Design Vs Art & The Difference And Why It Matters

Design versus art. What's the difference, and how does it affect your career as a designer? We all know there is a difference, and those outside our industry might not be able to see it. Your parents, for example, might refer to you as an "artist" even though you are a professional designer. How do you tell them, or anyone else who asks, that there's a big difference between art and design? Are you even sure yourself what the difference is? Read on to find out.

Art Asks, Design Answers

Let's go back to when you first decided you wanted to be a designer. For me, it was while I was in school. I thought I wanted to be an "artist," when really, I discovered that my skill set was better suited to design. Why? Because I enjoyed the process of solving problems. I wasn't as interested in posing unanswerable questions for the world to ponder. I wanted to nail down a system for understanding the world around me. Read Also: What You Discover After Finishing Design School The bottom line – the main difference between art and design – is that art asks questions, while design answers them. Design is there to fill a need. Art fills no need except its own internal need to exist and challenge the viewer. That's not a bad thing, by the way. Art is one of the fundamental building blocks of human culture; every culture that has ever existed has its own unique art forms that they leave behind for future generations. Think of archaeologists – what is the most common thing you hear about that is uncovered from civilizations past? That's right – art. Pottery, architecture, paintings on walls or stones. Art is very important. And so is design.

No Time For Wonder

Art inspires wonder and awe. When you look at [...]