Understanding Art and Design

                 Often times, the word art and design have been used interchangeably to refer to the same thing. To those who are experts in either field, there is a tendency to refer to an artist as a designer and vice versa, an occurrence that has sparked a lot of debate on the topic. This is especially because artists and designers are quite aware of what is involved when creating art or making a design. Even though both designers and artists create visual compositions that a based on a form of shared knowledge, their reasons for engaging in such work is different and this is where the difference in the two fields starts. There are times that designs could be referred to as art and this may be the reason that some designers refer to themselves as artists. However, artists rarely refer to themselves as designers and art are hardly ever referred to as a design. Although there may be some similarities, art and design is not the same thing and this is best seen in the role that each plays in society and the purpose they were intended for.

            While the design is intended to fulfill a specific need, art is made for the purpose of existing and appealing those who take interest in it. While art is a fundamental building block in our culture, designs are intended to make society a place worth living (Duvall). Art also inspires awe and inspires people to get inspired and develop ideas generated from viewing pieces of work like paintings and sculptures. Designers, on the other hand, focus more, on the other hand, focus more on making life better even if the people may fail to appreciate all the work that was put into a design. For example, the famous Van Gogh paintings are adorned by various art lovers who take photos to share the experience with their friends. While they marvel at the art, they pay little attention to the design that was involved in making the camera they are capturing the moment with (Duvall).Another difference is the lack of a process that artists take when creating art. The artists follow no rules and this gives them freedom to create whatever they want as was the case when Eduoard Manet shifted from painting aristocrats to prostitutes. The design, however, has rules and processes that have to be followed before a project is complete. They abide by physical rules which determine how the design will be like once it is completed (O’Nolan).

         Although design and art are related, they are not the same and people should stop using one to refer to the other. If, for instance, someone buys a chair at an art gallery, the chair in itself is a piece of art. However, if the individual opts to use the chair by sitting on it, it stops being an art and becomes more of a design because that is what chairs were designed to do. While some people may find it hard to differentiate art from design, one can best understand their difference through their purpose and how they are used.

Work Cited

Duvall A, “Design Vs. art: The difference and why it matters” from,  http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/design-vs-art/

O’Nolan J,“The difference between art and design” from,  http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/09/the-difference-between-art-and-design/