Curated OER
Art Criticism: Understanding Wayne Thiebaud's Salads, Sandwiches, and Desserts
Analysis consists of an understanding and interpretation of evidence and elements found in any number of expressive mediums. Upper graders critique the work of American Realist Wayne Thiebaud through a series of excellent guided...
Curated OER
True Spin: Music
Upper graders take a critical look at art criticism, music, and politics. They watch one segment of "True Spin," produced by VH1 music television and then discuss myths that relate to art and music. Several modern songs are analyzed...
Curated OER
Monkey Puzzle
Third graders analyze the life and work of Keith Haring. In this art criticism instructional activity, 3rd graders view images of his artwork, produce an anthology of his life's work and discuss his achievements. Students will recreate...
Curated OER
Children Respond to Haring's Work
Students respond to a Keith Haring exhibit at a local museum. In this art criticism lesson plan, students create a postcard to send to the museum, sharing what they learned on their field trip.
John F. Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center: Art Critiques Made Easy
A tipsheet giving ideas on how to encourage students to think and speak critically about visual arts, music, dance, and even literature.
BBC
Bbc: Simon Schama's Power of Art
At the companion website for the BBC series "Simon Schama's Power of Art," hosted by Columbia University professor Simon Schama, find insightful analysis of eight artistic masterworks, each of which represents a turning point in history....
Arizona State University
Asu: Chicana and Chicano Space
Provided by Arizona State University, this website is a comprehensive thematic, inquiry-based art education resource. Includes two interdisciplinary units of lessons.
Cornell University
Cornell University: Art, Design, and Visual Thinking
Use the left-hand toolbar of this site to investigate an online textbook for the language of design. It provides visual examples and explanations of line, form, color, color psychology, texture, balance, proportion and many more...
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.
Museum of Modern Art
Mo Ma: Destination Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art invites young readers interactively learn about Vincent van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, and Umberto Boccioni using sound, simple language, and engaging animations.
National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool: Portrait Detectives
In engaging mini-essays, art historians at the National Museums Liverpool dissect the art of the portrait. Through close examination of six paintings, students learn to interpret the sitter's mood and status and to read clues that convey...
Incredible Art Department
The Incredible Art Department: Files for Art Teachers
A large collection of files that have been contributed by art teachers. Examples of topics include rubrics, lessons, ideas for critiquing art, assessments, icebreakers, classroom management, games, parent communication, and lots more.
Other
Pictures of the Year
For over 63 years POI has offered photographers to submit their images to be judged on an international level. It also provides an archive of incredible images for all to see.
Other
Art Teacher on the Net: Questions to Ask Yourself as You Look at Your Art Work
Dozens of questions that help art appreciators of all ages look at art effectively. Questions follow the basic art criticism outline to describe, analyze and interpret. Can be used for any art piece!
Other
California State University: "Art" by Clive Bell
The California State University provides an essay from the book "Art," originally published in 1914. There are discussion questions and links added by Julie C. Van Camp. The Formalist concepts of art by Clive Bell is thouroughly discussed.
Rutgers University
Seeing and Describing
What an awesome way to practice describing art while using a computer to help! This site automatically displays an image for about 5 seconds and then you write what you remember about it on a separate sheet of paper. This is great...
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: George Washington: Portrait for Kids
Many components of a portrait of George Washington have been removed. You need to uncover them with the red spyglass. As you find each piece you will learn how it plays an important roll in the value of the painting and why the artist...
New York Times
New York Times: Photographic Portraits of the Year's Best Actors (2004)
This portfolio of black-and-white portraits of Oscar-nominated film stars captures a range of faces, poses, moods, and points of view. Excellent site for comparing and criticizing artistic choices and approaches and for inspiring...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Libraries:drawing From Life: Caricatures and Cartoons
A website dedicated to displaying a selection of political cartoons and caricatures from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Includes biographies of many famous cartoonists and commentaries on the cartoonist's style and interests.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Magazine: Arts and Culture
Follow this link to the arts base of "Smithsonian, the monthly magazine published by the Smithsonian Institution. Access arts-related content from the current issue of the magazine; link to ARTiculation, the Smithsonian's art blog; open...
Other
Basic Strategies in Reading Photographs
Strengthen your art vocabulary. This site will define for you many of the terms used to describe photography. Use them in critique and impress everyone with all that you have to say.
Columbia University
Columbia University: Project Portfolio: Art and Understanding
Website offers a video e-seminar from Columbia University artists and theorists on the question, "What is art?"
NPR: National Public Radio
Npr: Arts and Culture Home
The homepage for arts and culture from National Public Radio, which publishes and streams an eclectic mix of news features from its arts base. Content is refreshed daily, so there's always something new to experience.