Arizona State University
Arts Work: Visual Arts Criticism
If you're looking for a complete list of art critique questions, this is the site for you! You'll find ideas for description, analysis, elements, technique, judgement, and audience.
Yale University
Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: How to Appreciate a Painting
Christine A. Elmore's curriculum unit designed "to facilitate her third-graders' enjoyment of and response to fine art." This unit can be applied to all age groups and provides an extensive background on art in general.
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Art Appreciation: Unit 2: Introduction
In this second unit of a course on Art Appreciation, students are shown how to explain what the meaning of art is, they learn about the function of art in different cultures, why so much value is placed on art and cultural items, and...
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Art Appreciation: Unit 1: Orientation
In this first unit of a course on Art Appreciation, students are instructed in how the entire course is organized, what to expect, what course symbols mean, rubrics used in assessment, and what plagiarism is. The next section explains...
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Art Appreciation: Unit 4: 2 D Art
This fourth unit of a course on Art Appreciation looks at different forms of two-dimensional art. Students learn about the invention of paper, early perceptions of drawing, how hatching and cross-hatching were used by Michelangelo,...
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Art Appreciation: Unit 3: Technical Aspects of Art
In this third unit of a course on Art Appreciation, students learn how to describe the technical aspects of an artist's work by discussing elements of art and principles of design. They also look at the stylistic qualities of an artist's...
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Art Appreciation: Unit 6: Architecture and Design
In this sixth unit of a course on Art Appreciation, students learn about the history of architecture, including ancient Greek and Roman works. They will learn about Frank Lloyd Wright and about Islamic architecture. They will also look...
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Art Appreciation: Unit 5: 3 D Art
This fifth unit of a course on Art Appreciation looks at different forms of three-dimensional art. Students learn about sculpture and its history, government-funded art works, and controversy in art. They look at other types of 3-D...
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Art Appreciation: Unit 7: Photography
In this seventh and final unit of a course on Art Appreciation, students learn about photography and significant photographers. This is followed by a discussion of television and film. Students will learn terminology used, technical...
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Mona Mesa: What Is Your Opinion? [Pdf]
For this lesson, 1st graders look at a print of "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo DaVinci and talk about what they see, searching for visual clues to help them form an opinion. They discuss the importance of portrait paintings during the...
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Self Portraits With the Touch of a Finger [Pdf]
In this lesson, students will explore self-portraiture by looking at classical portrait paintings, such as Diego Velazquez's La Infanta Margarita or Raphael's Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione. A close look at these works reveals...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Martin Puryear's "Ladder for Booker T. Washington"
In this lesson plan, students will consider "Martin Puryear's Ladder for Booker T. Washington." The plan includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Picture Lincoln
In this lesson plan, students will consider "Picture Lincoln." The plan includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Romare Bearden's "The Dove" a Meeting of Vision and Sound
In this lesson plan, students will consider "Romare Bearden's "The Dove - A Meeting of Vision and Sound." The plan includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement
Web Exhibits: Pigments Through the Ages: Look Closer: Visible and Beyond
Illustrated explanation of the analytical work that art historians and curators perform using visible light and imaging technologies.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How Art Can Help You Analyze
Amy E. Herman explains why art historical training can prepare people for real world investigation. [4:50]
Incredible Art Department
The Incredible Art Department: Looking at Art: Seeing Questions
A collection of questions to use with students for analyzing and critiquing art.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian American Art Museum: Director's Choice
The director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum applies her analytical skills in explaining the formal and aesthetic qualities of her favorite American masterworks from the Smithsonian's collection of American art.
South Carolina Educational Television
Etv: Artopia: Painting Critic: Horses Actors by Maria Izquierdo
Explains how Maria Izquierdo uses the concept of balance in her painting, Horses Actors. Also describes the content of the painting and gives a short biography of the artist. Students can answer questions about the painting, and compare...
Huntington Library
Huntington Library: Portrait, Please! [Pdf]
In this lesson, learners are guided in how to interpret a portrait and in how to plan a portrait that is a drawing or a photograph.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Special Topics in Art History: Seeing America
A course on looking at American history through art. Should be cross-checked against smarthistory.org.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: New to Art? Get Started With This Activity
An activity asking students to describe a work of art in terms of composition, medium, and subject.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Delve Deeper Into Art With This Activity
An activity asking students to compare two works of art by looking for similarities and differences in composition, medium, and subject.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: What Role Does Memory Play in Art?
Information about the role of memory in art including how some artists try to stay accurate to the memory while others try to change it or even destroy it in some way.