Help & Information

How do I Search?

The Keyword, Description and Category search tools can be used together or independently:

Step 1 | Keyword

Entering a keyword is optional - if you have selected a description or category you do not have to enter a keyword.

If you are looking for a particular type of image then type the word or words you wish to search for in the 'Keyword' field - there is a maximum of 50 characters, including spaces. See the Keyword section below for more information.

Click 'Start the Search', or continue to Step 2.

Step 2 | Description

Selecting a description is optional - if you have entered a keyword or selected a category you do not have to select a description.

Select descriptive terms from the drop-down menus in the 'Description' column. For best results a maximum of two choices per search is recommended. See the Description section below for more information.

Click 'Start the Search', or continue to Step 3.

Step 3 | Category

Selecting a category is optional - if you have entered a keyword or selected a description you do not have to select a category.

Select the categories you are most interested in by checking the relevant boxes in the 'Category' column. Multiple Categories can be selected at once, although this will limit the search results. See the Category section below for more information.

Click 'Start the Search'

Step 4 | Results

If your search is successful you will see a series of thumbnail images. To view an image in detail, click on the relevant thumbnail. To return to the results screen of thumbnails, click the 'Return to current search' link above the image.

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How do I refine my Search Results?

From a Results Page

If your initial search results in a large number of hits you may wish to refine your original search criteria to produce a more manageable list of records.

If the Description and/or Category Search tools were used, click 'Refine Your Current Search' (above the thumbnails) to jump back to the original search tool screen. Your previous selections will have been saved. By choosing additional Descriptive terms and/or Categories you can narrow down your search results.

If the Keyword search was used try searching for all words or an exact match to limit the results.

From an Image Details Page

Once you have found an image that you like, you can find other images that are similar, from the same source, or from the same artist/creator by using the links below the image. Alternatively click the 'Find images from the same source/creator' link above the image to display works by the same artist, and from the same book - where the image has been sourced from Birmingham Central Library.

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How do I use the Zoomify tool?

The Zoomify tool allows users to zoom in and out of all images in fine detail. Using your mouse, you can zoom in, out and navigate round the image by clicking/dragging the relevant buttons on the tool palette:

Zoomify controls

Or alternatively, use the following keyboard shortcuts:

  • A = Zoom In
  • Z = Zoom Out
  • Click and Drag = Pan
  • Esc = Reset

A small reference thumbnail in the top-left corner will help to orientate you.

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How do I use 'Your Album'?

Although you cannot download images on Inspiration Bank (as this would infringe on the copyright of certain images) the site allows users to collect their favourite pictures together in your own online area. To add an artwork to Your Album, click the 'Add to Your Album' link above the image.

You will then be prompted to Log-in or Register in order to use the album. Registration is very quick and allows users to collect and comment on their favourite images from Inspiration Bank.

Once in Your Album the following options are available each image:

  • Add/Update Notes
  • Click here to add notes to an image in your album, for instance, thoughts and ideas been triggered by it. Your Album is a private space and other users will be able to view this information. This feature is perfect for those using the site for research/study purposes.
  • View Item Details
  • Click here to view the image within the Item Details page.
  • Remove Item from Album
  • Click here to delete an item from Your Album.

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Where can I send feedback?

Inspiration Bank is an evolving project being developed for you, so please send us your feedback!

Send comments and suggestions to: info@inspirationbank.com.

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How do I purchase images for commercial use?

Although Inspiration Bank has clearance to display all images on the site, Inspiration Bank is not the copyright holder for any image on the site.

As such, if you wish to purchase an original high resolution image of an object found on Inspiration Bank (e.g. for commercial use), please make a note of the artwork's 'Location' and 'Item Ref' (found on the 'Image Details' page); click the 'Partners' tab, find the relevant gallery and click the expandable 'Purchasing High-resolution Images' tab for instructions.

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Search Tools Overview

The search tools have been especially developed for a creative audience. Each tool can be used independently or in combination with one of the other search tools.

Keyword

As default, the keyword search will attempt to match all the words you have entered to the title, keywords and artist associated with the image. You can change this behaviour as follows:

Use the 'Search within' drop-down list to select which field you would like to match keyword/s in:

  • All Fields
  • This is the default option, leave this selected if you wish to source a broad body of material loosely connected with the keywords you have entered.
  • Image Title
  • Select this option if you are looking for a specific image
  • Image Keywords
  • Select this option if you are looking for specific subject matter
  • Artist/Author
  • Select this option if you are looking for a specific Artist or Author

Use the 'Search for' drop-down list to refine your search to images that closely match your needs:

  • Search for all words
  • This is the default option, select it if you want to exclude common hits that might be irrelevant to your search. All the terms you specify in the search field must be associated with an image for it to display in the results. For example, if you typed "red beetle" only images containing "red" AND "beetle", would be retrieved from the database.
  • Search for any words
  • Select this option if you don't wish to exclude any hits that might be relevant to your search. At least one of the terms you specify must be associated with any image for it to display in the results. For example, if you typed "butterfly moth" all images containing "butterfly" OR "moth" would be retrieved from the database.
  • Search for a phrase
  • This option is best selected if you are looking for a specific creator, book or image.

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Category

Categories loosely fall into two broad types: Inspiration from Nature and Inspiration from Mankind, in deference in particular to the strong natural history and design/illustration collections sourced from Birmingham Central Library.

Each image on Inspiration Bank is assigned to at least one category, and includes several sub-categories which are hidden from the front-end.

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Description

This tool enables you to retrieve imagery using expressive vocabulary, which is descriptive of the artistic style and context of the artwork, regardless of its subject matter.

