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What’s the difference between fine art and commmercial art?

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:05:52 +0000

The Oxford Dictionary describes art as,”The expression of creative skill through a visual medium such as painting or sculpture. The product of such a process; paintings, drawings, and sculpture collectively.” Some argue that the line between Fine Art and Commercial Art is very definite, but really, it is only the intentions that seem to separate the two.

In one example, that a lot of you will know of is by the now legendary artist, Michelangelo. Between 1508 and 1512, Michelangelo was commissioned by at that time one of, if not the most powerful, global organizations in the world, the Roman Catholic Church. Taking over four years to complete, this artwork was a commissioned job and therefore is actually Commercial Art, although it is considered one of the artists finest pieces of artwork and one of the world’s greatest and most famous fine art achievements!

Basically, any artist pursues their own conceptual goals and ambitions through expressing their creative skill in their own artwork. However a Commercial Artist is under commission to produce a creative fine art piece for a commercial art project. The Commercial Artist can still use their creative skills but to the clients needs and ambitions for the project. Some tend to see this as a hindrance to the artists creativity. This is not always the case as it only shifts the meaning of the artwork. The Artist still needs to employ their creativity, conceptual and compositional skills to create the artwork.

Sometimes a Commercial Artist’s creativity can be stifled by the client, in the instance of a client taking on certain aspects of the project. The client may be involved in or in complete control of the conceptualisation and direction of the project by supplying to the artist their own creativity and conceptual problem solving abilities. This can a lot of the time hinder the artist as the client may not actually be able to communicate their ideas easily or feel their own view is the correct view rather than that of the audience the project is aimed at. This can produce artwork, that when presented to the audience in the form of advertising, product packaging, etc, misses it’s target and seems to fail for the client.

However, on some occasions, the client has done the research and has a correct feel for their audience. The conceptual ideas they then discuss and present to the artist to follow work perfectly and gives the artist a firm foundation to apply their creative ability to the project at hand and hence producing a very successful piece of artwork.

What’s the Difference Between Fine Art and Commercial Art?

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:04:15 +0000

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.

Is a Degree Worth Getting when Pursuing a Career in Media/Arts?

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:52:48 +0000

You know the end of your favorite film? The one you’ve watched a million times and always smile when they get to that special scene, that climactic scene, right at the end…? That one.

Where do you think it started? It started at the beginning of the film. The filmmakers crafted, built and brought you along on that journey which made the ending pay off that much more. They did the work.

Let’s look at the question again…is a degree worth getting when pursuing a career in media/arts?

Thinking about the question the same way you think about your favorite movie. Sure, you could wing it and hope that the audience gets it at the end. Or, you could put in the work, the sacrifice, at the beginning of the movie of your life, or your career, and guarantee that it pays off in the end.

They are serious questions. There are tons of good reasons to not get an education. But, how serious are you about your dream? Do I go for it now? Or do I get the education I need to do it properly? Do I just wing it, or do I earn the tools I need to enter the world of media/arts properly prepared to kick some alien ass?! Because that’s what we’re talking about…setting your goals and attaining it. Writing the screenplay of your life and making it come to life. A career in media/arts, whether you are a writer, a director, a producer or a marketing whiz, starts with what you know. That’s what you get paid for…what you know, how you think and how you execute on your dream. Sure, you could wing it and go it on your own. Lots of people do. And it surely doesn’t make you any less of a creative mind to go that route. But in today’s hyper-competitive world, getting the right education while you attack your dream will only make the end of your movie that much more gripping and makes a degree worth getting when pursuing a career in media/arts.

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Art School

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:47:17 +0000

Art school is a colloquial term for any educational institution (whether elementary, secondary, post-secondary/undergraduate, or graduate/postgraduate) with a primary focus on the visual arts, especially graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, and sculpture. They are distinguished from larger institutions which may also offer majors or degrees in the visual arts, but only as one part of a broad-based range of programs (such as the liberal arts and sciences).

France’s École des Beaux-Arts is perhaps the first model for such organized instruction, breaking with a tradition of master/apprentice instruction. If accredited as a college, most art schools grant a Bachelor of Fine Arts, B.A. or B.S. degree. Associates degrees and professional diploma programs are common as well. In recent years a number of art schools have begun to offer some or all of their curricula online, which by nature transcends national boundaries. When online courses require production of traditional drawings or other such materials, they are usually photographed or scanned for submission and review by instructors.

Art education is the area of learning that is based upon the visual, tangible arts—drawing, painting, sculpture, and design in jewelry, pottery, weaving, fabrics, etc and design applied to more practical fields such as commercial graphics and home furnishings. Latest trends also include photography, video, film, design, computer art, etc. Within art schools “visual arts education” encompasses all the visual and performing arts delivered in a standards-based, sequential approach by a qualified instructor as part of the core curriculum. Its core is the study of inseparable artistic and aesthetic experience and learning. Finding the right art school is a very individual decision. Everyone has their own approach to learning, their own ideas of what makes a school appealing (or not), and their own extracurricular priorities and considerations.

Your own personal approach is going to determine the path that’s best for you. One of the biggest questions you need to answer when considering your path to an art education is what you hope to do with your skills when you’re done. Will you be a full-time artist? Will it be a part-time job? A hobby? If you want to study art for your own personal enjoyment, maybe you don’t need a degree – though you may want to take a class or two to broaden your awareness of the particular area or aspect of art that interests you. Learn the technique, the vocabulary, the best tools, and then continue on your own. On the other hand, if you are looking to make a living at it, extensive training is almost always required. Sure, raw talent may get you places, and if your work is good, credentials may not matter to a buyer. But in a wide world of art, you’re more likely to make your mark if you learn from those who have gone before you at art school.

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