What is the difference between art and craft?
Art and craft are often used interchangeably and there are many who think they refer to the same things. Even though there is only a thin line between the two terms, there are differences.
About Craft
Craft refers to skilled work that shows creativity and talent. It involves the use of various techniques and human intelligence in being able to create design and follow complicated instructions. In the production of crafts, the objects are usually large and designed to be useful for people. In this way one could say that a craft is something that performs a service for people because it provides them with something they can use. The term is a broad one because of the many objects that can be considered craft –clothing, boxes, purses, and bags for example.
About Art
Art tends to serve an aesthetic purpose rather than the human purpose of a craft. It refers to something appeals to and pleases the mind. Creativity is the main focus of the appreciation of art that can include such things as paintings, sculptures and architecture.
The difference between art and craft
In a craft, the creator knows what the end result will be before starting. The opposite is true of art. The artist is not really sure what the end product will be like. Art expresses emotion, but there is no emotion evident in a craft. The motive behind a craft is to earn money and while artists do want to make money, art does not necessarily have to include money exchanging hands. Craft is an extension of art but art is not necessarily an extension of craft.
Art can stand alone. In making a craft, though, the craftsperson knows what he wants to create and may use some tricks in the process so that the end result turns out in the way that was planned. There is no trickery involved in art because the artist uses talent and lets it come naturally.