(ENG) design is not art

Design is not art, a designer is not an artist.

Designers know the usual procedure of working with non-designers.

"You're an artist, you're creative - make something beautiful!"

It should be said at the outset that many artists are also designers, yet these are two different careers that some people have in common.

Especially among non-designers, the opinion is still widespread that design is art and designers are artists. But if you really look at the profession of design, this is absolutely wrong. Designers are service providers who fulfil orders in the sense of their clients. Self-realisation is not really called for here and is even out of place. One works according to a clear briefing (hopefully) and tries to represent function visually in a clear way.

An artist creates little "benefit" other than aesthetic or emotional. Designers try to improve the world by simplifying functions.

Kurt Weidemann - typographer and designer - once exposed the differences between design and art:

Art produces originals.

Design produces series.*

Art is there for its own sake.

Design is a commissioned service.

Design needs plenty of objectivity.

Art is subjective.

Design makes intelligent compromises.

Art excludes them.

Design is focused on the feasible.

Art is utopia.

Design must be tangible and understandable.

Art does not.

Design departs from established customs.

Art leaves them.

– Kurt Weidemann, typographer and designer

*This is indeed a good summary of the differences, but I would not agree with the first comparison. Design can indeed produce an original, just go to a museum of applied art and look at timeless design objects that were often only unique pieces.

So, to put it crudely, one might think that art arises out of emotion, but for design development it needs a systematic, if not analytical, approach.

A good design is not noticeable, a bad one is, because the operation of a website, for example, simply stinks or the choice of font in a brochure is unpleasant even for a layman.

We notice:

Good design is not arbitrary, superficial or simply beautiful. Design follows content and function, enables access and comprehensibility.

Design explains itself.

In contrast to art, design can therefore also be evaluated ethically. In general, design objects are never to be considered on their own, but always in interaction with a system, because their function is always oriented towards something else - like a poster towards the place where it is to be displayed.

How do you know if a design is good or bad? If the design is "pretty", it's good, right?

So what does "pretty" mean? How do you know that what is pretty for you is not ugly for your boss?

Judging design quality can be subjective and the criteria can change depending on the purpose of the design. At the end of the day, designs are created to communicate a message and achieve a certain result. Appearance is an important factor, but that alone will not tell you if the design is effective.

To know if your design is a winner, you need to understand the elements of good visual communication and judge the design on those elements rather than an abstract gut feeling. Here are a few questions to consider when assessing the quality of a graphic design.

  1. Is the target group being met?
    An advertisement that is intended to appeal to pensioners will take care that "old" eyes can read the text particularly well.

  2. Is the message easy to understand?

    Does the design need to be explained? If so, it may not be very successful.

So before you ask your neighbour who likes to make paint-by-numbers pictures in the garden to design your new website, feel free to contact our agency! We will advise you completely free of charge and help you to create an individual, functional design!

Written by: Nicole Tripes

Nicole studied graphic & communication design at the HBLVA Graphischen in Vienna. Her interest is dedicated to typography and the modern, applied design of things.

Sources:
https: //www.karenunfug.de/design-ist-keine-kunst /
https: //99designs.de/blog/design-tipps/design-beur teilen/
https: //www.zeit.de/2018/12/design-daniel-mar tin-feige-funktion-kunst-unterschied https: //www.tinowhite.com/blog/der-unterschied-zwischen-kunst-und-design/

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