This is a long debate that has been going on now, that everyone who enrolls into a design college finds themselves a part of. And this is not the answer by my view of it.
Let's start with why it’s relevant to understand this, Art, Craft and design have been used interchangeably in general conversation, and when dealing in the business of either it's important to understand them all. And in understanding the differences, we also understand their unique benefits.
If we were to take the easy route and google these words we would find
Though vaguely helpful these aren't very insightful, the way I prefer understanding these acts are by their purpose
Art to me is a form of self expression
And yes by that definition anything can be art. If you ask an artist, I think they would agree, that truly anything under the sun could be considered art, as long as it's being done with the intention of expressing oneself
Craft for me is practice of a skill.
In this matter I think google’s definition comes close, to me it’s the practice of any skill, from drawing on paper to molding clay to make a pot, or even elocution. In today's day I think all vocations are in some wayDesign on the other hand is the act of solving problems.
In most cases it involves innovation and that in itself is a word to be decoded but to put it lightly, design is about, solving a particular problem through various means, may it be through strategy, communication, a product, or even a piece of furniture.
All three acts are distinct, but employ very similar mediums in execution. And maybe that is the reason for their confusion. Another major cause that I assume is the lack of understanding of creativity in our society today, we don't completely understand creative acts and therefore end up confusing one for another and worse end up using them interchangeably.
But this isn’t entirely people's fault. When we witness a person building a pot out of clay it's had to understand their intentions and know if the person is an artist trying to express themselves through the medium of clay, or if they are a designer trying to prototype a new solution or a craftsman practicing their exquisite skill.
It is important to understand that while all of these are distinct they do play on each other.
Design is a commercial activity where the designer helps relaise the clients vision. Designers have to be skilled at their own crafts usually this is hinted in the prefix of their title, they might call themselves a graphic designer, a product designer or a textile designer. All they mean is that they solve problems through that particular medium, that is the skill they have practiced and are in the process of perfecting. Massimo Vignelli once famously once said “ if you can design one thing, you can design anything” I think Vignelli was talking exactly about this the underlying principle of a product designer is not different form that of an architect or a graphic designer, the medium they have chosen to solve problems through is what makes theses disciplines unique.
Similarly it’s helpful for an artist to understand what problems they are solving for the client if they choose to do a commissioned piece. And for a Craftsman too. It could be extremely beneficial for a craftsman to consider how he could solve a new problem with his existing skill, giving rise to a new opportunity and probably a better solution.
One of the best examples of this in my view is how India dealt with the shortage of masks in during the Covid outbreak, while the rest of the world scrammed to find alternate sources of production, Indian tailors started sewing together pieces of cloth they had laying around to make hundreds of masks, and no sooner the lockdown was announced we had a market full of colourful textiles made from what otherwise might have gone to waste.
If you notice this does not speak about aesthetics or the visual component of art, craft or design at all. The reason for that is, I don't believe it to be a focus of any of these acts but an additional function. More on that in the next article.