Review the written assignment guidelines, if available. If you are writing the paper for a course, the instructor may specify the types of acceptable artwork, a time period, an artist or other parameters for choosing the research piece. Examine the assignment for guidelines regarding length, acceptable references and formatting styles.
Select the artwork you intend to research. If your instructor provided specific guidelines for choosing it, visit a local museum and browse the relevant galleries until you find a piece that intrigues or inspires you. If you don't have access to a museum, ask the librarian at a local library to help you find art history texts that provide examples of work relevant to your research.
Gather relevant research materials regarding the history of your chosen piece. Most libraries offer advanced search engines that allow you to research for specific keywords include the name of the piece, the artist's name or the artistic movement in which the piece was created. Collect materials regarding the time period in which the piece was created, the artist's life, other works by the author and historical and modern criticisms and analyses of the piece.
Write a thesis statement that presents a central theme and argument for your paper based on your research. Though research papers are informational and factual in nature, a compelling argument regarding the historical or social importance of the piece is the driving force of a successful paper about art. An example thesis statement is, "Henri Rousseau's 'The Dream' represents the first artistic transition into the realm of magical surrealism."
Create an outline for your research paper. An outline is a written sketch of the main points and structure of your essay. Include headings that represent the main ideas of each supporting paragraph as well as bullet points that reference specific evidence to support your main ideas. Ensure that each paragraph directly relates back to your thesis statement.
Write the introduction to your research paper. The introduction includes a clear thesis statement, a summary of supporting evidence and a clear written description of the piece of art that the paper explores.
Include integral information in the body paragraphs of your research paper. Though your original thesis guides the content of the paper, all successful art research papers should include a summary of the relevant historical context of the artwork, an overview of the author's life or philosophy, an analysis of historical criticisms of the work and a contemporary perspective on the importance of the work.
Include in-text citations and references throughout the body of your paper. Refer to your assignment sheet for proper formatting, though MLA format is the most common format for liberal arts research papers.
Include any relevant appendices at the end of your paper. Your paper should have at least one appendix with a color copy of the analyzed artwork, as well as any other supporting documents like comparative artwork.
Prepare a bibliography or works cited page for the end of your essay. Include properly formatted citations for every reference used in your paper.
Include a properly formatted cover page for your research paper. The cover page should include a clear title, your name, the date and the institution associated with the paper, most often your college affiliation.
Prepare a written abstract of your paper, if necessary. Some research papers must include a brief one to two paragraph summary of their arguments and conclusions to accompany their full-length research paper.