Database Tutorials

Artstor

Searching

Basic Searching

If you're just looking to browse images by a certain artist/about a certain subject without much concern for specificity, you may want to use the basic search function. When you first go to Artstor, your page will look like this:

 

Click in the search box (outlined in red here), and type in a few words before you press Enter on your keyboard or click the magnifying glass.

 

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Advanced Searching

In advanced searching, you are given more ability to pinpoint exactly the kinds of images you would like to see in your results. Simply click on the "Advanced Search" link below the main search box on the home page for a box to appear on your screen that looks like this:

• In order to search by creator's name, title, location, material, style, etc., use the dropdown menu by the search box to select the appropriate field.
  • If you do not choose an option from this menu, the database will automatically search your term in all the image citation fields
• To broaden or narrow your search results, use the ‘AND’ dropdown menus before the 2nd text box
  • There will be three options: AND (which is automatically chosen), OR, & NOT
  • AND: will only display results that include both/all the search terms
  • OR: will display all results with either/any of the search terms
  • NOT: will display results with the previous search terms, but will leave out results that include the following search term
• If you need more than the two provided text boxes for search terms, click the "Add Query" button and use as normal
• To filter your results by Classification, Collection Type, or Geography, use the boxes to the right of the page
  • Check the boxes or click the options in the lists that you would like to limit by
  • This is optional - all of these filters will appear again on your result page (see below)
• To search within a specific date range, fill in the date boxes below your search terms.
  • Be sure to click either CE or BCE, depending on what you're searching for
  • Only type year numbers in these boxes - Artstor doesn't hold information about months and days
• When you are ready, click the orange "Search" button at the bottom right corner of the box.

Searching Tips!

• Not sure which word ending to use?
  • Attach an * to the base of your term, and the database will search for words that start with that string of letter, regardless of what the ending is.
  • Example: searching for poli* will pull results for policy, politics, political, politicians, etc.
  • You can see up above that I used one at the end of "feminis*" so I would get results for both "feminist" and "feminism", but not things like "feminine", which is missing the "s".
• Want to search for an entire phrase? 
  • Surround your phrase with " ", and the database will search for those words in that order without anything in between
  • Example: "critical feminist theory" will return results JUST with those exact words in that exact order. So you won't get results that are something along the lines of "Feminists are critical of X theory".

 

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Results

When you run a search, your page will look like this:

Filtering results

On the left side of the page are a number of filters - these will be the exact same filters as were in the Advanced Search:

• Collection Type - where Artstor got the images
• Geography - where the image was created, or what location is depicted
• Classification - materials/style of the art presented
• Date (including BCE/CE options) - date image was created

 

Getting larger thumbnails

All of the images of the results will display in front of you, defaulted to small icons. If you want to see bigger icons and get a better idea of what's in the image:

• Go to the top of the results page
• Underneath your search terms are three options: Sort, Images/Page, and two icons of rectangles.
• If you want bigger icons, click on the image with 2 rectangles
• If you want smaller icons, click on the image with 6 rectangles

 

Change number of images per page

Similarly, you can also change the number of images that are displayed on a single page:

• Go to the top of the results page
• Underneath your search terms are three options: Sort, Images/Page, and two icons of rectangles.
• There is a dropdown menu next to Images/Page - select the number of images you'd like.

Looking at an Image

To view an image and its details from the results page, simply click on the image icon, and you'll be brought to a page that looks like this:

On the left is a large image of the item itself. When your mouse rolls over the image, there will be a little menu that appears in the top left corner that looks like this: 

• To zoom in on the image, either scroll with your mouse up, left click on the part of the image you'd like to see closer, or press the magnifying glass with the plus sign in the middle
• To zoom out on the image, either scroll with your mouth down, or click on the magnifying glass with the minus sign in the middle
• To bring the image back to its original size and placement, click on the square icon with the plus in the middle (third from the left)
• To make the image full screen, click on the two diagonal arrows

 

In the top right, there are 5 buttons:

• Add to Group: if you're logged in with an Artstor Account (learn how to get one here), you can group and save images to return to later. Click this button to add this image to a group
• Download: you can also choose to download an image to your computer (but again, you'll need an Artstor account, which is free to create since you have access through Geisel Library)
• Cite This Item: to create a citation (see more below on this)
• Print Preview: if you want to print a hard copy of this image, you can do so by clicking on this link (it will also print all the detailed information)
• Copy (with a link to the left): this is the permanent link to this image. If you want to return to this page later, copy this link, not the one at the top of your browser.

On the right are all of the details and more information about the item (these are all labeled). Read through these for various information on who/where/what/how the image was created, where Artstor got the image, copyright information, etc. These labels will change depending on what information Artstor has for the item.

 

Citing an Image

When you are looking at an image's detailed information, click on the "Cite This Item" button in the top right corner. A popup will appear on your screen that looks like this:

 

Click on the link "Copy to Clipboard" beneath the citation style you'd like to copy, then paste into your document!

More Help from Artstor: