The Pen is Just a Sword – Jamie’s View
I don’t like being called an artist. I don’t really like other writers calling themselves artists, either. I’m not even crazy about web designers calling themselves artists. Come to think of it, I don’t really feel anyone with a computerized job is an artist.
I know, I know. It’s an outrage. How dare I say that the people who think they are artists aren’t artists. I get it. You can rant at me and tell me how ignorant I am later.
How’d this all get started, you ask? Well, Harry often calls himself an artist. I raise an eyebrow, give him a skeptical look and think to myself, “Dude. Get down of your pedestal before you hurt yourself. You’re not an artist; you’re a graphic designer.”
I’m not an artist either (in the world according to James). I am a writer. Or sometimes an entrepreneur. Whichever shoe fits at the time. Anyways.
An artist, to me, is someone like Leonardo DaVinci or Van Gogh or Shakespeare. They did great things. These guys created these amazing, beautiful sculptures and paintings and symphonies that were beyond comparison.
Even that’s not quite my definition. I can’t even really put my finger on what “artist” means to me, but it usually things that really don’t do much besides look cool or sound good.
“But graphic designers make things look cool! We are artists,” you’ll shout. Well, no, not the way I see it. Graphic art is pretty cool and sure, you make beautiful stuff, but it’s not really art. It’s a skill you learned and a job you do. Art should take YEARS, not a couple of days using a good program.
That’s the way I see writing: It’s a skill I learned and a job I do. I consider writing a trade, not an art. There really isn’t much that is artistic in writing a great article or some winning sales copy. It’s just expertise, knowledge and skills. No?
Imagine a plumber that looks at the frame of a house to visualize the whole system of pipes and network of water flow gadgets. He makes a flushing toilet a reality.
“That’s not art.” I can hear the snorts. “That’s a trade.” Why isn’t it art? That plumber has to stand there and visualize the whole shebang, plot it out and use his talents with a pipe wrench to make it all happen. The plumber might say his job is a work of art. The guy next door might call it a trade. The boss might just call it a job.
I pulled up the Princeton dictionary site and did a few searches for some definitions. (Hey, I was confusing myself. I needed the pros.) I wanted to figure out just what a web content writer was – an artist or a tradesman.
Here’s what I found:
Craft/Trade
- S: (n) trade, craft (the skilled practice of a practical occupation) “he learned his trade as an apprentice”
- S: (n) trade, craft (the skilled practice of a practical occupation) “he learned his trade as an apprentice”
- S: (n) craft, trade (people who perform a particular kind of skilled work) “he represented the craft of brewers”; “as they say in the trade”
As far as I’m concerned, that sounds about right.
Artist
- S: (n) artist, creative person (a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination)
Meeehhh… okay, maybe.
Art
- S: (n) art, artistic creation, artistic production (the creation of beautiful or significant things) “art does not need to be innovative to be good”; “I was never any good at art”; “he said that architecture is the art of wasting space beautifully”
Well. I’m not sure the copywriting for a webpage can really be considered beautiful and significant…
Skill
- S: (n) skill, accomplishment, acquirement, acquisition, attainment (an ability that has been acquired by training)
That sounds about right, too. So we have craft, trade and skill. Fits the bill for graphic designers, too.
For fun, I looked up “writer” to see what
Writer
- S: (n) writer, author (writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay))
- S: (n) writer (a person who is able to write and has written something)
Huh. I’m just a guy who can write for money. Kind of humbling, isn’t it? Still, it sure doesn’t sound like art to me…
From Writing to Graphic Design – Harry’s View
- The graduate with a Science degree asks, “Why does it work?”
- The graduate with an Engineering degree asks, “How does it work?”
- The graduate with an Accounting degree asks, “How much will it cost?”
- The graduate with a Fine Arts degree asks, “Do you want fries with that?”
This is a running joke between my roommate Pete (who, by the way, is a structural engineer) and me. At first, I found it funny, but the humor went away quickly. Now the joke just earns Pete a stern look
Jamie’s views on art earned the same stern look.
