1.
WRITE
YOUR
NOTES OUT FULLY
AS COMPLETE
THOUGHTS. Explain
the whole point
to yourself as
if you will
have to study
from it weeks
later. Avoid
writing down
single words or
partial
thoughts.
For
example,
don’t write
that
“Surrealism
used curious
juxtaposition”
without
explaining what
curious
juxtaposition
means: “the
strange or
curious
positioning of
objects in an
artwork.”
Define
all new words
in a way that
you will
understand
later.
2.
TAKE
NOTES ON THE
BASICS. Make
sure you have
the essential
information
about a new
artist, concept
or style.
Exam
questions
almost always
pertain to the
main points.
-for Art
History
lectures:
important
slide
information
would include
the artist,
title, date
(century or
decade), style,
medium, and
other
significant
information
about a
particular
work.
For
example:
“Guernica”
by Pablo
Picasso,
Spanish, 1930s,
shows Nazi
bombing of a
Spanish town in
the Spanish
Civil War”
-for
Intro to Art
lectures: historical
facts are less
important.
For
example,
don’t worry
about dates.
Instead
your notes
should stress
basic art
terms, styles,
and concepts
pointed out in
the slides.
For
example: “California
Artist” by
Robert Arneson,
ceramic
sculpture;
Arneson is
known for his
humor and his
ability to make
the material
look like
brick, wood,
flesh, jeans,
etc.”
3.
CREATE
A SET OF
SYMBOLS TO
QUICKLY TELL
YOURSELF
THINGS.
Use
a # or a *
symbol to
indicate things
like an artwork
you will be
tested on, or a
work that also
appears in the
book.
Highlight
pens also work
well to bring
your eyes back
to the most
important
information.
4.
MAKE
QUICK SKETCHES.
Make
quick, tiny
sketches in the
margin of your
page to serve
as a visual
reminder of
important
images that may
not be in the
book.
They
don’t have to
be detailed,
but more like
pictionary
sketches.
If you
learn better by
seeing, rather
than by
hearing, then
you especially
should be doing
this.
5.
BRIEFLY
REVIEW YOUR
NOTES AFTER
EACH CLASS. Take
just 5 to 10
minutes after
each lecture
and review your
notes.
Check
the spelling of
artists’
names.
Complete
any fragmented
thoughts.
Check
the text for
reading
assignments
that pertain to
the lecture.
Make
sure you’re
studying from
correct notes.
If you do this
faithfully it
helps; it’s
like advance
preparation for
the exams.