We think ArtLex has several strengths, and we know that it has weaknesses, indeed several outright failings.
HELP ! ! ! ArtLex is constantly growing -- under construction and reconstruction. Our goal is to continuously improve ArtLex's abilities to serve its visitors. ArtLex actively seeks suggestions for:
- New terms -- from those in use long ago to those recently coined. ArtLex relies greatly upon the community of its visitors for help identifying these terms, defining them, making citations (quotations) of uses of those words, and links to other resources on the web related to those terms.
- New and better definitions. Suggest what might improve a definition in ArtLex. How could an article increase understanding of how a word has been used?
- New and better images -- from pictures of shapes, colors, tools, equipment, etc., to examples of works of art. Suggest images that may help visitors to understand art-related words. ArtLex displays most images at thumbnail-size in order to speed download times, and links to most larger images, in order to give visitors the choice of downloading them. Send a digital image or cite its URL. Identify from whom permission to use the image needs to be obtained. If that's you, give ArtLex permission to place the image on its server. (See ArtLex's copyright policies.)
- New and better links to resources outside of ArtLex. We post links to Web pages to sites that might help our visitors gain information about art topics. Please recommend sites you think we should post links to. For each recommendation, give us the site's name, URL, a description in 20-50 words, and suggest some art terms below which it makes sense to place such links. If a site is your own, please identify your role in the site -- author, owner, publicist, etc.
Would you like an additional link on our pages devoted to sites that post links to ArtLex? Is yours an artist's site? Gallery? School? Library? Museum? A manufacturer or seller of art materials or equipment? Other?
- New and better quotations. ArtLex posts many great quotations, some that simply cite a use of a term, and some that demonstrate interesting thoughts about the meanings of terms. Please send us great quotes that you've found. For each recommendation, give us the quote, who said or wrote it, that person's occupation, nationality, dates (birth to death years), the time and place when said, or the name of the publication in which it was found, name of the publisher, city and date, and the page.
| Please send your comments / suggestions for additions, changes, or deletions, etc. to the ArtLexicographer at |
How to get a word noted and defined in ArtLex (and other dictionaries)
In a message about any art-related word(s), tell us:
- The word. (Any alternative spellings, etc?) The word's history. Citations (quotations) of its use are most important in documenting this history, and in forming definitions. Cite its use in as many publications as you can. Note the author, title, date and location of each publication. If you know of this word from use in conversation, how has this word been used by you / others? What does it mean to you / others? What part of speech is it or can it be? Are there other forms or uses of this word? Do you know of its having been used by speakers of other language(-s) or parts of the world?
- How do you and others pronounce it and where?
If yours is a brand new word, you should be very patient. It can take several years or decades for a new word to be accepted. You may not ever see it in a dictionary, especially if it is was created for just one publication. The joy of seeing a word coming into use should be enough. Sending a message to ArtLex demanding inclusion is not the first step. Find or get your word used in several media sources, the more highly reputed the better (for example: a major newspaper, art magazine, or museum catalogue -- not just on the Internet or in local publications or private correspondence). Many citations are needed: by people other than yourself, over a period of several years. Only this will get your word to the starting line. If your word isn't having much luck finding its way to mouths and pens, well, you can always encounter or coin another one. And another one after that!In your correspondence with us, tell us if you give ArtLex permission to acknowlege you and your contribution on its pages, and if we may post a link to your email or Web address at that acknowlegement.Also take a look at these pages:
