Books and Videos to help you Get Started Painting TODAY!
Color Theory and Skin Tones
When I started painting, I found it most difficult to render believable skin tones. Painting Beautiful Skin Tones with Color and Light by Chris Saper was my go to resource for learning to paint portraits. She gives the most complete and understandable explanation of color theory I've come across outside of a workshop. Tools, mediums, paints, etc.
The Illustrator's Bible by Rob Howard stood in for my painting and illustrating first and second year art school instruction. If I had gone to art school, I'm not sure all the topics in this book would have been covered in two years. Now out of print, grab yourself a copy and you won't be sorry! Drawing Skills
I quickly learned that any painting is only as good as your drawing skills. This oldie but goody, Drawing the Head and Figure by Jack Hamm, helped me learn the techniques required to render the human figure - something that comes in handy when you want to focus on pin up art! Pin Up Illustration
I'd be remiss if I didn't include my favorite resources for learning to paint pinups. Unfortunately, there weren't many how to resources out there when I started. I had to comb through volumes of books about the old masters of pinup before finding this gem: Varga, the Esquire Years: A Catalogue Raisonne with forward by Kurt Vonnegut. The numerous works in progress were critical to studying the development of beautifully transluscent skin tones. Beyond studying the works of the masters, I've been able to contribute an explanation of my own pin up illustration technique to the book by Frank Season, How to Airbrush Pinups, which is available in my online shop and on Amazon through Heidi's Loft (limited number of signed copies available) :
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