The Best Art Books of 2026

If you’re already a fan of The Legend of Zelda, then this is a great art book to add to your collection. Many customers say it’s a must-have for longtime fans, as it contains more than 400 pages of illustrations from the past 30 years of the storied video game franchise, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Each page is printed on premium paper big enough to highlight the finest details, from promotional pieces and box art to rough sketches. It also features interviews with artists and game designers.

If you have a friend or family member who loves art history, then this art book that features around 80 well-known art historians and full-page prints is a perfect gift for them. It includes insightful information about artists over the last 500 years—from the Renaissance to those still living. You’ll discover stories about the lives of the artists, their lovers, artistic visions and techniques, and more from artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Frida Kahlo. Its chapters are in chronological order, so you’ll be able to view different artists’ journeys in the contexts of their time and respective movement. Reviewers seem to really enjoy this art book.

History professors and art lovers alike may find this book very handy and resourceful, as it goes into deep detail about art through the ages and major movements—in chronological order—and how they were influenced by society and culture. The sections in this book include noteworthy paintings, information on major events, and 700 artists, not to mention 2,500 of the world’s most influential paintings. Each section even finishes with a masterpiece that reviews the values, style, and composition of each topic. This art book only includes certain art types and parts of the world, which some customers didn’t like.

This book will keep you focused on building the foundation of your artistic abilities. From writing and sketching to drawing and painting, you’ll experience a variety of creative activities every single day of the year. Based on reviews, this is a great book for learning the basics of art and honing your craft—or for helping you make time everyday to be creative. It also includes watercolor drawings and motivational quotes with different prompts to help you practice conveying your emotions on paper. Some customers found the content to be repetitive, while others seemed to find it fun and helpful.

This art book covers history of the Pop Art world and how it peaked in the 20th century as an objection to mainstream culture. The art explores issues in Hollywood, materialism and consumerism, as well as celebrities. Artists like Andy Warhol, known for things like his Campbell’s Soup can series, is one of the many Pop Art icons included in this book. You’ll discover different artists from this movement and how they’ve pushed the envelope, evolved, and influenced the modern art world. Customers say that it’s an expensive book for what you get, but the Taschen hardcover edition is often a lot more affordable than the paperback.