A Scholarly Skater Art History

Empowering everyone to approach art with confidence

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The Art Museum Insider: Feel Confident with Art

The Art Museum Insider book cover

Become an empowered art viewer. No prior experience necessary.

The Art Museum Insider gives you everything you need to have more satisfying and meaningful experiences with visual art. This book introduces fundamental ideas and key skills that will allow you to make your own informed opinions, helping you appreciate art whenever and however you encounter it. And yes, you will learn how to learn how to understand abstract art!

This isn’t an art history book. You won’t learn about specific artworks or memorize names and dates, and you won’t need to study each style or movement separately. Instead, you’ll discover core themes that apply to all forms of visual art and cultivate ways of thinking about them in any artworks you choose. There’s no prior experience necessary, no jargon, and no need for endless years of study.

Learn how to understand art, interpret art, and enjoy art in museums.
  • Enjoy art of all types, not just a few famous paintings.
  • Analyze art like an art historian.
  • Discover the main components of artworks.
  • Find out how art conveys meaning.
  • Practice interpreting art with activities and prompts.
  • Expert advice for how to enjoy art museums.
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Learn

Recognize the choices artists make and how they effect us as viewers.

Interpret

Discover artworks’ many meanings and ways to interpret them.

Practice

Practice skills that will make you a savvier consumer of images everywhere.

Engage

Look closely, think critically, and form conclusions about art.

Creating independent art viewers

While it doesn’t teach specific facts about art history, The Art Museum Insider teaches its readers to think like art historians, empowering them to analyze art for themselves rather than relying entirely on outside sources to shape their experiences. In addition, the skills and information within this book can be applied to many different types of art and images, rather than focusing exclusively on a small set of European artworks like many other art books.

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Peek inside (click to enlarge)

Details

Format: downloadable and printable pdf
Length: 108 pages, including 35 large color images
Details: Your purchase allows unlimited downloads and prints for one user.
Your purchase and use of this book are governed by my Terms of Service.

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About the author

I’m Alexandra, an independent art historian from the United States. I have a B.A. (with honors) in art history and the wholehearted belief that looking at art can enrich every person’s life. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to make historical art and architecture feel accessible to everyone by giving clear, useful explanations in plain English – without dumbing things down.

Accolades

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Belinda O.

Longtime reader

“I’ve followed [A Scholarly Skater’s] blog for years now, and I can tell you, she knows what she’s talking about.”

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Erika Gaffney

Art books editor and Art Herstory founder

“I love the way that you wear your knowledge lightly, and emphasize the accessibility (and relevance) of art to everyone.”