Animating art history: building a bridge between disciplines

ABSTRACT

The study of art history is an exciting and rewarding one, but one in which the student frequently encounters complex and difficult to understand concepts. Traditional methodologies for educators presenting these ideas to students have included slides, lectures, textbooks and videos of static works of art. In our technologically driven and media-saturated society, though, high school and early college students in introductory art history courses respond more positively to today's multimedia pedagogical tools.Computer animation offers a new and interdisciplinary paradigm with which to approach the art historical curriculum. With advanced three-dimensional animation technology, the Animating Art History team is creating original and dynamic tools for classroom use. Animating Art History presents complicated concepts in art history within the framework of a fully realized animation segment. Through plot, humor and visual exaggeration, animation captures the imagination of the student and facilitates learning.