Archi-doodle: An Architect's Activity Book by Steve Bowkett

Despite the intimidating title this isn't a book just for architects, it's for anyone who is interested in buildings.  Our copy has been slowly and deliciously devoured by both me and my 10-year old daughter, and I've recommended it to anyone who will listen.

Archi-doodle is a landscape A4 sized 160 page book and on every page is a task with inspiration, for instance, sketches of the world's tallest buildings with space for your own, famous buildings cut in half vertically for you to complete, sneakily learning about the buildings (Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower) as you go, bridges to complete over a canyon, road and estuary and on and on.  This is simply an enchanting book, introducing thorough creative fun all the major figures and movements in world architecture, from Gaudi to Bauhaus, windows, roofs and islands to underwater cities.

A Short Book About Drawing by Andrew Marr

Andrew Marr is of course one of the BBCs best known news correspondents, reporting and commanding interviews with insight, making difficult and complex situations digestible to the viewer.  And he is famously fighting his way back from a life changing stroke.  But all his life he has sketched and in this book he reflects on what drives him and millions like him, not necessarily (but sometimes) world famous artists, often ordinary people, to draw.  He speaks of what drawing asks of in the viewer and what it does for the creator.  It is generously illustrated with his own sketches and paintings, some paper and canvas, many created on his iPad.  Inspiring and insightful.

Graffiti School: A Student Guide by Chris Ganter

Step by step this good sized guide takes you through how to create street art.

The book begins with a history of graffiti from ancient Rome to the Hip Hop movement of the 70s to the present day with an extensive piece on legality.  A second chapter covers terminology (tags, throwups, silverpieces, wildstyle) before moving on to designing your own graffiti.

The book is well structured, taking the user from simple to complex, from how to create linear tags right through to a full scale burner.  There are plenty of exercises at each stage to help any one understanding the different styles within graffiti and to develop their own.

Guidance is given on the use of tools with an extensive section on the safe use of spray cans and how to control them to create various effects, there are pages of design samples and idea for backgrounds and fill-ins.

At the end is a manual for teachers giving guidance and lesson plans

All in all a very impressive book both for use by any one on their own wanting to learn about graffti and how to create it, and for teachers and students.

Happy Graffiti: Street Art with Heart by Jenny Foulds

A wonderful little book for anyone who enjoys street art or gentle anarchy.  Happy Graffiti is pictures of graffiti from around the world that reclaim unwanted spaces with pictures and phrases that make you smile and are a sweet world away from the corporate machinations of advertising that use mawkish sentiment to manipulate in the name of profit.  These are anonymous reminders to smile, be kind to each other, to love life in the greyest places, and this book is a celebration of the joy of life colouring outside the lines.