Fine artists mostly create for enjoyment and passion and many times will work for a single commissioner rather than a business.  They will sell piece by piece through a broker or through personal contacts.  Unlike a fine artist, the commercial artist frequently has a background in fine art, but chooses to create art which are needed by a client.  Fine art is usually passion driven whereas commercial art, although this artist can have passion as well, is business driven only creating art that is paid for by a business client.

Commercial art like fine art uses many mediums including ink and paints as well as a digital medium.  It is also created by software such as Adobe Illustrator whereas fine art does not use computers to generate any images.

Fine art sometimes is created to sell if that’s the goal of the artist.  There is a market for fine art and there always will be but it just doesn’t have the ability to make a living for the artist like commercial art does unless the artist becomes very popular.  Commercial art can sell commodities of all kinds but fine art sells itself based purely on aesthetics.  Although it is true that fine art can be produced on a mass scale, it normally is not unless they make serigraphs or lithographs which usually are limited and numbered to give them more lasting value.

The main difference between fine art and commercial art is that fine artists decide what they will create themselves and what medium to use.  The commercial artist is hired to create what the client wants and decides what medium will be used for the product.  And although purists feel that fine art is aesthetically more pleasing, there are many very creative commercial artists who have a true talent but they would rather work in this arena.

Both fine artists as well as commercial artists want to design and create art that is understood and is excellent.  Although they are working toward different goals, they both want to create art that has a message that is easily conveyed.  Both also have the ability to have their works widely displayed.  With fine artists it is in a more subtle setting such as an art gallery.  Unlike fine art, commercial artists can see their work splashed all over billboards, magazines and television.

Yes, there is a big difference between fine art and commercial art as has been stated, but they are both artists nonetheless.  They are both trained in their craft and usually very much love what they do which is very important if you plan on making your life’s career.

Related posts:

1. What’s The Difference Between Fine Art and Commercial Art?
2. What’s the difference between fine art and commmercial art?
3. MIAMI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ART AND DESIGN – Graphic Design (Master of Fine Arts)
4. Life as a Commercial Photographer
5. Commercial/Industrial Designer