Types of art and craft are very interesting. From the invention of paper to painting on walls, the human race has always looked for new and unique ways to create art. There is no denying that different types of art and crafts have become more modernized in recent years, but there have also been new techniques invented simultaneously with technology. There are so many types of art and craft it can be helpful to understand different names for art. By understanding the different types of art and craft, you can then create your own work of arts or crafts.
There are various types of art, for example, painting, drawing, photography, etc. There are also different types of craft such as needlework, knitting, leathercraft, etc. This blog is about types of art and craft found in the world around us. It includes a variety of works like our special sculptures and many more beautiful artworks. Check them out.
What is Art?
Human creativity, skill, and imagination come alive in art in all its forms. While most arts are experienced visually, others can also be audible or experienced through touch. Traditionally, art is known for its beauty or emotional power, but it is often used today as a political and social statement.
The seven types of art we’ll discuss in this article can generally be categorized into seven major categories. We need to grasp the significance and meaning of each of the various art categories to enjoy art more and understand better how the arts have shaped our lives.
Types of Art
Throughout human history, artwork has taken many forms, but for the most part, it can be divided into seven classical categories. We experience different types of art differently, and our emotions are affected in different ways. Here are seven types of art:
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Literature
- Architecture
- Cinema
- Music
- Theater
Each form of art will be explored in detail and its history and how it contributes to our daily lives.
Painting
Painting is one of the oldest known art forms in human history. People have been painting for over thirty thousand years, since the time of at least thirty thousand years ago when Paleolithic artists first decorated the walls of caves in France and Spain. That’s right, human beings had figured out how to use a brush even before they invented agriculture or writing. It is not even necessary to know how to read or write to enjoy painting today. Nonetheless, it can make it a much more enriching and fulfilling experience.
The first thing that comes to mind when we think of art is painting. In childhood education, the most common art medium is painting. Paint is the primary medium you can use to express your artistic vision through painting. Generally, an artist who works primarily in this medium is called a painter, and their work consists of painting different colors on a solid surface, usually a canvas. In general, artists use oil, acrylic, or watercolor paint, but they can also use pigment, dyes, inks, or composite materials.
There are many ways to apply paint; you can brush, smear, dab, or splash it. Cave paintings date back to prehistoric times, making painting one of the oldest forms of art.
It is possible to classify paintings by style, subject, and genre. Typically, a painting subject falls into one of several categories, such as still life, landscape, seascape, portrait, or abstract. Modernism, expressionism, classical, surrealism, cubism, Chinese style, abstract, impressionism, and many more are examples of painting styles.
Sculpture
Sculpture is a visual arts discipline in three dimensions. This sculpture technique is distinct from the related three-dimensional medium of ceramics, and one example is a figurative sculpture. The sculpture is also often incorporated into the architecture and in modernist and postmodernist. Sculpture originates from the Latin word “sculptura” which refers to an artist who carves or shapes matter to transform it into a form more suitable for aesthetic purposes. The sculpture is one of the most important art forms and was founded thousands of years ago.
Clay, stone, ceramics, metals, or wood are traditional materials for sculptures, which create three-dimensional visual images. Many classical sculptors, including Michelangelo and Myron, used marble and bronze for carving and casting. This type of material has been used in many famous sculptures throughout the world, including David, the Statue of Liberty, and Manneken Pis.
Today, sculptors have almost unlimited options for creating sculptures, such as metals, plastic, glass, and found objects. In addition to welding, carving, assembling, and modeling, contemporary sculptors, can also utilize a wider range of techniques.
Literature
The art of literature is the sharing of stories. Literature can be either read or spoken, and it is a form of language. According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, literary works are composed for the beauty of form or emotional effect. It includes everything from poetry to essays to plays to biographies to fiction, non-fiction, and satires.
Often, authors use literature to create art by arranging words that bring pleasure, but those words are also criticisms of our society, which is why reading is enjoyable. Many famous authors used language and the written word to show their opinion or critique society, such as Charlotte Bronte, George Orwell, and Charles Dickens. The art of literature stands alone as one of seven kinds of art and is closely connected to theater, film, poetry, music, and speech.
Architecture
Every day you pass architecture without realizing its value or appreciating its beauty as an art form. We could date architecture back to when man built the first shelter since architecture is the art of creating structures. On the other hand, architecture is more commonly regarded as an art form based on just a few exceptional structures.
