How to search Google for different kinds of pictures

Updated August 29th, 2019.

Third in a series of Google search tips.

Read them all:

  1. How to restrict your Google search to a single website
  2. How to search Google Images by color
  3. How to search Google for different kinds of pictures
  4. How to search Google for the newest results
  5. How to get better Google search results

You already know how to search Google images by color. Here’s how you narrow down Google image search results by type.

For example, let’s say you start by searching for birds and you’ve restricted the results to “red”

Google image search results for "birds" restricted to red
Google image search results for “birds” restricted to red

Now you click the “Cardinal” button and you get this:

Google Search Tips: search for birds, restrict to red and cardinals
Google Search Tips: search for birds, restrict to red and cardinals

Maybe you don’t want photographs– maybe you want art. So click the “Art” button.

Google image search for pictures of birds, that are red, and are art.
Google image search for pictures of birds, that are red, and are art.

Maybe you want line drawings, like in a coloring book, so you have something to pass out to your 2nd-graders. That’s easy too: turn off “Art,” click Search Tools, and then, under “Type”, choose “Line Drawing.”

Google image search for pictures of birds, that are red, and are line drawings.
Google image search for pictures of birds, that are red, and are line drawings.

Finally, let’s say you want to be sure you’re allowed to use the picture in your project. How can you know? This is also under Search Tools— you’re looking for “Usage Rights.”

Google image search for pictures of birds, labeled for reuse.
Google image search for pictures of birds, labeled for reuse.

There’s a lot more under “Search Tools.” The Size menu helps you find pictures that are big, for your desktop picture, or small, for a website project. The Time menu helps you find pictures that are very new, or very old, or from a specified date. You should click around and experiment.

Copyright 2008-2023 Christian Boyce. All rights reserved.

Did this article help you?

Maybe you'd like to contribute to the
Christian Boyce coffee fund.




Want some some quick iPhone how-tos?
Visit me at iPhoneinaminute.com.

Looking for quick tips about Macs?
See my One-Minute Macman website!



Please use the “Sharing” buttons to share what’s interesting with your friends. It helps your friends and it helps me too. Thank you very much!

Sincerely,
Christian signature
Christian Boyce

Please Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren.

Up ↑

Read our Privacy Policy