Is Graphic Design an Art?

Before we get going with this topic, we need to know the distinction between art and design. But again we start of with this hair splitting distinction; we need to know them separately.

What is art?

The answer of this simple question is so complex that it has enamored artists day after day, but the conclusion has yet to come. Because to circumscribed it in a worldly accepted definition frame is rather Herculean task. According to Plato it is an imitation of an imitation. If definition goes like this we can say monkey is an artist as he has the capability and quality to copy and imitate man. But we can never take monkey as an artist. Though Aristotle attributed it a human inclination for imitation, but he gave it a little modification saying art is an imitation of life.

Joyce says: "Art is the human disposition of sensible or intelligible matter for an aesthetic end"

The greatest modern poet and fervent critic T.S. Eliot says: "Art is the escape from personality."

Few artists say: "Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in."

Since then to till today lots of argument and counter argument have arisen time to time with no perfect and final definition for it. Yet the most accepted definition has been taken for it is "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others" Now let me say something on design to make the matter understandable to you.

What is design?

Design is the act of drawing and working out the form of something. Now have a look on the basic difference between art and design:

1. Good art has the capability to inspire one, on the other hand good design motivates.
2. Good art gives interpretation as it communicates people in different ways. On the other hand good design is understood as it motivates people to communicate in the same way with a same message.
3. Art is the reflection of taste; design is the representation of one's opinion.
4. Finally art is a talent and design is a skill.
5. Same art sends different message to different people but same design sends same message to everybody.

What is graphic design?

Graphic design is designing graphic with a skilful combination of texts and pictures. We can clearly say graphic design is a genre of design.

Why graphic design is not an art?

From the above differentiation between art and design, we can say art is different from design. As graphic design is a visual representation and skillful combination of texts and pictures and functions for a specific task to communicate viewers with a specific message with no matter of how much aesthetic and beautiful it is; we can say graphic design is not an art. There has been a sharp controversy among the Graphic Designer in Auckland, but most of them have now accepted that graphic design is not an art.