Praxis II Content Knowledge Exam

The Art: Content Knowledge exam is designed to measure the knowledge of future art teachers in the widely taught areas of art. The content of this exam is divided into three categories of multiple-choice questions as follows:

• 47 questions covering The Making of Art
• 43 questions covering Traditions in Art, Architecture, Design, and the Making of Artifacts
• 30 questions covering Art Criticism and Aesthetics

The Making of Art questions will focus on tools and materials, techniques and processes, and safety concerns and rules associated with the making of two dimensional, three dimensional, and multimedia art.

The questions pertaining to Traditions in Art, Architecture, Design, and the Making of Artifacts will cover a variety of basic knowledge of art, Western art, and art from a variety of cultures. This includes terminology of art making techniques; terminology of elements, concepts, and characteristics related to various periods and styles in art and architecture, both Western and non-Western; and the ability to distinguish well known art pieces and architecture in general and to distinguish art work and architecture from certain cultures based on the elements in the art. Individuals should also be able to distinguish art by particular artists. This category also concentrates on the relationships and influences of artists, themes, and movements on art and artists; the relationship between artists and society; and the influence of politics, economics, and technology on art.

The area of Art Criticism and Aesthetics will cover standard vocabulary for art making techniques, for the basic elements of art, and also for new art forms. In this category, test takers must be aware of the way in which content and form correlate. This portion of the test will also assess the test takers’ ability to critique, analyze, and interpret art, using appropriate vocabulary, knowledge of art history, and principles of art.

The Art: Content Knowledge exam is administered over a two hour period, and typically each of the 120 multiple choice questions should only take approximately one minute to answer. Some of the questions will be accompanied by illustrations.