Drawing is a fun activity that almost everyone got their start with as a child, doodling pictures with markers and crayons. Some folks get great at it as they get older, while others can barely draw basic shapes. If you’re in the latter camp, you might think that you don’t have the talent for drawing, but that’s not true! Drawing isn’t a talent — it’s a skill that almost everyone can learn with a bit of practice, and the leading drawing books of 2025 make that practice easy.
These books are designed to make the drawing process as simple for you to understand and practice as possible. Not all of these books are equally as effective at teaching you how to draw, though, so how can you find the ones that are? The great news is this — you don’t have to! We’ve already compiled a list of top-tier drawing books, which you can take a look at below.
Almost anyone can learn to draw, and this well-designed drawing book proves that. Drawing for Beginners by Jordan DeWilde comes with easy-to-follow lessons that take no longer than 10 minutes per exercise, making for an easy way to how to draw, even as a working adult. All you have to do is dedicate a little of your lunch break to practicing, making this drawing book super convenient. The lessons in this drawing book are also paced perfectly — you start with the most basic and beginner-friendly exercises, but as you improve, the exercises start getting more challenging and in-depth. Despite being for beginners, this drawing book also teaches a lot of the more advanced stuff later down the line, which is why it takes the top spot on our list.
The Complete Book of Drawing by Barrington Barber is the drawing book for you if you’re looking to move past landscapes and still objects. It delivers realistic art-style knowledge in an easy-to-follow way, and almost anyone with the most basic drawing skills can make use of these lessons. This drawing book even includes lessons on the different drawing tools, their uses, and how to set everything up. The most important attribute of this drawing book is that it teaches you how to draw emoting human faces, accurate hands, and dynamic bodies. You’ll also learn about composition and other techniques that can turn an okay sketch into a jaw-dropping drawing. These lessons are divided into small chunks, making it easier to spend time practicing with this drawing book no matter how busy your schedule is.
Almost every anime fan has thought of creating fanart of their favorite character or even an original character of their own, and you can make this dream come true with the easy-to-follow lessons in The Master Guide to Drawing Anime by Christopher Hart. Instead of teaching you the basics of drawing, this drawing book gets right to the point and provides you with information about anime design and coloring. It then divides these lessons in a way that helps you learn quickly while also having some fun during the exercises. A great thing about this drawing book is its practicality — if you’ve got a knack for it, it might even kickstart your career as an anime designer or animator. Even if you don’t go professional, the skills you’ll learn can definitely be worth the price of admission, making this drawing book a great choice for anime fans with a passion for art.
This drawing book from Angela Nguyen is designed for anyone who wants to draw cute stuff. While it’s primarily targeted toward kids between the ages of eight and eleven, anyone of any age can learn from it. The benefit of its target age is that the lessons are as simple and intuitive as it gets, and even the most basic skills are explained with detailed explanations and exercises. The prime feature of this drawing book, though, is the contents of its lessons. It teaches you how to draw cute stuff, sure, but more specifically, it teaches you how to draw anything as cute and adorable. Kids love cuteness, making this a nice skill for parents and teachers to have, but this drawing book is also great for helping children discover a passion for art.
Draw 50 Animals by Lee J. Ames teaches you how to use basic shapes to create realistic-looking animals. These lessons are designed in a way that’s easy to understand for both kids and adults, and the magic lies in this drawing book’s step-by-step approach that highlights every change and line stroke without skipping over anything. The most impressive part of this drawing book is its animal variety. It includes exercises on all kinds of animals, featuring critters that are furry, scaly, small, large, aquatic, and everything in between. You’ll be able to learn how to draw animals spanning from a ferocious dinosaur to a cute bunny with this drawing book, making it a solid, comprehensive learning tool.
If learning how to draw was simply about practicing over and over again, you wouldn’t need a book in the first place. You need to practice, sure, but you need to practice in the correct way, which is where drawing books come in. They help point you in the right direction while also teaching you the necessary skills required to improve at drawing. If you want to get good at drawing, you’ll have to make sure the drawing book you buy is actually good at teaching you the right stuff. Here are a few key considerations you’ll need to make to find a high-quality drawing book in 2023.
Most drawing books can be categorized based on the skill level required to make use of their lessons. Think about how good you are at drawing and choose a book accordingly. If you’re just getting started and don’t have any previous practice, you should start with a drawing book that’s for beginners — the initial lessons of these books are all about using the right drawing techniques and learning how to use basic shapes for more complex drawings. Even if you think you can manage, start with a beginner’s book if you’ve never learned how to draw, as this will allow you to get past drawing mistakes you didn’t even know you were making.
Once you’ve learned the basics, the next major consideration is the topic of the drawing book. Think clearly about what you want to draw and choose a book accordingly. You can find drawing books on almost any topic, from anime characters to animals to gorgeous, realistic landscapes. Keep your skill level in mind as well — learning how to draw realistic faces and hands can be a lot more challenging than stylized animals.
If you’re a working adult, you probably don’t have much free time to do anything, including learning how to draw. If that’s the case, look for drawing books that divide their lessons into small, bite-sized chunks that can be learned in 10-15 minutes. You can tackle these smaller lessons during your lunch break every day, helping you improve at drawing without taking any extra time away from your already busy schedule.If, though, you’re a student, or you happen to have an hour or so of free time each day, look for drawing books that offer more detailed lessons. These exercises will take a little longer to get through, sure, but you’ll also learn more about the ins and outs of drawing as well as how to draw something you’ve never drawn before.
Who are you buying the book for? Is it for yourself, or is it for someone else? How old is the artist? These are the sort of questions you’ll need to ask when shopping for a drawing book. If the book is for yourself, the decision becomes easier — you know everything about your skill level and interests. If you’re buying a drawing book for someone else, though, try to find out their skill level and what they want to learn. Not doing this simple research can result in a waste of money, as you might give them a drawing book that’s too basic or too advanced. They might also simply have zero interest in the topic of the drawing book you picked out, so try to do a little digging beforehand to avoid this.
If you’re buying a drawing book digitally, then this next point won’t matter. If you’re spending a little extra on a paperback, though, make sure the physical copy of the book is high-quality — the last thing you want is your drawing book falling apart halfway through an exercise, making further use extremely challenging. A good way to learn about the physical quality of a drawing book is through its customer reviews. Go through them and look for complaints about the paperback quality. This step is especially important if you’re shopping for a child, as they tend to be a little rough with their books.
Some drawing books do, but most do not. You’ll most likely need to buy a separate sketchbook for practice, and if you go this route, make sure that it’s high-quality with clean, thick pages.
Any child that can read books can also learn how to draw from them. Just make sure that the lessons included in the book of your choice match the child’s skill level and reading comprehension.
Not really, as they’re two different styles of drawing that require different skills. Realistic drawing requires precision, while stylistic drawing requires creativity — neither is necessarily harder than the other.
Drawing books may cost anywhere from $5-$25 or more. More in-depth books for adults will be on the more expensive side of that range. But, drawing books for kids will not be as expensive.
Of course not! With art, there’s always room for creative expression, and this expression is what makes it unique and original. If you want to aim for perfection, keep practicing, but keep in mind that “perfection” doesn’t equal “good art” — that comes down to individual tastes.
At Art Life Today, our passion for arts and crafts is at the heart of everything we do. We understand that the right tools and materials can make all the difference in your creative projects, so we take our responsibility as reviewers seriously. Our goal is to help you discover the best products that will inspire your creativity and bring your artistic visions to life.