Hi, for school I'm planning to write an essay about the psychology behind art but even as I began preparing for this I found a limiting problem. I feel like a lot of the sources that I have found are very subjective, which could be a good thing but I feel that a lot of them just limit themselves to just saying "I like art" and not much else, which while I don't disagree I do find it a bit useless as a reference. Because of this I was wondering if there was anybody that could recommend me any books that also discussed art. The theme of it doesn't have to be specific to anything, as I'm still figuring out what this essay is about and I also just like to read.
For reference, one book that I already began reading for this essay in specific is Chromophobia, by David Batchelor.
by Saccherine_16
4 Comments
‘The war of art’ by Steven pressfield. I am really enjoying it. It’s on the psychology of creation. About art and its obstacles, in particular, resistance.
“The warrior and the artist live by the same code of necessity, which dictates that the battle must be fought anew every day”
You’ll like this. Very easy to read. Quick. Not study based or anything. Fucking brilliant for motivating and as an ‘artist’ it checks out. Even better I got it for a quid in a charity shop. Don’t let the cover discourage you.
you’re totally right—so much writing on art just dissolves into vibes and personal taste
if you liked **Chromophobia**, def check out:
* **Ways of Seeing** by John Berger — short but sharp, great for unpacking how we *look* at art (and how that’s shaped by power + culture)
* **The Art Instinct** by Denis Dutton — blends evolutionary psych w/ aesthetics, more objective take on why humans create art
* **The Poetics of Space** by Gaston Bachelard — more philosophical, but surprisingly useful if you want to explore how we emotionally interpret space + imagery
* **Art and Visual Perception** by Rudolf Arnheim — classic psych approach to how we process form, shape, color, etc
what angle are you leaning toward—more cognitive science, cultural critique, or emotional impact?
Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen
And these aren’t exactly about art but maybe still useful about perception:
How to Use Your Eyes by James Elkins
Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks
I’d suggest looking up introductory books on art therapy. Their sources will lead you to more psychology than art research/criticism texts on the topic.