The bone-chilling weather has set in and all you want to do is stay home in your favorite onesie. While winter can be brutal, it’s also a great time to catch up on creative projects you put off during the warmer months. To help you avoid the winter lull, below are a few books to help spark your creative thinking. 

Steal Like an artist – austin kleon

With less than 150 pages, this short read equips you with 10 essential rules to help unlock your creativity. Kleon covers how to draw inspiration from your favorite sources and create works of art in your own voice. This book makes a great guide if you find yourself struggling with ‘imposter syndrome.’

(Photo: The Creative Armory)

Art and fear – David bayles/ted orland

Does creative block have you in a chokehold? Do you often think your art isn’t good enough for the public? If you answered yes to the above, “Art and Fear” is the book for you. This book quickly became one of our favorites as it tackles issues ranging from self doubt to other obstacles that hinder us from producing our best work.

(Photo: The Creative Armory)

becoming me – andrea pippins

Whether you label yourself as an artist or not, “Becoming Me” will get your artistic wheels in gear. Journal about your goals, brainstorm ideas, and explore fun exercises. Packed full of coloring pages, tips, and quotes, the lessons within this colorful guide can be shared with anyone looking to be more creative daily. 

(Photo: The Creative Amory)

Colorful illustration by Andrea Pippins. (Photo: The Creative Armory)

Sharpie Art Workshop – Tim Goodman

Learn the history of the Sharpie marker and pick up some doodling techniques along the way! This book also introduces you to multiple artists who have used this flexible tool in their art projects.

(Photo: The Creative Armory)

Word as image – ji lee

We love this book because it shows what is possible by thinking outside the box. Using his imagination, Lee skillfully creates images by using only the letters of selected words. If you need a powerful reference for your next type project, you may want to have this handy.  

(Photo: The Creative Armory)

Artwork by Ji Lee. (Photo: The Creative Armory)