What are the differences between Fine Art and Graphic Design?
MASS PRODUCTION VS INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION
HISTORICAL SPECIFICITY VS TIMELESSNESS
Graphic Design normally has an audience that has been pre- decided. Fine Art tends to be produced, then the audience is considered later.
Graphic design tends to be for the masses, whereas Fine Art is still considered as high culture.
Graphic Design normally has a purpose, whereas fine art tends to communicate a message or sheerly be composed for aesthetic reasons.
Graphic Design tends to be more business and strategy in terms of it's production and audience. Fine art is often a skill or hobby turned into a career.
Graphic Design is normally in a given context, so therefore can become dated. Eg. An advert for cigarettes produced in the 1930s's. Fine art can be contemporary, but never seems dated.
Graphic Design has to communicate a message, whereas Fine Art doesn't have to, as it is seen as a challenge to understand it.
Graphic Design is seen as a function, and is often taken for granted. Fine Art is always presented in a observational and unique format such as in a gallery.
Fine Art
Fine Art has it's routes in history as part of the upper classes. The artists came from the ruling classes, or employed by them. They were the only people with the money and could invest in art.
At it's roots, artistic culture now is still seen as elitist and retains the same stereotypes as from it's past.
Elitism - the exclusion of others in terms of meaning of the work gives the artist or it's viewers more power.
- Supposingly involves more talent, as drawing ability etc. can be needed.
-----DESIGN WITHOUT A MESSAGE-----
Graphic Design
Industrial Capitalism - by the people for the people - designed to be popular and understandable.
"The everyman art"
People like to compose false distinctions between the two. Fine art has a lot of pretentious defences, which make it seem more special than it is.
Arisman, M (2003) "Is There a Fine Art To Illustration?"
1. Fine Art is pure.
2. Illustration is the beginning to selling out.
3. Graphic Design is commercial art.
4. Advertising is selling - period.
-floored:
- Fine Art is selling.
- Fine Art is seen as special and still top ranked.
Art Vs. Graphic Design
- Ambiguity or complexity of meaning. Hard to understand, therefore seen as more interesting and worthwhile. Graphic Design is simple, open and clear.
- The designer as wage labourer. Apparent not creative, as the career itself is still run in a typical way, and limited by the nature of employment.
- Indisputably Fine Art holds much more cultural significance. Fine Art sells at a much higher price, there are millions more Fine Art books in the world than that of Graphic Design. Fine Art is taught in school, Graphic Design is seen as a smaller bi section.
- Art is about "individual creative expression", whereas Graphic Design is "problem solving". Art is seen as free, design is limited.
- Design is seen as sheerly for function.
Ambiguity and Complexity of Meaning
Fine Art
SIgmar Polken - 1969- The writing says "Higher powers command, paint the top right corner black" - If an artistic object is an investigator for a debate or creative review, then somehow generare a sense of importance.
Manet - 1882 - Work produced sheerly for aethetic, but meaning can always be made up, or interpreted. The debate that surrounds art is what is interesting, and not actually the work itself.
Graphic Design
David Carson
Allen Hori - (1989)
There is no reason why we can't have the same debate in Graphic Design as we do in Fine Art.
Graphic Design can be philosophical, experimental and against rules (see Hori piece above).
The Designer as a Wage Labourer
- Designers can still have a creative control, and choose who they would like to work for. In contrast, a designer can also be seen as a wage labourer as they could work for a large firm.
- Fine artists tend to produce pieces THEN sell them. Fine artists are almost always free lance, therefore not seen as a wage labourer.
- Fine artists seem to always like to feel as if they are the outsider, and not "selling out":
... maybe Van Gogh's work wasn't very good, which is the reason he wasn't successful when he was alive. The only reason Van Gogh could live was because he had a rich brother, and wouldn't have made any work himself. His main body of art was in 4 years, and the last were in a mental asylum. Maybe this influenced his popularity?
In Fine Art, there seems to be an honour in being unique and underground. Artists feel like a special breed, unique from everyone else. A lot fo the time, their work can be centered around their image.
Damien Hurst
- Nothing on individual creation - sheerly commercial.
An almost form of anti - art.
Cultural Significance
Both fine art and design hold the same longevity. eg. Constuctivism holds a lasting influence on our culture.
It is seen as a typical scene of England. Now thousands of tourists flock each year to see the actual scene itself.
At the time, this image was a complete lie. It has come to represent an idea of England, but there was a revolution at the time.
Monetary Value
Is art really worth the money it is payed for?
In the late 80's / early 90's, there was an explosion in impressionist painting sales:
- Van Gogh - Sunflowers - sold 1987 - $ 39.7 mill
- Picasso - Les Noces de Pieerette - sold 1989 - $ 49. 3 mill
- Renoir - Bal Du Moulin de la Galette - sold 1990 - $ 78.1 mill
- Van Gogh - Portrait of Dr Gachet - sold 1990 - $ 82.5 mill
They were all bought bu the Yakuza, with "dirty money" as an investment, an object more stable than property.
Expression and Individuality
The idea that artist talk about, the concept of "expression". People who want to champion art, like to show that it has expression, and that it has more value than any other discipline.
Abstract Expressionism - Art stripped down to just expression. Emotion is meant to be expressed.
Designers produce work in a logical process. There is no difference in Fine Art. Pollock is speaking to people who also hold this visual language. He is making art for an art world, for people who understand that type of art. He is communicating to a certain audience, "tapping into a certain code".
Innovation comes from research and experimenting on it. It is an informed innovation from a set of visual codes.
Could the same be said fror script fonts, are they "expressive"?
Both fine art and design hold the same longevity. eg. Constuctivism holds a lasting influence on our culture.
Constable (1821) - The Haywain
At the time, this image was a complete lie. It has come to represent an idea of England, but there was a revolution at the time.
Monetary Value
Is art really worth the money it is payed for?
In the late 80's / early 90's, there was an explosion in impressionist painting sales:
- Van Gogh - Sunflowers - sold 1987 - $ 39.7 mill
- Picasso - Les Noces de Pieerette - sold 1989 - $ 49. 3 mill
- Renoir - Bal Du Moulin de la Galette - sold 1990 - $ 78.1 mill
- Van Gogh - Portrait of Dr Gachet - sold 1990 - $ 82.5 mill
They were all bought bu the Yakuza, with "dirty money" as an investment, an object more stable than property.
Expression and Individuality
The idea that artist talk about, the concept of "expression". People who want to champion art, like to show that it has expression, and that it has more value than any other discipline.
Abstract Expressionism - Art stripped down to just expression. Emotion is meant to be expressed.
Jackson Pollock (1947)
Designers produce work in a logical process. There is no difference in Fine Art. Pollock is speaking to people who also hold this visual language. He is making art for an art world, for people who understand that type of art. He is communicating to a certain audience, "tapping into a certain code".
Innovation comes from research and experimenting on it. It is an informed innovation from a set of visual codes.
Could the same be said fror script fonts, are they "expressive"?