Art Vs Design
In DBC Design Studio we are as fond of design as we are of art. All our members are enamored by those two even if we vary on the way we experience and use them. This range of interests is helpful at the time of finding inspiration, references, case studies, and values for our branding processes, and we encourage all designers to be open minded about different artistic currents and mediums in the search for the elements that better fit your designing.
However, we have noticed that the general public and sometimes designers -especially if they are artistically inclined- don’t have a clear understanding about the differences between the two, and this can lead to some uncomfortable misalignments that can slow down and even put a full stop to a project during the transition between concept to reality.
So, what do we consider the key differences between Art and Design are, and why should they matter to you at the time of designing?
1. Art can function - Design must function.
Functionality is definitely the most important distinction between art and design. You must not have functionless design. You can, however, choose to make functionless art, or at least an artistic expression that functions only for you as its creator. Depending on the scale of the project you are currently on, this difference becomes more prominent as you will be asked to justify all the time, effort, and monetary resources used up for your design decisions.
2. Art is interpreted – Design is communicated.
Art and design take many shapes and mediums: from the classic painterly poster to the atmospheric music of the launch of a brand. Nonetheless, there is a liberty in art that design cannot indulge on: the option to put artistic decisions over effective communication. It has been more than once or twice that we have had to change our design proposals, regardless of how avant-garde and exciting they were, as we can only deviate from the familiar so far as our results do not alienate the target audience. The implication is not that you must “dumb down” your ideas to please the lowest common denominator of your target audience, just tweak things here and there so your average audience can understand what you are trying to communicate.
3. People reach for the art – Design reaches out to its audience.
Reaching out to the audience is the most important stage of a successful design project. Not to be cynical, but yes, design expects some kind of reimbursement for its creation, be it revenue, audience engagement or public awareness. A design project simply is not plausible if it doesn’t have a strategy to reach its target audience. On the other hand, art can be niche, forever-indie, with little to no exposure, and not undermine its value both for the artist and the audience members that have come into contact with it.
At the end of the day, it is important to have these points in mind to not muddle the waters during your design project, but don’t suck the joy out of your work either. There are plenty of examples of experimental design breaking into its own design branch, and there are plenty of artists that have voluntarily or unknowingly merged their art with the design principles and requirements here listed above.
Keep up the good work and design what you love!
