Believe it or not, we have always been surrounded by art every moment of the day. The drawings on the T-shirt you like to wear, the painting in your house, even on the phone. At this point, art is a necessity. Imagine all you’re seeing is a block of text every day, without a touch of visual creativity to fulfill your needs for stimulation. The ramped-up stress level would be the very least of things that could mess with your mind.
Visual creativity itself is an extensive concept. There are design graphics, illustration, painting, and many other things, though they all fall under the definition of eye-pleasing visuals and the act of image-making, or are loosely considered as ‘art’. Loosely, because within the realm of creativity, there’s a fundamental distinction between graphic designer, artist, illustrator, and other branches of title in the creative industry.
We’ll delve deeper specifically into the art and design category, as they are the two most common branches of creative visual. From the very basic skills needed to their entire purpose, each has its own unique approach to creativity.
Similar but Slightly Different Skill Sets
At first glance, artists and designers may seem to possess similar skill sets. Both require a keen eye for aesthetics, a knack for creativity, and proficiency in various tools and techniques. However, the contrast lies in the details of their capability.
Artists produce Fine Arts, often time thought-provoking emotional pieces. Fine Arts, arguably, require much more than a knack for creativity. Such personalized art takes an inherent artistic ability and instinct to work intuitively, perceived as a natural-born talent.
However, designers are more methodological. They don’t pour themselves into something of their own, designers heavily rely on visual communication and design skills, rather than their intuitive artistic ability. Design skills can be taught and honed through years of practice. Their artistry utilizes visual principles to convey messages and evoke desired responses.
Each to Their Own Interpretation of ‘Art’
For designers, art is a problem-solving tool. A way to communicate ideas and convey messages. Design is an answer to, for example, inform followers about an upcoming product and hook them in through the first sight alone. Designers must balance creativity with functionality, ensuring that their work not only looks visually appealing but also serves its intended purpose effectively.
In contrast, an artist’s concept of art is all about self-expressionism. It is a deeply personal outlet of an artist’s emotions, thoughts, and beliefs. They create art for themselves, without the shadow of a strategic message delivery haunting the creation process. They have their own interpretation of the art because again, their work is innately subjective, without the need to guide the audience to their interpretation.
The Limits of Medium Exploration
A designer’s canvas is usually a digital canvas with various 2D visual elements to utilize. While designers may experiment with different styles and techniques, their scope is often more constrained compared to artists. This is mainly due to their very specific objective—message delivery—, which usually only requires a digital image as a starter.
On the other hand, artists have the privilege to turn basically anything into their canvas. From traditional canvas paintings to avant-garde installations, artists push the boundaries of creativity, experimenting with materials, textures, and forms. Not only the limitless medium, artists are free to explore various unorthodox techniques, all in the name of expressing themselves. Their work transcends the limitations of traditional design, often blurring the lines between art and reality.
The Purpose of Each Art Piece
Perhaps the most significant distinction between artists and designers lies in the purpose of their creations. Design pieces serve a specific purpose to fulfill a particular need, whether it’s a website layout, a product packaging design, or an advertising campaign, the goal is clear: to communicate, inform, or persuade. Designers are also closely related to the business field, normally working with a client to help them deliver the intended messages.
Conversely, art can simply exist without supporting any other purpose. They don’t necessarily have to be functional or strategically created to be comprehensive. Artistic creations are driven by passion, curiosity, and a desire to explore the boundaries of creativity. While some art may carry deeper meanings or social commentary, others may simply aim to be an aesthetic visual or an outlet for the joy of art-making.
Art Is a Complex Thing
In essence, the distinction between artists and designers lies in their motivations and objectives. While both are a facet of different imagery cultures, they occupy different niches within the creative landscape. The underlying process for artists lies in inspirational moments, while designers focus on relaying messages from the clients, usually companies or brands, to the audience. So if you need highly-talented designers for your business (which is crucial so your audience can understand YOU), Avond Studio is the perfect balance between creativity and functionality.
