Is Graphic Design Art?

Okay so to break it down for you. Art is part of many different avenues of showing expression to the viewers by music, drawing, painting, illustrating or photoshop. Graphic Design is the visual communication that is brought together by many different elements and communicates a message to the audience. Graphic Designers have to make that art communicate a message that the client wants to present to customers. You have to sketch an idea and present this to the client and then begin to make that art come together in many different forms. You may use all sorts of adobe software to come up with the design the client will want.
A painter or an artist that draws or does sculptors or ceramics is going to create work that expresses themselves. They want to bring to the table and piece of art that changes things up from normal and makes the viewer look and observe. Generally the artist really doesn't have to communicate a message (not unless was asked by someone to create such ideas) and therefore can freely with an open mind create a mix of ideas to make a piece come together. So its really up to you on which avenue would best fit your needs. I started with Graphic Design and illustrated which was really cool and loved every bit of it however I really want to express more of myself and create work that would be different so I may look more towards fine arts like drawing and ceramics. But one thing is for sure some people find it very hard to be constrained in the software to make an idea complete, because it isn't as easy to make lines and shapes illustrating as it would be with pencil and paper. But I find it so much easier to create the right color and contrast on the computer than painting so (Things to Think About).

Artists and designers both create visual compositions using a shared knowledge base, but their reasons for doing so are entirely different.Some designers consider themselves artists, but few artists consider themselves designers.So what exactly is the difference between art and design? In this post, we’ll examine and compare some of the core principles of each craft.This is a subject that people have strong opinions about, and I’m looking forward to reading the various points of view in the comments.This post isn’t a definitive guide, but rather the starting point for a conversation, so let’s be open-minded!

There is a basic difference between modern Graphic Designing and Fine Arts. This difference is the main root cause why Graphic Design till date has not been able to capture the respect and a higher aesthetic appreciation as a True or Pure Art form, and not being taken seriously.

The difference lies mainly in the mind or psychology of the creator. In case of Fine Art the creator primarily creates to satisfy his or hers own need of expression without any consideration to its acceptance to the public. Fine Art serves the purpose of a language which the artist uses to present his thoughts more clearly for he is incompetent to express as effectively in any other communicating medium such as verbal communication, writing something down, or even through his facial or bodily gestures. Thus though it may seem that Fine Art is a selfish self satisfying act, it is in its truest nature a new medium which an artist uses as an alternative medium of communication.

But also it is true that using Fine Art as a communication medium is limited in characteristics. It is more of a one way expression rather than a two way communication.

Classical Communication Paradigm

Source - Message - Receiver

Receiver - Message (feedback) - Source

(This paradigm is the simplest communication pattern. though it has evolved immensely taking under consideration different levels of variables and influences. It suggests the core structure that is a Source formulating a Message and sending it to the Receiver. In response or feedback the Receiver formulates a message and returns it to the Source.)

In case of Fine Art primarily it is seen that it is only a one way communication thus it is not a communication process at all but an expression only. It becomes a communication if the Receiver is being able to put across a feedback effectively through a particular medium and is able to reach the source and being able to bring about a certain change. On the other hand the Source is being able to generate a sure change in the Receiver’s perception about the Message. But sending this feedback is a problem, because for the receiver this feedback is basically a state of mind which the Receiver may or may not express. Thus though Fine Art has its communication potential it has its barriers.

But here many variables are not taken under consideration such as relations, external influences, psychological mind frame, characteristics, and most importantly historical development without which this topic cannot be discussed or debated.

In case of Graphic Design the creator of the Message is not the main creator of the finished Message. Here the creator is primarily a source who has a particular need to put across a message to a certain targeted group of people with a specific intention to generate a favorable feedback. Aesthetics is secondary effectiveness is the primary need for the success of this type of message. Thus it is a biased message. The source gives this Message or the idea of the Message to a person to formulate it into an effective conceptualized idea easily understood by the targeted group with assured result in case of favorable feedbacks. This message unlike Fine Art creates only one interpretation.

This makes it clear that the psychological mind frame behind Graphic Design is not that of self expression and self satisfaction. It is highly dependent on feedback thus in its very nature it is a true or pure communication process rather than an expression only.

So to decide what is Fine Art and what is Graphic Design is and why Graphic Design is not called a true or pure ‘Art’ depends upon the psychology of the creator. Thus one must always remember its initial reason behind the very existence. The initial reason behind the formulation of the Message makes it a piece of ‘Art’ or a daily visual format serving a specific duty where aesthetic responsibilities are not the most important factor neither is the creator but only the result generated by the message.

Brandon, I could not have said that better myself.

God do i hate the word art.

One of many words in our language i would love to see burned, run over or chewed up by something ferocious.

I think it has confused the hell out of people for far too long.

Too many people think paint, canvas and museum when they hear "art".

Too many people think the term art implies quality.

Art is simply another word for communication or the expression of creative thought.

List anything that you naturally think of as "art": writing, music, film, painting, sculpture, dance, fashion and you will see they are all mediums being used to try to communicate something.

As far as the expression of creative thought, hell, there are accountants, lawyers, biologists, scientists, carpenters, etc who are using far more innovative and creative thinking than a lot of painters or sculptors.

One of my favorite quotes from Andy Warhol:

"Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art"