Finding and Using Images: Image Resources
Use this guide to help you find images for your art history, studio art, and design courses. (Originally written by Heather Lowe of the Visual Resource Center.)
Book Sources
- OneSearch: CSUSB Books & Media (a.k.a. Library Catalog)Find books available in Pfau Library.
- Visual Resource Center: Books CollectionFind books available in the Visual Resource Center's collection.
General Art Image Resources
- Visual Resource Center Image Library This link opens in a new windowThe VRC's Image Library is a digital image resource that supports teaching and research in art and art history, and a variety of related disciplines at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
- Oxford Art Online This link opens in a new window(CSUSB users only.) This art encyclopedia often includes downloadable images.
- ArtSTOR: Open Access Collections This link opens in a new window
Search free image collections available through the JSTOR platform. The largest contributors are New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Wellcome Collection of science artifacts. Not all images are of art; many are are historical/archival.
- CSU WorldImagesCultural heritage, art, and architecture
- Getty Open ContentAbout 100,000 free high resolution art images from the Getty's collections.
- Smithsonian Open AccessAccess to more than 4.5 million 2D and 3D digital items from the collections of the Smithsonian's museums, libraries, and archives.
- Visual Arts Data Service (VADS)Emphasis on design and craft.
- WikiArt: Visual Art EncyclopediaCollates a wide variety of art images, mostly from museums.
- Wikimedia CommonsWikimedia Commons is a "good faith" free image repository, with items contributed by volunteers. Most images may be reused (see the license details for each) but the quality and resolution varies wildly.
- Google Art ProjectMany amazing art images, but they cannot be downloaded.
Culture and History Images
- CalisphereUniversity of California's cultural history image database.
- Flickr CommonsPublic domain works from various institutions
- Getty Open Content: PhotographsThe Getty's collection contains numerous historical photographs, including views of Los Angeles.
- Life Photo ArchiveOpen access archive from the Magazine, hosted by Google
- Los Angeles Public LibraryLocal history images
- NYPL Public Domain Digital CollectionsNYPL collections include art images, historical photographs, and other historical graphics.
Architecture Images
- ArchInformSearchable database of images and background information, primarily focused on 20th century architecture.
- Arch DailyDaily features of architectural projects.
- Arch NetA free online tool that hosts images, descriptions, timelines and image collections of Islamic architecture from around the world.
Stock Images
- Morgue FileFree non-commercial use stock images
- UnsplashFreely available stock photographs.
Subject Guide
Stacy Magedanz
she/her
Contact:
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Pfau Library 053B
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Pfau Library 053B
San Bernardino, CA 92407
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