Monday 9 February 2009

The Top 8 Must-Have Illustrated Krishna Books

These are the books that inspired me to become an artist and paint Krishna. When I was a child I simply couldn't stop looking at the beautiful illustrations in these books, and I still adore them to this day.


Illuminations from the Bhagavad-Gita

By Kim and Chris Murray. This is a really gorgeous book with full page illustrations by Kim Waters Murray. The paintings are similar to an illuminated manuscript, with wonderful designs and script quoted from the translated Bhagavad Gita by A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabupada. Everytime I look at this book I feel inspired to paint. Recommended for art lovers of all ages.


The Butter Thief

Also by Kim Waters and Chris Murray. This book tells the story of Krishna and his adventures as a little child. This is also really beautifully illustrated with full page paintings of Krishna. It's an incredibly sweet book and was my favourite as a child. This was probably one of the first books I read that inspired me to become an artist. I still have a copy of this book and look at it every now and then to enjoy the nectar of Krishna's pastimes.


Illustrated Bhagavatam Stories: India's Ancient Mystic Culture and Vedic Philosophy (India's Glory & Decline)

Translated by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, retold by Ajamila Das. Illustrated by Jnananjana Dasa(Giampaolo Tomasetti), Sriman Yogendra Rastogi, Sriman Shyamal Kumar Deb, Philip Malpass, Nik Spender, Mark Viney, and Nandarani Devi Dasi. This book was my favourite when I got a little older. The paintings are absolutely fantastic! I used to sit on my bed and look through the pages at the amazing illustrations and wish I could paint as wonderfully as those artists. I still have a copy of this book and I always look at it when I need inspiration. I insist that everyone buy this book! It is an absolute must-have.


Light of the Bhagavata

Written by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and illustrated by Madam Li Yun Sheng
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This is a beautifully illustrated book with Chinese style paintings. I was really enchanted by this book all my life. The text is really inspiring and the paintings are so beautiful. It's pretty lightweight and not too expensive, so I would recommend anyone who is interested should purchase it.


Hanuman

By Erik Jendresen and Joshua M. Greene. This is a really cool book about Hanuman, the greatest devotee of Lord Rama. Rama is an avatar of Krishna, and this story is just fantastic. This book tells the story of Hanuman and how he helped Rama defeat the demon Ravana and rescue princess Sita. The illustrations are very beautiful. If you don't have it already then click on the link above and get it!


Krishna Art

This is a collection of paintings from ISKCON's BBT archives. With each painting is a page with the story behind the painting, the artist's name, and the year it was completed. This is a huge book containing 400 pages, but it's totally worth it! I'm so depressed I lost my copy of it when I moved to Los Angeles and I never got it back. I used to spend hours and hours looking at each painting and reading the stories. This is the book that inspired me to paint the most. You MUST get this book! It is absolutely the best art book in the world (in my opinion).


Form of Beauty: The Krishna Art of B.G.Sharma

By B.G. Sharma and Swami B.V. Tripurari. This is a compilation of the Krishna paintings of B.G. Sharma. It is really absolutely beautiful, with illustrations done in traditional Rajasthani style. It's not too big and bulky like the Krishna Art book, so it's much easier to have around. I really like this book with its intricate detal and warm, earthy colours. I highly recommend this book for all art lovers (especially traditional Indian art lovers).


Agha, the Terrible Demon: The Childhood Pastimes of Krishna

By Karen Wilson and Joshua Greene. This is a really fun book I used to read often when I was a kid. It tells the story of how Krishna saved his friends from a giant snake demon by using his mystical powers. I loved this book so much. The illustrations are really cute and sweet. It's a wonderful book for children (and adults too if you're like me!)



If you are interested in buying any of the books I have mentioned then please click on the links I have provided, as this helps me to keep my blog going. Thanks!

1 comment:

  1. I'm glad you liked Illustrated Bhagavatam Stories, my dad painted the pictures for Princess Draupadi's Wedding, some of the in-progress versions are on his website. You might like to see his other work too.

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