Alright, my response was closer to outrage – just as James had predicted.
After I sat down and thought about what James was saying, though, I realized he wasn’t attacking me or saying my work wasn’t any good. He was simply asking – in his own way – what we each consider to be an art.
I think the word “art” and “artist” have been tossed about so much that the meaning is lost. Sadly, the words don’t carry any weight at all these days.
I learned about art when I was young. My dad was always drawing and painting. He’d attended Pratt in
I used to sit with his books for hours, copying the pictures in my own hand and learning about light, form and composition. By the time I graduated high school, I earned the title of best artist in my class. I went on to get my degree in Illustration from the University of the Arts in
I didn’t touch a computer until ten years ago.
I never thought I’d be a graphic designer. My true passion is wildlife illustration. I had big dreams of doing illustration for a natural history museum or going on archaeological digs to draw the finds and the sites.
The reality was that illustration isn’t a money maker. You have to be extremely good just to be noticed. I never felt I was good enough. Looking back, I probably was. What I was lacking was the confidence to see the dream through.
Right at the time I graduated from college, computer graphics hit the scene. I didn’t think much of it, though, and many of the places I worked after graduation didn’t have computer graphics departments. Everything was done by hand. Computer graphics were still too new.
Years later, I discovered computers and applied my knowledge to technology. I had to adapt to a changing field.
I have very strong opinions regarding computer design and artists. Anyone can learn to use Photoshop or Dreamweaver to create an image or a website. This doesn’t make that individual an artist.
Graphic design has morphed into a skill that anyone can learn. To do it well, you need to know more than a program or two.
If you’re involved in the arts (acting, painting, dance, music, and yes, writing), you’re an artist. You’ve put years of blood, sweat and tears into your art. You deserve to be called an artist. While I don’t agree with everyone’s form of art (like modern art), it’s still art and an artist created it.
I believe this definition: “S: (n) artist, creative person (a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination)” is correct. An artist uses sensitivity and imagination. No matter what project I’m working on, whether it’s a blog post or a portrait of a beloved pet, I put a lot of sensitivity and imagination into it.
I may never be as famous as Leonardo DaVinci or Michelangelo, but I’ve made my mark on the world in a small way through the illustrations I’ve completed for clients. For me, “artist” isn’t just a title; it’s my way of life and has been so for nearly 40 years.
If that’s not an artist, I don’t know what is.
A note: Michelangelo hated being called a painter – he was a sculptor. Watch the 1965 film “The Agony and the Ecstasy” with Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison for the whole story.
Jamie:
“Anyone can learn to use Photoshop or Dreamweaver to create an image or a website. This doesn’t make that individual an artist.”
Thank you for stating this fact. The first people to become immersed in computer possibilities were, of course, computer programmers and engineers. When artists and writers became involved, they often lacked the computer skills to match their haptic talents. I think it’s finally changing. There are good artists and writers using the web. Perhaps not to its fullest capabilities, but at least striving toward excellence in both technical and creative aspects.
Debra Di Blasi
Thanks Debra (that was me, Harry, but that’s okay). And you’re right, the first were the engineers and programmers. I’ve seen programs like CAD and it takes a lot of know how to use it, far more than any of the graphics programs I use, but if I learned it I would hardly call myself an engineer. I know as an artist, I was very slow to come around to using the computer. I resented it at first. In my opinion, it took the human aspect of art out of art. Now the computer is just another tool like a brush or a pen.
I think that writers are both artists and craftspeople, depending on the type of writing they are doing. Writing that moves people takes skill, but is also an art, in my opinion.
James, I went and did my homework and found your viewpoint. I figured if your opinions were that strong maybe you had already written them down somewhere!
I guess, I will back down and say writers can be either/or…depending on the type of writing they are doing and how they feel.
Honestly, for me to have to do the type of writing you are talking about day in and day out..with no art in it..nope…..not me…no soul=no writing.
so for some of us, writing is part of our art, I write, I paint, I dance, I act, I direct., I am an artist.
some people just aren’t, and don’t want to be, and I guess that’s just fine too.
