“Am I an artist or am I a designer?” I know what many of you are thinking, but don’t, this is a rhetorical question.
I suppose the first thing to ask myself is “what is an artist? and what is a designer?”. Both create images or objects which are hopefully pleasing to the eye.
The answer to this question I believe is down to motivation, “why is the artist painting?” and “why is the designer designing?”. An artist will paint, or sculpt perhaps, for pleasure, or possibly they have been commissioned to paint a portrait of somebody famous. But inevitably the function of the artwork is to please either the artist, or those viewing it. And the only function of the artwork is to evoke emotion or thought in the viewer.
Also, even if painting a portrait of someone or something specific, the artist is generally free to interpret how they want their work to look. And finally they start with nothing, just a blank canvas, no instructions or contents to follow.
A designer on the other hand has a reason to design. The designer may be designing a website or an ad, but this has a specific function. He/she will probably be working from a fairly strict brief, with content that must be included and can only be interpreted in one way. And also their work generally has to conform to current trends and even fashion.
“Good art inspires, good design motivates. Perhaps the most fundamental difference between art and design that we can all agree on is their purposes”.[1]
So therefore, that would make me a designer. But wait, there are museums and galleries full of ‘art work’ created by designers, not artists. Museums full of clothes, old electrical equipment, film memorabilia. How may times will you visit a trendy restaurant to find old music hall posters or movie posters on the wall. You only have to look at a vintage Ferrari to see it’s beauty, and clearly it’s now a work of art.
Does that mean I’m also an artist? I really wouldn’t consider myself an artist. As far as I’m concerned I have little or no natural talent for drawing or sculpting. When it comes to generating ideas for designs I struggle greatly to come up with original and different work.
I am however learning and getting better at designing. Perhaps another major difference between artists and designers! A designer can be taught the principles of design, and with a little creativity can produce good pleasing designs. An artist is generally born with there talent.
I would consider myself a designer, but would like to think in years to come I will produce work that someone deems worthy enough to be displayed in a gallery or museum. Once my work has fulfilled it’s purpose I would be thrilled to think others thought of it as art.
Word count: 485
1. O’Nolan, J. (21st Sept), The Difference Between Art and Design, http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/09/the-difference-between-art-and-design/, Accessed on 18/04/10.
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