Indexing Art Books
Three-Part Course with Theresa Duran
Art books represent a thriving segment of the publishing industry. They encompass a variety of book categories—from coffee-table books to exhibition catalogues to academic or technical studies—and an even greater array of subjects. What art books all have in common is an abundance of illustrations. The indexer must understand the conventions pertaining to specific types of artworks and the expectations that clients might have about the indexing of images.
This three-part course offers a comprehensive guide to the glorious world of art books. It begins with an overview of the field, then dives straight into the thicket of artist names, art titles, captions, and illustration locators. It wraps up with practical tips and strategies for avoiding clashes with clients, troubleshooting common problems (particularly index length restrictions), and finding work. Each session is filled with examples from actual art books. Additional examples and resources are included in the handout.
The course is designed to benefit both novice indexers who are interested in breaking into the field and experienced indexers who would like to hone their skills and gain confidence in their approach. Some of the tactics covered can be applied to books in other disciplines.
Course Overview
Session 1
Art Books: The Big Picture
- My background in art publishing
- Types of art books and their challenges
- Types of art publishers and indexing clients
- Q&A
Session 2
Artworks, Artists, and Locators
- Common image organization schemes
- A to Z of art captions
- Illustration locators
- Treatment of art titles
- Treatment of artists
- Q&A
Session 3
Projects: Getting Started, Troubleshooting, Finding Work
- Questions to ask at the start of a project
- Managing length restrictions
- Setting rates and bidding on projects
- Getting established in the field
- Resources
- Q&A
Each session is approximately one hour.
This Online Learning Course was presented on October 11, 18, and 25, 2023
About our Presenter
Theresa Duran, PhD, is a former staff editor at a publishing house that specialized in art books, calendars, and other products for museum gift shops. She left that position in 2005 to become a full-time freelancer, offering indexing, copyediting, and proofreading services. In the past few years, Theresa has come to focus on the indexing of art books. A resident of Marin County, California, she is the current president of the American Society for Indexing (2023–24).
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The rate for this 3-part course is $349 for non-members. You will have long-term access to the replays. If you have previously purchased from ASI, please use your email address on file. Guest
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