Wendi Kelly’s last blog post..The Magical Word
@ Wendi – Ahhh but the type of writing I do does have artistic creativity in it. Soul of a different sort. But I get what you’re saying. It’s all good
“Anyone can learn to use Photoshop or Dreamweaver to create an image or a website. This doesn’t make that individual an artist.â€
Sure that’s true, but anyone can learn to draw wildlife. However, only the talented artists will be able to make it beautiful…in both cases.
Digital is just another medium, that’s all. Just because it’s different doesn’t make it art. Anyone can download Acid Loops and make an electronically generated song but will I enjoy it as much as my favorite Daft Punk CD?
Saying someone isn’t an artist because they work on a digital medium is like saying a wildlife illustration you made is not art because it’s not a water colour painting. What about someone who illustrates solely for advertisements, is their illustration no longer art because the purpose has changed?
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@ Dave – hehehe, we’re going to have fun with this, aren’t we?
Keep in mind I’m not picking on the graphic designers of the world and my post included other creative areas, such as writing.
Nowhere did I say that working in a digital medium removes the potential for a person to be an artist. What the post does say is that opening Photoshop and picking around does not make a person an instant artist.
Too many people mantle themselves with that glorious title and don’t even come CLOSE to being a freakin’ artist. My teen toys with Photoshop. Is she an artist? Or a teen playing with software?
I do agree that talent has bearing on the quality of work, whether it be design or copy. But I don’t feel that beautiful designs are all based on art. Much of them is about skill.
Er…that should read “Just because it’s different doesn’t preclude it from being art”
DaveRH´s last blog post…RH’s Opinion Sought By National Post
Hey, you posted a link…I read and well can’t keep my mouth shut
I absolutely positively 100% agree that just opening up photoshop does not make you an artist, and the web design industry is full of people who buy the latest version of frontpage, and label themselves a web designer. However, companies should be at the level where what they are producing is an art form. Let me clarify my situation a bit as well, I operate a medium design / copywriting / SEO etc. firm with a partner. I myself am not an artist, I wouldn’t dream of calling myself that. I know what looks good, but what our lead designer develops is nothing less than art in my mind. I’ve worked with him since we both started. We’ve worked in photoshop for the same period of time, and the best I am capable of is minor photo / picture manipulation. I cannot begin to create on the level that he does.
The reason that he can, and I can’t is because he has a talent for the art form and I don’t. That’s how you define art from commodity. Anyone can learn to create a commodity, but it takes a born talent to produce truly beautiful art. I don’t think it’s based on art, it’s an art form on it’s own.
DaveRH´s last blog post…RH’s Opinion Sought By National Post
@ Dave – I’ll extend a thought on this one:
My aversion to the use of the word artist is that overuse of it has distilled its meaning to the point where too many people use it. I think my perception of artist is the difference between cheap wine at the depanneur and a $150 bottle of 18-year aged Beaujolais. Both wine – very different qualities.
I also think that the addition of technological tools further distills the definition of artist. I have trouble accepting that someone with extensive courses and many years of experience with design software is an artist. Is that innate talent? Or just really damned good skills? Remove the software – is that person still capable of art without them?
And if I had that same training, could I be just as “artistic?”
And what of “art” they display today in some museums? Junk tossed together? Artist? I dunno. I really don’t.
But like I said – this is my perception only and there are millions of others out there as well. Also, I’m applying this perception to all trades, from writer to designer to whatever, really. Not singling anyone out.
Anyways, fun discussion!
Fair enough, all I would say to answer that is not only does my lead designer have absolutely no formal training, but he is quite capable of drawing / creating without a computer. In addition, I have seen a great many of people who have graduated with a design degree that are unable to create a website that doesn’t make me throw up in my mouth a little.
For me that’s what differentiates an art vs. a trade, anyone can learn a trade, it takes talent to produce creative art, and not everyone can do it regardless of training.
DaveRH´s last blog post…RH’s Opinion Sought By National Post