What is Visual Arts
Visual arts are an art form that is visual in nature. This can be anything from drawing, ceramics, sculpture, painting, design, printmaking, photography, crafts, filmmaking, video as well as architecture. These definitions shouldn’t be taken strictly as there are numerous artistic disciplines involve elements of visual arts like:
- Conceptual arts
- Textile arts and;
- Performing arts
Also, part of visual arts includes applied arts like graphic design, industrial design, fashion design, decorative art and interior design.
Visual Arts in Modern Time
These days, the term “Visual Arts” also includes crafts, decorative and applied arts. Not to mention, fine arts. However, this wasn’t always the case.
Prior to the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain, the word “artist” was restricted to someone who is working in fine arts like sculpture, printmaking or painting and not those in crafts, handicraft or applied art media.
No! They’re not the Same!
The distinction was further emphasized by artists of Arts and Crafts Movement who does value vernacular art forms. Art schools have also made distinction between crafts and fine arts maintaining that craftsmen couldn’t be deemed as practitioner of art.
With all these things said, you might want to be more careful with the terms you use, before saying that one is an artist.
