Our Brains on Art: 5 Books on Art and Science
5 Favorite Books That Explore the Science Behind the Art We Make.
Ignite your creativity, reduce stress, and satisfy your curiosity with these five books that explore the science of our brains and art! Uncover insights into why we perceive beauty in certain works. Delve into the scientific and psychological foundations of art appreciation. Understand the power of art to improve our lives, both mentally and physically. In all of these book selections, discover how science informs our experience of art!
Five Books on Art & Science
How Art Works: A Psychological Exploration, by Ellen Winner
This book delves into the scientific and psychological foundations of art appreciation to uncover insights into why we perceive beauty in certain works. Through empirical research using interviews, data collection, and statistical analysis, it explores how our intuition guides us when appreciating artwork from different cultures across time — often with surprising results!
The Aesthetic Brain: How We Evolved to Desire Beauty and Enjoy Art, by Anjan Chatterjee
In The Aesthetic Brain, renowned neuroscientist Anjan Chatterjee reveals the secrets of how beauty works and why it plays such a significant role in our lives. He delves deeply into the science behind what makes something aesthetically pleasing to the pleasure derived from food, sex, or money. Through evolutionary psychology, this empirical guide holds some stunning revelations about art’s power to enrich us as humans that will leave you marveling at its wonders!
Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross
Art is so much more than just a hobby or pastime — it has the power to improve our lives, both mentally and physically. From reducing stress levels to increasing lifespan, engaging in art projects for as little as forty-five minutes can have profound effects on health. Whether you’re looking for answers about how this works or are searching for ideas on ways of bringing the arts into your life, “Your Brain On Art” offers guidance from experts across multiple disciplines along with inspiring stories that show exactly why these methods work!
Vision and Art, by Margaret S. Livingstone
Margaret Livingstone’s Vision and Art takes readers on a unique journey to explore how masterful painters can trick the brain. This revised edition includes two new chapters as well as substantially expanded content, plus updates from her recent research findings; the book provides an up-to-date glimpse into some of the neuroscience that underlies many works of art. Not only does this book offer valuable insights for both artists and scholars, but it also explains various optical illusions that great works of painting are capable of creating!
Reductionism in Art and Brain Science: Bridging the Two Cultures, by Eric Kandel
Reductionism in Art and Brain Science is a book by Eric R. Kandel that explores how science informs our experience of art. Kandel shows how reductionism has been used by scientists and artists alike to pursue their respective truths. He demonstrates how science can explore human perception and help us understand great works of art through bottom-up sensory functions and top-down cognitive functions. The book also features drawings of the brain alongside full-color reproductions of modern art.
What would you add to this list? Leave a note in the comments!
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Meet the Artist
Scott Maier is an artist and a content contributor to artistsnetwork.com. He’s also the author of the instructional art book, See, Think, Draw: An Easy Guide for Realistic Drawing and Beyond.
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