Art vs Craft
Although art and craft are two terms that are often interchangeable in their use, you can certainly draw a thin line of difference between art and craft. It is for sure that they are characterized by a line of differences. Before we go into a deep analysis of the two terms, art and craft, let us first see that they actually mean to an accepted dictionary, namely the Oxford dictionary. According to the Oxford dictionary, craft means “an activity involving skill in making things by hand.” Unlike craft, art has a lengthy definition which goes as follows. Art is “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”
What is Craft?
Craft work is skilled work. Craft is characterized by the application of various techniques. It also engages the application of the human intelligence. Crafts involve intelligence and techniques simply because of the fact that most of the craft work is aimed at the production of objects or things useful to men and women. In a way, it can be said that craft serves the human purpose. That is why fashionable and produced things like handbags, boxes, hand fans, purses and the like are called crafts.
It should be noted that craft work is sometimes followed by some people as a profession while there are those who involve in craft work considering it a past time activity. It should also be noted that the traditions terms craftsman and craftswoman are now often seen to be replaced by the term artisan.
What is Art?
Art serves aesthetic purpose whereas craft serves human purpose. Art appeals to the human mind. A piece of art like painting, sculpture or architecture requires what is called creativity. Anything that is created with creativity automatically appeals to the human mind.
What is the difference between Art and Craft?
The well-known British philosopher R.G. Collingwood says that the craftsman knows what he wants to make before he actually makes it. Art, on the contrary, expresses emotion. Craft does not express emotion. This is one of the main differences between art and craft.
Craftsmanship involves earning money as a motive whereas art need not necessarily involve earning money as a motive. Craft in a way is an extension of art. The converse may not be true.
Whatever is produced by an artist has the ability to stand alone. A craftsman uses his skill to produce the thing that he wanted to produce. In the process, he is likely to use a trick or two to get the desired results. Artists do not use tricks to get results. Everything comes naturally to them. These are the differences between art and craft.
Summary:
Art vs Craft
• Craft work is skilled work.
• Art serves aesthetic purpose whereas craft serves human purpose.
• Craft does not express emotion. Art does express emotion.
• Craftsmanship involves earning money as a motive whereas art need not necessarily involve earning money as a motive.
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