Artsology.com began as a side project for me as I was transitioning from working in the art world to becoming a web designer.
I started making simple online games as a way to amuse my then young kids and I made the games history-related to amuse myself (I was learning programming languages and this was a fun way to practice). But as I created and posted more games, it started to catch the attention of teachers and parents and I found the site being utilized beyond the circle of my children’s friends. Over the past 13 years, the website has gone from being a fun programming exercise to an extensive collection of educational resources which allows me to share my passion for the arts with children. In addition to the arts games, there are arts “investigations” into art concepts and art history lessons, as well as printables, which include colouring pages, mazes, and board games.
Another Artsology feature is the “Gallery Insider” series, in which I visit contemporary art gallery exhibitions in New York City and provide a collection of essential questions that teachers can utilize in the classroom. The idea with this series has been to provide art lessons based on art being made by contemporary living artists, and to give a look at art being made today.
The “Art & Jazz Series” provides selections of jazz music with a corresponding art project which will relate to the music. The projects generally ask the student to create visual art concepts that are a reflection of what is happening in the music. The idea behind Artsology has always been to hook kids into the arts from a “fun” angle of games and activities, and then act as a gateway or springboard to further investigation and enjoyment of the arts. I’m always adding new games and features and all of the content is free. The hope is to create an expanding collection of arts resources that allow one to learn while having fun.
Links to features on the site: Games: http://www.artsology.com/games.php
Investigations: http://www.artsology.com/investigations.php
Printables: http://www.artsology.com/printables.php
Gallery Insider: http://www.artsology.com/the-gallery-insider.php
Art & Jazz Series: http://www.artsology.com/art-and-jazz-series.php
By Mark McKinney, founder of Artsology.com
EDTECH 4 BEGINNERS 