!

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And remember that if you have a book to recommend, you can do so in the comments.