Named after the small red sticker that once guided scholars through legacy 35mm slides, The Red Dot is here to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of visual and material research. While rooted in the University of California, Santa Barbara community, our posts are open to all.
At MIRL, we engage with art history, digital humanities, and material culture through hands-on research and archival projects. Guided by our core principles—critical engagement with visual and material culture, ethical stewardship of images and data, and innovative approaches to research and pedagogy—we work at the intersection of technology and the humanities. We are especially interested in how digital tools can expand the study of images, objects, and spaces.
Here, we’ll share insights on Digital Art History and Architectural History, highlight new image and data resources, discuss copyright and ethical considerations, and spotlight events that shape our field.
The Red Dot © 2025 is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
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Courtauld hosts Gothic Ivories Project
The Courtauld Institute of Art has launched the Gothic Ivories Project, an online database of over 2800 images of ivory sculptures made in Western Europe between ca. 1200-ca. 1530 (with some neo-Gothic pieces as well). Search specifics, browse works by keyword, location and type, or visit the informational pages for site tips and tools. Additionally,… Read more
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Recent MDID content additions
It’s been awhile since we gave an update of new content in MDID, the IRC’s online image database. So here’s a summary of some of the great, unique architecture-related content added in recent months: UCSB buildings: photos, drawings and plans. We’ve been working with the Office of Campus Planning and Design (thanks Dennis Whelan!) to… Read more
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IRC workshop this Friday: Photoshop I
The third workshop offered through the IRC this quarter will take place on Friday, November 16, from 3-4pm in Ellison 1811. The topic is “Photoshop I – Simple Editing Tools and Tips for Better Digital Images.” This workshop will cover overviews of common image file types and sizes, how to improve lighting, color and clarity,… Read more
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Second Fall IRC workshop on Nov. 2
The second workshop offered through the IRC will take place on Friday, November 2, 3-4pm in Ellison 1811. The topic is “Maximizing Online Image Resources & New Image Technology”, led by Jackie Spafford. All are welcome. This workshop will cover overviews of: image size and resolution, and best downloading protocol ARTstor’s growing collection and its… Read more
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LA Public Library strikes it rich with map collection
A real estate agent with a sharp eye has saved a treasure trove of maps from a Los Angeles home set for demolition. As reported in the LA Times today, the agent was tasked with clearing out the house so it could be torn down, and came upon thousand and thousands of maps. The occupant,… Read more
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Two Picassos for the price of one
There is an item in the New York Times today about how infrared photography revealed a portrait of a man with a mustache painted on the canvas before Picasso painted Woman Ironing. The painting was recently cleaned and the ghost portrait is quite clear. And the NYT employs some nifty technology to illustrate it: Rotate the… Read more