What is the difference between Art and Craft?

Art is the expression of one’s creativity and imagination. Art is usually expressed visually, such as in the form of a painting or sculpture, and it can be expressed on a small or immense scale. Examples would be Van Gough’s “The Starry Night,” housed in the Museum of Modern Art with the measurements of 28 inches x 36 inches.

When compared to Michelangelo, whose canvas was the Sistine Chapel and his expression took four years to complete and measures 134’ x 44’ x 68’ and would be considered art on a large scale. When the artist expresses themselves, they practice their craft, which involves the skill of making things by hand. Whether you express your craft with paint, clay, or metal, the art that one produces is their craft. Many things are considered a craft like bookbinding, fashioning a horseshoe, and then shoeing the horse. Your craft is your occupation, and no matter what the outcome, it takes artistic ability to practice.

Art and Craft are most times considered to be the same simply because both have some relationships. However, there are some differences between them. Art simply means the production and arrangement of colors, sounds, movements, and other types of elements in a way that affects people's senses and emotions. Art is all about creativity to make materials that are of great aesthetic value. Painting, music, sculpture, ballet are examples of art.

Craft, on the other hand, can be regarded as a type or subcategory of art. Craft simply means a particular kind of skilled work that involves the use of hands to construct and develop something. While Craft can be measured based on the visible outputs, art most times cannot be measured or quantified, because most of the artworks are purely abstract. Another difference between the two is the feeling you will have towards the output of both art and Craft. For example, art will definitely find a way of penetrating into your emotions, while you can only appreciate or get drawn to crafts.

Art and craft are two terms which are often used interchangeably. Just a thin line of difference can be drawn between the two terms. Firstly, Art is simply an expression of emotion, imagination, or human creative skills in a visual form either by sculpture or painting, producing works for the appreciation of their emotional power or beauty. Unlike Art, the craft is an activity involving hand making skills. Lot’s of people do not see any differences between the two terms because both are part and forms of creativity.

Art has no limit of expression (just like in a painting), which makes it unstructured and open-ended. On the other hands, the craft is structured because it must have some specific forms of visibility. Art is the initiative talents of a person, whereas craft skills can be acquired by learning and also from gained experience. A craft man must have an idea of what he wants to make, but in Art, it is emotions that flow. Metalworks, pottery, glass work, and many others are examples of craft works, while painting, sculpture, architecture, etc. are examples and forms of Art.