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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.

Life as a Web Designer

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:39:02 +0000

Thanks to the Internet there is now a whole segment of creative jobs that simply did not exist fifteen to twenty years ago. One such job is that of a web designer. Life as a web designer involves synthesizing artistic talent, technical skill, marketing know-how and business savvy.

Many web designers work in-house in salaried positions. Their job involves daily upkeep and maintenance of a company’s website as well as creating and redesigning web pages as needed.

Many other web designers work freelance. This allows them to enjoy the freedom of working from their home office and being able to largely set their own hours. At times freelancers are required to report to the office, either for meetings or to work with an in-house web design team.

Working as a web designer can be a very lucrative and rewarding career. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, projected income and job prospects for web designers are both above average.

Life as a web designer can be all about the freedom of self-employment. However it can also involve working in the creative, fun environment of a multi-media or marketing firm. The work one does as a web designer will be seen by people all over the world.

Unlike other media-centric jobs, web design is fairly decentralized these days. Practically all businesses, big and small need a website to stay competitive. This means there are possibilities for employment as a web designer all across the country. The freedom of the digital era even allows web designers to work abroad or for clients that may be thousands of miles away.

However web design can be a high pressure and at times competitive field. In addition to technical skills, web designers must have a solid understanding of both design and marketing principles. They must deliver their work on time and on budget.

There are now many degree programs available for people interested in web design. However due to the competitive nature of the business a 4-year degree may not be enough. Many aspiring web designers also participate in an internship of one sort or another.

Mentoring programs are an excellent way to gain firsthand experience. They allow students to study web design while working in a professional web environment, under the tutelage of real, working web professionals. Internship programs also afford students the opportunities to make the connections, which can prove integral to launching one’s career as a web designer.

If you have the artistic and design talent, as well as the drive to succeed, then life as web designer might be a perfect career for you.

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Careers in Web Design

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:02:12 +0000

The Internet era has ushered in a whole segment of creative jobs that simply did not exist twenty years ago. One such career is that of a web designer. Careers in web design involve the creation of web pages, the content of which is intended to sell, inform or entertain.

Many web designers work in salaried, in-house positions in multi-media, advertising, marketing or other types of companies. Web designers enjoy being able to work in a creative, fun environment in the company of other web professionals.

Many more web designers work as freelancers. Freelance web designers enjoy the freedom of being able to work out of their home office as well as largely being able to set their own hours. However even freelance web designers may have to report to the office at times, either for a meeting or to work with an in-house web team.

Careers in web design are well suited for anyone with good tech skills and a firm grasp of both design and marketing principles. While web design can be creative and fun it can also be very high pressure. Web designers are responsible for bringing projects in on time and on budget.

Web design can also be a competitive field. However, there are many good opportunities available. Not only that but web design is fairly lucrative. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job and income prospects for web designers are both above average.

Many aspiring web designers attain a 4-year degree or attend a technical trade school. Many are graduates of prestigious art and design schools. Due to the high number of bright, talented people attracted to web design careers; students would do well to participate in an internship program of one sort or another.

Mentoring programs are a kind of internship that can be particularly helpful. In mentoring programs students gain the opportunity to learn web design first hand in a real, working web environment, under the guidance of actual professional web designer.

Equally important to the valuable hands on experience students gain in such programs, is the chance to make contacts and connections necessary to getting a foot in the door of the web design business.

Unlike other media-centric jobs, web design has become a fairly decentralized profession. In the 21^st Century, any business that wants to remain competitive needs a website. Because of this it’s possible for a good web designer to find work practically anywhere.

If you have artistic talent, technical and marketing savvy, as well as a drive to succeed than a career in web design might be for you.

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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