Though unavoidable, I intend not to create a debate between all aspects of art and graphic design and their importance and placements in our worlds. They each essentially have their individual intrinsic values, duties, roles and significance, but both art and design follow similar “rules”. The rules derive from a collection of elements and principles which when utilized through various combinations and skills convey through a visual language a concise and cohesive message (only if successfully practiced and implemented). Whether it be an illustration or a poster, a vinyl toy figure or a brand, entertaining or informative message, a function or feature; art and graphic design are visual languages. Both practices visually deliver messages as simple as a square rendered in one color to the vast information arranged for a New York City Subway Map. Art/design occasionally communicate effectively and elegantly to present its story without confusion in the needed simplest manner. Sometimes, the message can be a more experimental render. The product may challenge the viewer/reader’s comprehension into a confusing direction during their translation using their own experiences. Of the two practices, art has more leniency. Viewers or participants may excuse or allow experimental art messages with a license and openness for this practice. That product heavily relies on that person’s personal interpretation of the artist’s imagination and perception of reality. On the other hand design’s role has a greater responsibility—it must deliver a comprehensive message to the audience for the audience to correctly respond. Its legibility and readability play the two major functions for proper and effective communication or misinformation and harm may result.
Both are languages and like languages they have a structure for its development and process. Think of another communicative language for such as the ones we speak, write and read. Think of English and its structure. It has its alphabet. That alphabet has its letters each with their own symbolic construction. These letters with their corresponding sounds combine to make words. Words identify a concept such as feelings, states, emotions, objects, actions, along with transitional phrases to make sentences. These sentences have their own unique symbols, or elements called punctuation, to construct and organize them into meaningful thoughts. Grouping these sentences into combined ideas make a larger group called paragraphs. Based on the sentences meanings derived by the author’s intent create a style within a category (fiction, non-fiction, informative, declarative). Like English and other languages, art has its structure developed by its parts that form a greater whole. Art’s parts are its elements. Elements work in various conjunctions together or on their own to design its form working within principles. One or more collaborating principles built by elements ultimately form its composition—flat or three-dimensional—to convey a message formed by the artist’s style inspired by reality or imagination. Likewise, design has elements and principles. Design utilize these parts into a strong communicative whole. Unlike art (mostly unless you defer to art in history as a tool for literacy and propaganda), design has a greater societal importance. Where art broadly influences based on its aesthetics responding to and enhancing its environment based on patron and/or artist’s intent, design must convey a message and function produced by its form. Art has its uniqueness and its broad freedom. Design has a responsibility to ensure the audience finds what it needs based on information from the message and how the message has been displayed, or function based on its form and purpose based on its need or intent. I have explored this consideration within these other posts:
Both have an importance to serve the cultures, and our performance and interaction of our lives. Enjoy the act of seeing and respect what the visual world offers. Look around you and everywhere you see could be and is art and graphic design from the poster on the wall to your t-shirt you may be wearing to the packaging that was the home for your digital device. Beyond the framed art hanging above your couch, art forms the visual world you see. Art defines your style by complimenting your home interiors, your wardrobe and your mode of mobility. Art influences your mood. Art tells a story or provides a history. As I have mentioned, art and design play with similar guidelines for their construction. Design operates in a similar manner for your style, your personality and your influences. Design entices you to buy while separating brands from each other. Design delivers a message of what food you consume or news and information within a publication. Sharing elements and principles, the conversations settle on conveying a message with a strong visual clarity. Art and design are the visual languages that speak to you the stories that words can not easily express or clearly convey which is why—like your language—they should be presented with its best presentation forward. In a quick comparison, art and design appear to share the same exercises, practices and concerns in similar languages. Basically, one is not better than the other nor is one good without the other. Additionally, one does not support the other but without either one, the world would be a very dull place.