Many of your peers will use Google Images to find inspiration for their work. Assignments start to look similar when everyone consults the same generic images. Stand out by looking to other sources!
Need help getting started with Artstor? Consult our Artstor Help Guide or contact a librarian for assistance.
Text Us: 941-208-4542
Call Us: 941-359-7587
Email Us: research@ringling.edu
Meet with Us: Schedule an Appointment
Using Google Images is one way to find reference images, but it's not the most reliable source. How can you tell, for instance, which photograph of a painting is the most reliable? A simple search of Carrie Mae Weems' The Kitchen Table Series brings up several examples. Some are clearly fake, but some have the slightest variations in contrast, tone, and quality. This is because anyone's reproductions can show up in Google Image search results.
Image databases like Artstor are different because official institutions provide photographic reproductions from their collection. These images tend to be higher quality. They also provide more technical information (metadata), including the source of the image. Artstor also allows you to easily print this information, so you can easily reference it during your research.
(.gif obtained from Artstor via Library & Administrator Resources)
To find image databases available through the library, visit the A-Z Databases page. From the drop-down menu that reads All Database Types, select Images. Select a database that matches your research needs.
Artstor is a digital library of almost two million images in the arts, architecture, design, humanities, and social sciences with a suite of software tools to view, present, and manage images for research and teaching purposes. Artstor’s diverse collections are rights-cleared for education and research, and include Open Access content as well as rare materials not available elsewhere.
The Art Genome Project from Artsy.net maps the characteristics that connect artists, artworks, architecture, and design objects across history. It includes art historical movements, subject matter, and formal qualities all with connected images and information.
Search for resources on world dress and fashion. Berg Fashion Library includes articles, eBooks, images, essays, and the Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion.
Search for Creative Commons Licensed images, music, media and videos on a variety of sites.
New media website containing programs and resources for artists experimenting with technology. Also contains ArtBase, an online archive of new media art.
