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Books are powerful.  Books have been some of my best teachers when it comes to art.  In teaching a few classes and workshops, I have been making a list of the art books that I have found most useful, books I go back to again and again, sometimes for principles and concepts, sometimes for techniques, sometimes for inspiration. 

These are the first ones that come to mind:

For drawing: Harold Speed, The Practice and Science of Drawing;  Joy Thomas, The Art of Portrait Drawing, Robert Hale, Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters, Betty Edwards, Drawing on the Right Side, George B Bridgeman, Complete Guide to Drawing from Life

For painting: Edgar A Whitney, Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting; Harold Speed, Oil Painting Techniques and Materials; Thomas S. Buechner, How I Paint: Secrets of a Sunday Painter, Betty Edwards, Color; Mark Christopher Weber, Brushwork Essentials; Charles Harrington, Acrylics:The Watercolor Alternative; Margot Schulzke , A Painter's Guide to Design and Composition: 27 Masters Reveal Their Secrets; Jane Hofstetter, 7 Keys To Great Paintings., Roberta Carter Clark, How to Paint Living Portraits.

 Books I want to own:

Richard Schmid, Alla Prima: Everything I know About Painting, Kirk Richards and Stephen Gjertson, For Glory and For Beauty

 These lists will obviously grow.