Research Guides: Art: Get Started ...

Writing Tips

Writing about art is different from other essays, you must learn to describe and analyze what you see. The library has many books that will walk you through the process of critiquing art. Search the Library Catalog in the subject search box, type in the term art criticism. You can also check out these sites:

Ask a Librarian!

Though the library is physically closed, Research Databases containing Articles, eBooks and Videos are available to our students, faculty and staff 24/7. To access the databases, enter your 14-digit library barcode number located on the back of your college ID/ library card when prompted. No college ID or library card? Use your myLoneStar username and password by clicking the link below the barcode login when prompted before entering a database. Have a question? Ask us!
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Background Information

For background information, definition of a term, and biographies, you can use these resources:

Oxford Art Online
Full-text art reference (including Grove Art) covering all the visual arts from prehistory to the present with links to 5,000 images the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), Art Images for College Teaching (AICT), and the Artists Rights Society and text from Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, The Oxford Companion to Western Art, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms.
Credo Reference
Includes materials from over 650 reference books on a variety of topics in higher education, including art, business, history, languages, literature, science, criminal justice, and political science.

Smarthistory: Art History on Khan Academy
Smarthistory is a leading resource for the study of art and cultural heritage put together by Khan Academy.
Art History | Britannica.com
"Art history the study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts; that is genre, design, format, and style. The study includes painting, sculpture, architecture, ceramics, furniture, and other decorative objects..."

Gale eBooks (formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library)
Search dozens of complete reference books on arts, business, education, history, law, literature, sciences, and technology, including the popular sets of Short Stories for Students, Novels for Students, Poetry for Students, and Drama for Students.

Google Arts & Culture Free Web
(Google) A collaborative project of Google and 151 acclaimed art partners from across 40 countries to include over 30,000 works of art from sculpture to architecture and drawings, all in one page.