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...
Huntington Library
Huntington Library: Art Wonders
Can portraits talk? What's in a landscape? How do artists make furniture? ArtWonders helps young learners ask and answer the kinds of questions that make observing art an interactive experience.
ArtLex
Art Lex: Surrealism
This Artlex website gives a detailed definition of Surrealism including its founder, influences, examples of this type of art, and its relationship to dadaism.
Cool Fire Technology
Brain Bank: Art Movements and Periods
This website alphabetizes and briefly describes all the major movements in the history of visual arts. Good for use as a general reference for Art History studies and the study of historically based painting and art.
University of Michigan
Symbolism in Visual Images
Brief essay on visual symbolism in literature and art. Provides examples and nice images. Shows that visual images can have the same type of symbolism as literary works.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Cave Art Discovering Prehistoric Humans
By studying cave paintings, students learn about prehistoric cultures and the stories and ideas they wished to communicate to others through art. The lesson plan presented on this website aims to show young students the significance of...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Arts and Humanities: Art of Asia
A landing page for a course on the art history of Asia.
Crayola
Crayola: Kwanzaa Symbol Strips (Lesson Plan)
Use this activity from Crayola as part of your Kwanzaa celebration. The lesson plan incorporates social studies and visual arts as students learn to create the traditional Adinkra weaving patterns used on Kente cloth. Combine several...
Emory University
Emory University: Odyssey Online
Odyssey Online is a resource for both students and teachers as they explore world mythology in reading, writing, history, and art classes. Providing sections on Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and African mythology, Odyssey uses...
J. Paul Getty Trust
J. Paul Getty Museum: In Focus: The Tree
Celebrate a universal symbol of life, the tree, represented by different forms of visual art at this virtual exhibition.
ArtLex
Art Lex: Traditional Signs
Read about the role of sign and signage in art. Includes a quote from philosopher Albert Camus and links to related topics.
Other
Artyfactory: Color in Art Color Theory Ii, "Color as Symbol"
Color theroy II, "Color as Symbol", from artyfactory ia an introduction to color theory in Art. This page provides an explanation of what each color is used to represent visually in art and what emotions each color represents.
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Adventure Island [Pdf]
In this lesson, students will study examples of treasure maps and make a list of features and symbols. They will use their imaginations to create their own treasure maps and compose narratives to describe them.
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.
Arizona State University
Chicana and Chicano Space: Inquiry
Provided by Arizona State University, this website is a comprehensive thematic, inquiry-based art education resource. Includes two interdisciplinary units of lessons.
PBS
Pbs: Murals (A Lesson Plan About Local History, Culture, and Events)
A lesson plan for exploring the history of mural art and the visual symbolism portrayed in murals, with instructions for leading students through the design and creation of a mural that reflects or symbolizes local history, culture, and...
The National Gallery (UK)
National Gallery, London: Festival of Light
Follow this museum trail and discover through seven paintings how different cultures have used light as a form of symbolism in their work.
Curated OER
Symbolism in Visual Images
Brief essay on visual symbolism in literature and art. Provides examples and nice images. Shows that visual images can have the same type of symbolism as literary works.