Creative Writing
This guide is intended to support students doing research for creative projects, particularly creative writers.
Artist at work
Kent, Frederick W. (Frederick Wallace). Art Students Sculpting, The University of Iowa, 1940s. https://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/node/685741. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.
Introduction
Browse for inspiration or access specific works of art with these tools and resources.
For assistance searching our art collections, reach out to the experts at the Art Library!
Library Resources
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Art LibraryVisit the Art Library to view thousands of art-related titles in person, or browse their many online resources for inspiration.
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Artstor on JSTOR This link opens in a new windowSearchable database of digital images and associated catalog data within JSTOR, with new image collections added several times a year. Artstor covers many time periods and cultures, and documents the fields of architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, design, anthropology, ethnographic and women's studies, as well as many other forms of visual culture. Users can search, view, download and organize images.
To download images users MUST register for a personal account.
MOBILE USERS: For Apple: mobile.artstor.org. For Android: Download app from Google Play.
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Finding and Using ImagesThis guide from our Art Library provides information on finding and reusing images, whether they are under copyright, Creative Commons licensed, or public domain.
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Iowa Digital LibraryThe Iowa Digital Library features more than a million digital objects created from the holdings of the University of Iowa Libraries and its campus partners. Included are illuminated manuscripts, historic maps, fine art, historic newspapers, scholarly works, and more.
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Stanley Museum of ArtVisit the museum in person to explore collections currently on display in the museum and the outdoor sculpture garden.
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Stanley Museum of Art Digital CollectionThe University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art’s permanent collection encompasses over sixteen thousand artworks from around the world. These support and enhance university research, teaching, and outreach, and enrich the lives of all Iowans.
Online Resources
These are just a few of the many collections online, including some from museums and galleries around the world.
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Creative CommonsThe Creative Commons search portal provides one easy search for all kinds of open source art (images, sound, and more).
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Public Domain Image ArchiveExplore this hand-picked collection of 10,607 out-of-copyright works, free for all to browse, download, and reuse. This is a living database with new images added every week.
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British MuseumGet closer to the British Museum collection and immerse yourself in two million years of history, across six continents. The collection online allows access to almost five million objects in more than two million records. High definition images can be enlarged and examined in detail.
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Google Arts & CultureGoogle Arts & Culture works with cultural institutions and artists around the world to preserve and bring the world's art and culture online so it's accessible to anyone, anywhere. Collections include MoMA, Musée d’Orsay, Uffizi Gallery, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Met, LIFE Photo Collection, LACMA, and many more.
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Henry Boxer GalleryExplore the gallery's unique collections, including many outsider and self-taught artists.
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LouvreThe Collections database consists of entries for more than 500,000 works in the Musée du Louvre and Musée National Eugène-Delacroix. Updated on a daily basis, it is the result of the continuous research and documentation efforts carried out by teams of experts from both museums.
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The Met CollectionSearch and browse to explore over 490,000 works of art from around the world and across 5,000 years of history.
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National Gallery of ArtThe online collection of the National Gallery of Art contains more than 140,000 records and over 60,000 images available for free download. Search and browse by title, artist, movement, period, topic, and medium.