Art & Artists

ArtLex-Dictionary of Visual Art
http://www.artlex.com

The Art Room
http://www.arts.ufl.edu/art/rt_room/index.html

ArtsEdge
Music,dance, theater, film, TV, the fine arts, literature, poetry, education, etc.
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/artsedge.html

Asian Art
http://www.dia.org

Barry's Clip Art Server
http://www.barrysclipart.com

Crayola
http://www.crayola.com

Dick Blick Art Materials
On-line art supplies
http://www.dickblick.com

Gargoyles & Grotesques
http://www.stonecarver.com/gargoyle.html

Images of the Trojan War
http://www.temple.edu/classics/troyimages.html

Joseph Wu's Origami Page
http://www.origami.vancouver.bc.ca/

Images of the Trojan War
http://www.temple.edu/classics/troyimages.html

Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
http://www.mcachicago.org

Museum of Modern Art
http://www.moma.org

Minneapolis Institute of Arts
http://www.artsmia.org

Museums Index of World Wide Arts Resources
Site contains over 1,000 links toother museums and fine art.
http://wwar.com/museums.html

National Museum of American Art
http://americanart.si.edu/index3.cfm

San Francisco Public Art Museum's Project
http://www.thinker.org

Sistine Chapel
http://www.christusrex.org/www1/sistine/0-Tour.html

Smithsonian Photographs Online
http://photo2.si.edu/index.html

Vatican Exhibit
http://sunsite.unc.edu/expo/vatican.exhibit/Vatican.exhibit.html

Vellum Gallery of Calligraphy, Illumination and Letter Arts
http://catalog.com/gallery/welcome.html

WebMuseum,Paris
http://sunsite.unc.edu/louvre/


Art and Art Curriculum Resources

In middle school, art is a part of the educational curriculum. Generally, middle school students are taught about art including: art production, art criticism, art history, and art appreciation. Art lessons are different from other subjects because students are required to take an active part in the process of creating works of art. To fulfill the requirements of the art curriculum, teachers have to prepare lesson plans to instruct middle school students in various art topics. In this article, we will provide the best middle school art and art curriculum resources currently available on the Internet.

Drawing

Drawing is a two-dimensional visual art form. It’s simple because almost everyone can draw a picture. In middle school, students are taught more complex techniques of drawing such as: shading, rendering, smearing, cross hatching, and so on. Drawing lays the foundation for other types of art forms such as: painting, sculpturing, pottery, and so on. Here are some drawing resources for middle school art teachers.

  • Drawing: Excellent information on drawing materials and techniques.
  • Drawing Lessons: A series of drawing lessons middle school students.
  • Drawing Techniques: In this lesson plan, students have to use contour drawing, gesture drawing, and shading to produce three drawings.
  • Drawing Anime: Explains the various techniques used in anime drawing. 
  • Figure Drawing: The lesson shows how to draw figures like professionals. 
  • Vase/Faces: Students would be amused by the optical illusion in this lesson.
  • Simple Drawing: Shows the simple ways to draw life forms found in the rain forest.
  • Portrait Drawing: By learning how to draw portraits, students can create more personal artworks. 
  • Observation Drawing: An important part of art is to draw by observation.
  • Drawing with Wire: In this lesson plan, students have to use wires to draw. 

Masks

The mask is mysterious for the fact that it actually reveals more than it conceals. In many countries around the world, masks are featured prominently in songs, festivals, plays, rituals, and dance. There are many different types of masks across all cultures so there’s a lot to learn. In many schools, mask making is included in the art curriculum. Here are some of the best resources on masks:

  • The Mask: In West Africa, the mask is used as a ceremonial object.
  • Making Mask: The lesson plan teaches about bear masks and shows how to make them.
  • What Masks Reveal: Students learn about the cultural significance of masks in ceremonies and other occasions.
  • Clay Masks: The lesson is centered on the creation on an African clay mask.
  • Masks: This lesson plan on masks comes with an activity at the end. 
  • Mask Making: In this lesson, students would learn how to make a creature mask.
  • The Day of the Dead: Students are introduced to the symbols used in this Mexican celebration.
  • The Masks of Japan: Comprehensive description of the various types of masks in Japan.
  • Simple Mask: In this lesson, students learn how to make a mask from plaster bandages.

Painting

When people think of art, they usually think of paintings in the museums. In middle school, students have the opportunity to paint on canvas or other materials. Usually, acrylic or oil paints are used. Students are also introduced to the great masters and their works so they have a deeper knowledge of art history and art techniques. Teachers can use these resources to plan their art curriculums:

  • Color Theory: Before the students start to paint, it’s a good idea to introduce them to the theory of color.
  • Painting Lesson: In this lesson, students would learn how to paint still life.
  • Pointillism: An important technique in painting.
  • Impressionism: The lesson introduces students to the works of Claude Monet, and teaches them how to paint like the master. 
  • Silk Painting: Students would be delighted to try this form of painting.
  • Art Lesson: In this lesson, students would learn about texture.
  • Cubism: Students are challenged to paint their self-portrait, Cubist style.
  • Art History: A series of lesson plans on art history.

Pottery & Ceramics

Middle school children would be learning the art of pottery and ceramics in middle school art curriculum. In the lessons, they would learn how to visualize the three-dimensional objects before actually making them. Clay art works are some of the oldest and most defined objects in a number of ancient civilizations. To make the classes more interesting, art teachers can utilize these resources:

  • Great Sculptures: Excellent introduction to the most famous sculptures of the 20th century.
  • Clay Animals: This is a lesson which the students will love.
  • North Carolina: Students would learn about the special characteristics of pottery in the state.
  • Lesson Plans: A great collection of lesson plans on pottery and ceramics.
  • Incan Artifacts: In this lesson, students learn to make Incan clay pottery objects.
  • Symbols: Students learn how to make unique pottery items by using symbols.
  • Mi Casa es Tu Casa: In this lesson, students learn how to make cute animated houses with clay.