Building an illustration reading list

At the moment, I'm teaching myself to illustrate for the purposes of an app that I'm programming. The problem is that like any self learning it's difficult to decide on the books worth reading to further your abilities. I don't have three years to spend on a course, so I've got to learn on the fly and to a large extent, aside from scraping the university sites for reading lists, make up my own rules.

Two books that've caught my eye so far and furthered my thinking are first, the Animation Survival Kit for iPad (Richard Williams) and second, The Simple Secret to Better Painting (Greg Albert).

As the name of the Animation Survival Kit suggests, it isn't primarily about illustration but animation. However, the thing that it has taught me is that it is important to add interest into your work. (So far my list for adding interest into a work comprises: light, curves, action, variation and humour).

Confession: I've read the preview for the Greg Albert book, from which I've learnt the importance of variation, and my finger is still hovering over the pay button. I'm pretty certain I'll learn from it, and if I was constructing a course I'd be putting this on the list, but at the moment I'm waiting until I find the time to read it.

University Reading Lists

Aberystwyth University, Book Illustration (2013)

Anglia Ruskin University, Illustration (2011-2012, link to cached Google page)
Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh, Illustration (2013)

Falmouth University, Illustration (2013)

University of Northampton, Illustration (2012, direct link to word doc)
University of Westminster, Illustration (2012, direct link to PDF)

Follow @sketchytech