Lines of Thought

By Isabel Seligman,

Book cover of Lines of Thought: Drawing from Michelangelo to Now

Book description

Looking at works from a range of different artists and their various approaches, this book examines the process and practice of drawing, showcasing artworks from 15th- and 16th-century masters, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, right up to artists working today. In arranging them not by period or style,…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Lines of Thought as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Drawings by artists through the centuries can be a fantastic reservoir of ideas for contemporary artists. This book – published to accompany a British Museum touring exhibition – includes works drawn across a 500-year span, bringing together ancient and modern: Rachel Whiteread and Georges Seurat, Bridget Riley and Albrecht Dürer, Philip Guston and Vincent Van Gogh. The immediacy and directness of drawings from the past means they speak as clearly to us as those that are contemporary. Take, for instance, the 300-year-old brush drawings of Alexander Cozens, which still look thrillingly fresh, or Roger Hilton’s modern, minimalist nude: both make…

From James' list on to inspire you to draw.

Want books like Lines of Thought?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 85 books like Lines of Thought.

Browse books like Lines of Thought

Book cover of Ways of Drawing: Artists' Perspectives and Practices
Book cover of Je Suis Le Cahier: The Sketchbooks of Picasso
Book cover of The Art of Urban Sketching: Drawing on Location Around the World

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,187

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in drawing, Michelangelo, and art?

Drawing 68 books
Michelangelo 18 books
Art 941 books