I have to admit–I am kind of a YouTube junkie. It all started when I was introduced to the vlogbrothers, which then led to Hank and John Green’s other channels, the PBS digital studios shows, and many more. I subscribe to a lot of channels and honestly I check my YouTube feed more often than I do my blog feeds on Feedly.
I really hope to eventually have a YouTube art education channel for this blog later on down the line. I am waiting for inspiration to strike on a good video format, but it is something I continually mull over in the back of my head when I am in the car or doing dishes or whatever.
In the meantime, here are five YouTube channels I love for art and culture content. These would be great additions to your art curriculum. The title links to the channel page, and I have included a description and one video for each embedded into the post.
1. The Art Assignment — This channel is produced by PBS Digital Studios and hosted by Sarah Green (wife of vlogbrother and author John Green). I love these videos because they focus on contemporary art. Sarah interviews artists from around the country, and they give viewers an art assignment to do in their lives. It’s really cool and not at all focusing on traditional ways of making art like drawing and sculpture.
2. Smarthistory, Art History at Khan Academy — This is a more academic site with hundreds of videos about individual works of art. The format of the videos is primarily a conversation about the art between two art historians, usually Dr. Steven Zucker and/or Dr. Beth Harris. I enjoy them, and I’ve always wondered if others might find them boring. Do you? Please tell me, because I am curious.
3. Crash Course — Although this channel isn’t specifically about art, it has courses on history, literature, psychology, and other sciences. I include this because these are great to watch in conjunction with studying art movements. The talking speed of these videos are way to fast, but it’s funny and fun to watch and a great supplement to other learning activities. I am DYING for them to make an art history one, and I want to write for it. I put that in their annual survey, but I imagine if they make one, it’ll be Sarah Green that does it.
4. PBS Idea Channel — Okay, this is another one that is not specifically art, but in our world, art and culture meld together to create something called “Visual Culture.” Many art teachers focus more on visual culture than traditional art, because images play such an incredibly role in our current lives more than ever before. This channel doesn’t even specifically focus on visual culture but overall culture and ideas. Art is ideas, so I say the idea channel is about art. Whatever. Just watch it. It’s awesome. Really awesome.
5. Mary Doodles — Pure joy. Mary Doodles draws and paints for the camera, and it is just such a joy to watch. Her artwork is beautiful, and she is so fun. She also has a second channel with even more art content.
Check these out, and let me know what you think in the comments! Do you have an art channel you love? What did I miss?
You asked for opinions on Khan Academy’s art history…I think the videos, as with most Khan items, are obviously well-researched and explain a plethora of details. So in that sense it is not boring. But his voice- snoozer! We homeschool and I always hesitate to use Khan materials simply because of his voice and speech patterns; I’m afraid I’d find my kids asleep!
Yes! I think you hit the nail on the head.