Creative Illustration by Andrew Loomis is considered his best instructional book for artists working in any media.

The book contains many illustrations and tips, with especially useful ones on composition. Here’s an example from book on page 30:

“The novice snaps his camera carelessly at nature. The artist seeks to arrange it. From the artist’s approach, almost anything is picture material, since it is design and arrangement that makes pictures, regardless of subject. Cut a cardboard so as to make a “picture finder.” An opening of three by four inches is large enough. Look through it. Jot down, in miniature compositions, the linear arrangements you find. Your sense of arrangement is the first real indication of your creativeness.”

Loomis (1889-1959) taught at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, and produced several how-to books for artists. In addition to ideas for composition, this book includes sections on line, tone, colour, and telling the story.

This is a great book to keep as a reference for inspirational ideas. It is in the public domain and available for free download by clicking the button below.