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I really was unaware that one can "copy" or perhaps practice would be a better word, from a published book. K. W. suggests to copy the masters. Aren't these paintings copyrighted, hence, forbidding you or I to copy the work?
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Nope. The Old Masters** are long dead (as are their lawyers)...if it still makes you nervous, you can copy from any book in the Dover Pictorial Archive Series...(there are thousands of 'em)...as it clearly states on the front that they are copyright free.
As far as I know, most major museums encourage copying and recognize it as the time-honored tradition in training artists.
The only problem you could have is in trying to make money by passing off your copy as the original. Making a forgery in order to defraud is immoral as well as llegal.
The unofficial rules in copying are to make your copy a little different in size and to clearly sign it as a copy after...(insert name of artist).
NOTE: I loosely define the "Old Masters" as pre-impressionist. I do NOT consider any Impressionist or any of those who came after them to be an "Old Master." I'm talking Titian, DaVinci, Velasquez, and going as far back as Giotto.