Varsity Tutors AP Art History mobile app

AP Art History covers a lot of ground. Fortunately, students can use the free Varsity Tutors AP Art History app available on iTunes and the Google Play Store for Android, iPhone, and iPad to review the many styles, artists, and time periods covered. The exam includes materials on prehistoric and ancient Mediterranean art, Colonial American art, European and American art, and works from indigenous American peoples. Students can also brush up on African, Asian, and Pacific artists using the app.

AP Art History covers much more than simply identifying works of art. Students must be able to analyze a piece in the proper cultural and historical context based on how it’s made. Politics and religion may also be relevant, along with topics and hidden meanings that have inspired paintings, sculptures, and architecture during every era.

The standard course curriculum integrates 10 content areas, 12 learning objectives, and about 250 separate works of art. The eras covered span from prehistoric to contemporary art, with geographical groupings of art for each era. The course also focuses on researching, interpreting, and writing about art. All of the learning objectives in AP Art History may be applied on the final exam.

Students taking the AP Art History exam will have three hours to complete the exam. It includes a one-hour section with 80 multiple-choice questions, and a two-hour free response section with six questions. These include two 30-minute essay questions and four 15-minute essay questions that must be completed in the allotted time.

The features of the app are designed to accommodate the visual style of the AP Art History exam. While practicing, students are asked to name, identify, and analyze each image. A Flashcard Maker lets students add their own audio and visual materials. For example, one can take a picture of an artwork and add it to a flashcard they create. A multitude of concept-specific and full-length practice tests within the app allow students to work with the materials on which they will be tested.

Students can review almost any concept relevant to AP Art History. One can test themselves on ancient Greek and Roman architecture, Islamic art, or 21st century sculpture. The full-length, timed practice tests give students an even more effective study option. This resource features questions written by industry professionals. Using the practice tests, students can assess how prepared they are and focus on any problem areas before the actual exam.

The free Varsity Tutors AP Art History app from iTunes and the Google Play Store lets students create an ideal, personalized study plan. The review materials can be taken anywhere a smartphone will work, and make for quick study and review while on the go. Knowing works of art and their historical context is not the only important part of the exam. Time management is crucial as well. Test-takers need to both know the material and be familiar with the test-taking environment. By using the resources on the Varsity Tutors AP Art History app for Android and Apple devices, students can fine-tune their strategy well in advance of the exam.

If you are currently in high school and plan on pursuing a college education in arts and humanities, taking the AP Art History course might be something to consider. By completing this course, you may be able to earn college credits and improve your placement while learning about influential art movements in the America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

The AP Art History course primarily focuses on different genres and movements within European Art, and how they were influenced by the socio-political issues of the time. You will also learn about art movements in various African cultures, India and the greater South Asian region, East Asia, and Islamic cultures. While exploring important works of art from a number of cultures and historical time periods, you will be expected to understand and explain the political, religious, or cultural influences behind each theme. Additionally, you should be able to critically evaluate a work of art by providing an informed, point-by-point analysis.

The AP Art History test consists of two sections: a multiple-choice test and a writing component. Additionally, the test is split up into two parts: part A and part B. Part A consists of 115 multiple-choice questions that you have one hour to answer. These questions will be based on specific images that will be presented on the test. In part B, you are given 40 minutes to answer 85 multiple-choice questions. These questions are based on general facts regarding artists, dates, and the socio-political landscape of the era in question.

Both sections, A and B, have a writing component. For part A, you will be required to write two lengthy, analytical essays on the topics provided. You will be given 30 minutes to answer each essay question. Part B’s writing portion consists of six short essay questions, and you will be given 10 minutes per question. Unlike part A, the writing component of part B consists of questions on specific works of art rather than focusing on a general time period.

The majority of the AP Art History test covers European art, and the various cultural movements that influenced art over the years. You will start with Greeks and Romans, as well as other ancient Mediterranean cultures around 3500 B.C.E to 300 C.E. Along with learning about Greco-Roman art and architecture, you will learn about other cultures, like the Egyptians and Persians, who greatly influenced the region.
The art of the Middle Ages is another important area of the test. Many of the underlying themes are related to Christianity, and they cover the Byzantine Empire, the Papal States of Rome, and the Gothic artists in France. You will also learn about Islamic art in Medieval Europe, such as the Islamic artists that followed the sack of Constantinople, as well as the Islamic art and architecture that influenced Spain during the Moorish conquest of Iberia.

Additionally, the Renaissance Period was an important time in European history. Not only did artists of the time period further explore religion and culture, but it was also the period when science began to influence art. You will learn about this in the European history section, as well as the Protestant Reformation, and all of the art that was born out of protest towards the Catholic Church. By the time you get to the art that influenced the Colonial Americas, you will explore a number of works created primarily by Spanish artists. An essential piece of the period was the “Virgin of Guadalupe,” which was made popular by the conquistador Hernan Cortes, who carried her likeness with him as he colonized the New World. Paintings similar to the “Virgin of Guadalupe” have become one of the most popular themes throughout Mexico.

By the time that you begin exploring the art from the Enlightenment to the Industrial Revolution, you will begin to see art that is relevant to issues faced in modern society. This time period covers Europe and the Americas between 1750 to 1980. Here, you will explore a number of artists that shaped the United States, including Thomas Jefferson, who famously built the “Monticello” house in Virginia. Also, you will learn about the decolonization of the New World; the great minds like Darwin, Marx, Freud, and Einstein; and the effects of industrialization. All of these historical milestones have played a major role in the art and literature of the time. Furthermore, this is the time period when you will truly begin to see how racism, classism, and sexism are addressed through art. The period is also home to the birth of modern and contemporary art. Here, you will learn about Van Gogh, Munch, and Picasso. You will also gain exposure to the great artists who abandoned traditional techniques and experimented with scenery, textures, and surfaces.

While the AP Art History program focuses heavily on European and colonial art, you will also be required to know about art from the indigenous Americans, various African cultures, and Eastern Asia. This includes the first nations of North America, as well as the large civilizations of the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans. You will learn about the Aztec’s calendar, the “Sun Stone,” the feathered headdress of Moctezuma, and the “Mesa Verde” cliff cities in present day Colorado.

While exploring famous African art, you will learn about nearly 4,000 years of art from a number of tribes and civilizations, including the Asante, Igbo, and Yoruba people. This includes ceremonial masks, statues carved from wood and stone, and the “Great Zimbabwe National Monument,” the remnants of an ancient Bantu civilization.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to analyze and compare famous works of art. By covering a variety of movements and time periods, you are given the opportunity to explore a number of cultures, ideas, and philosophies. The course covers approximately 250 different works of art that reflect a wide range of traditions and customs. Not only does AP Art History count in place of an introductory college art course at many colleges and universities, but it allows you to develop a deeper appreciation of the cultures that have influenced our present-day societies.