Each image has been subscribed to multiple Description categories. One or more terms can be selected per search to find images that combine a number of attributes, although adding more will limit the amount of hits.

Definitions of the Description search terms are listed below:

Colour
  • Hot Colours
    Images predominantly made up of warm colours such as reds, oranges, yellows, pinks and warm browns, such as terracotta.
  • Cool Colours
    Images predominantly made up of cold colours such as blues, violets and blue-greens.
  • Neutral Colours
    Images predominantly made up of neutral tones such as dull browns, beige, green, flesh tones, creams or pale yellows.
  • Multicoloured
    Images that display a broad spectrum of colours, combining hot, cool and/or neutral shades in relatively equal measure.
  • B&W / Greyscale
    Non-coloured - Please note due to the age of the original images, many display yellow discolouration.
  • Bold / Vibrant
    Images are predominantly made up of rich, strong and vivid colours. This doesn't include black and white images.
  • Subtle / Soft
    Images are predominantly made up of pastel or muted tones.
  • Metallic
    Images display gold leaf and/or gold, silver or bronze inks or materials.

Materials

The descriptive search terms listed within this category refer to the material/s the source object is made from.

Mood

  • Animated
    Image that displays its subject in a lively manner or, in terms of people and animals, in active poses.
  • Comical
    Image aims to be humorous.
  • Dark / Sinister
    Image seems threatening or is suggestive of evil. The image may achieve this in one of two ways - either the subject matter will be symbolic of evil, through the display of devils, vampires etc., or the image will have an unpleasant quality that aims to show or evoke the feeling of fear.
  • Fantasy
    Image is clearly a work of the illustrator's imagination, through the unreal qualities of actual picture or the obvious fictitious / imaginary subject matter.
  • Happy
    Image displays people in good humour (smiling).
  • Romantic
    Image evokes thoughts and feelings of love. The image may achieve this in one of two ways - Either the subject matter will be symbolic of romance, through the display of hearts, flowers, cupids etc., or the image will have an idealistic or sentimental quality.
  • Sad
    Image displays people that are miserable, or where the overall impression is one of gloom and despair.
  • Sexual
    Image that has sexual content i.e. displays naked flesh, genitals, erotic situations (realistic or symbolic).

Shape

    The following two terms refer to the original source object that was digitised:

    • 3D Source Object
      Including objects such as sculptures, craftworks and installations.
    • 2D Source Object
      Including scans of images of paintings, illustrations and sketches.

    The following terms refer to the subject matter within the image:

    • Humanoid
      Images dominated by a human form.
    • Organic
      Images dominated by organic, natural shapes.
    • Round
      Image features a circular motif, or a living organism or inanimate object that forms a distinctly circular shape.
    • Square / Cuboid
      Image features a square motif, or a living organism or inanimate object that forms a distinctly square/cube-like shape.
    • Angular
      Image features a living organism or inanimate object with straight edges and sharp, acute angles, or any subject matter that is represented in a distinctly linear way.
    • Curvaceous
      Image features a living organism or inanimate object with fluid, curved edges, or any subject matter represented in a non-linear, stylised way.

    Style

    • Abstract
      Image represents the subject matter by means of ambiguous shapes, partial forms and/or patterns, rather than true likeness.
    • Figurative
      Image predominantly features a complete figure or figures.
    • Ornate
      Image displays intense areas of decoration, but not repeating pattern. See Patterned category.
    • Painterly
      Image is an artistic impression of the subject matter, evoking a feeling of mood and atmosphere in preference to exact likeness and detail.
    • Patterned
      Image displays areas of repeat pattern. Please note that images displaying intense decoration, that does not repeat, would be categorised under the Ornate category.
    • Portraiture
      Image predominantly features a figure or figures, as head and/or shoulder shots only.
    • Study
      Image is observation based and is intended to represent a true likeness to the original subject.
    • Stylised
      Image uses an exaggerated depiction of the subject or is a work of the creator's imagination, such as a cartoon.
    • Technical
      Image comprises a mathematical / scaled drawing that has been done by a draughtsman, to form an exact, diagrammatical representation of the structure, object or design.

    Technique

    • Carved
      Images of carvings from wood, leather or bone.
    • Hand Drawn
      Such as a sketch or illustration
    • Photographic / Film
      Image taken from a photograph or a moving image still
    • Sculpted / Modelled
      Images of objects such as sculptures or ceramics.
    • Hand-coloured
      Image that has been produced by any printing method, and then been hand-coloured.
    • Etching / Engraving
      Image that has been produced through any form of etching or engraving, i.e. copperplates, wood engravings, aquatints etc.
    • Lithograph
      An image produced by printing using a stone or plate with a completely smooth surface.
    • Chromolithograph
      A picture printed in colors from a series of lithographics.
    • Woodcut
      An image is carved into the surface of a block of wood and used as the plate for printing.
    • Photo-engraving
      An etched or engraved plate is made from a photographic image and used to print images.
    • Printed
      Images that have been printed but where the specific method cannot be determined.
    • Facsimile
      Images that are facsimiles of an original piece of artwork.
    • Painted
      Images of paintings.
    • Book Binding
      Images of ornate or interesting book bindings.

    Texture

    • Furry
      Image featuring a living organism or inanimate object that is partially/fully covered in fur.
    • Spiky
      Image featuring a living organism or inanimate object that has spines or spikes.
    • Rough
      Image featuring a living organism or inanimate object with an abrasive or bumpy surface.
    • Smooth
      Image featuring a living organism or inanimate object with a flat, sleek surface.
    • Velvety
      Image featuring a living organism or inanimate object with a soft, piled surface that would be smooth to touch.

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