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Art Research Guide

A starting point for finding information on art materials and techniques. There is a separate Guide for Art History.

Artists as Researchers

Why do artists need library resources?

In addition to writing papers for class, the library helps you find resources to:

  1. Inspire your work.
    • Explore different materials and techniques
    • Examine themes and styles of different art movements.
  2. Understand how your art connects to the world around you
    • Contextualize your creative work > Art is shaped by historical, cultural, and theoretical contexts.
  3. Express your motivations as an artist (such as an artist's statement)
    • Study how artists use composition, symbolism, and technique to help explain our own work.
  4. Build visual literacy
    • Learn how to interpret, analyze, and communicate through images.
    • Learn how to critique art.
  5. Curate a show/manage an event
    • Develop curatorial themes, understand audience engagement, and explore best practices using library resources. 

Flowchart for Arts and Design Research

Questioning - Researching - Writing - Studio Practice

 

Art Databases

Multidisciplinary Databases