Some of the best ancient architectural designs are the Great Pyramids, Taj Mahal, Rome’s Coliseum, Hagia Sophia, and Stonehenge. Here are some modern architectural wonders like the Sagrada Fam Lia, Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, Burj Khalifa, Louvre, and Guggenheim.
As a functional tool, architecture is also an expression of man’s desire to make meaningful things since the dawn of time. Architects are utility necessity and artists, and as sculptures, they are available to the public.
Almost every major city in the world is home to some of the world’s most famous architectural works. Many renowned modern architects have done private residences too, including Frank Llyod Wright and Frank Gehry. There may be some in your neighborhood.
Cinema
Among the seven forms of art, cinema is the newest. While the cinema was born only a little more than a century ago, it has quickly become one of the most famous art forms. Cinema is an art form that engages both our audible and visual senses by portraying a three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional screen. Movies also have a storyline, but they use spoken word, visual art, and more to tell it.
As we now know, the cinema industry has rapidly evolved into one of the largest industries in the world. Animation, special effects, costumes, makeup, set design, writing, acting, directing, and others are all employed in the movie industry. This article also lists seven broad categories of art that many of these artistic professionals fall under. Every cinematic production involves a depth of creativity and skill.
The master artist is often regarded as the director in cinematic art, even though film production requires many skilled artisans. Akira Kurosawa, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrik, George Lucas, and others are among the most famous and influential directors of all time. Even though cinema is not often recognized as a high art like some of the classics, it is undoubtedly one of the most popular and accessible art forms of the modern era.
Music
Musical composition is composed by arranging sounds and vibrations in harmony, rhythm, and timbre to produce a melody, harmony, and rhythm. Voices, instruments, or a combination of both can be used in music composition.
All human societies around the globe engage in music as a culturally universal art form. Additionally, music plays a central role in many religious practices and is strongly associated with religion. When the voice and different instruments combine their sounds, they can beautifully show emotion.
Vocal sounds were believed to play a crucial role in early human communication before the speech was developed, although music is more difficult to date than the visual arts. Wood, bones, stones, and other natural materials were used to make musical instruments by our ancient ancestors.
Besides their voices, modern musicians have at their disposal a wide range of instruments to create music. Genre is the defining characteristic of music, and there are too many genres and styles to mention. A wide variety of genres of western music can be enjoyed today, including classical to gospel, pop, rock, hip-hop, electronica, rap, blues, reggae, country, indie, reggaeton, trap, folk, punk, metal, soul, and techno.
Theater
An artist who uses visual art and dramatic performance in theater is known as a theater artist. Historically, performance art has also been considered to be a part of the theater. Art that is presented or performed on a stage usually includes different forms of art.
Ancient Greeks first introduced the theater to the world in the 6th century BC. This form of entertainment has remained popular ever since. Theater and dance are examples of performing arts and music, circus arts, opera, musicals, magic and illusion, spoken word, mime, and puppetry. Many modern productions still follow the two classic classifications of Greek theatre: drama and tragedy.
Theatre often incorporates elements of music, set design, and literature into its productions and other seven art forms. Another decorative art form that contributes to the experience is costume making. Pompei and other ancient Greek and Roman amphitheaters have also hosted performances in spectacular architectural settings throughout history.
It has taken a wide range of artists to create theater productions. There are notable theater artists such as Andrew Lloyd Webber, William Shakespeare, Lee Strasberg, Laurence Olivier, Julie Andrews, and directors and actors like Laurence Olivier.
What Is Craft?
To produce an item, skilled workers are usually required as part of a craft or trade. There are a variety of crafts, including weaving, pottery, carving, embroidery, beading, macrame, sewing, quilting, and more.
Craftspeople traditionally made crafts, individuals who produced or maintained small-scale items. Craft is also called “handicraft,” Its handcrafted nature separates it from other mass-produced, readily available products.
Sometimes crafts are referred to as decorative arts. Artistic disciplines that focus on ornamenting and designing various objects can be classified as decorative arts. Crafts typically consist of functional items and also include decorative arts such as tapestry, basket-weaving, cabinet-making, and pottery. Arts and crafts are also grouped together under the umbrella of applied art.
Types of Crafts
From sculpture and metalwork to knitting and printing, there are a number of art forms involved in crafting. Depending on their purpose and form, these crafts can all be categorized into five main types: textile, paper, decorative, functional, and fashion.
Textile Crafts
Crafts that involve fabric, yarn, or surface design fall into this category. The following are some examples of handicrafts: quilting, knitting, appliqué, dyeing, and weaving. Since the finished products are often sold as sweaters or wall hangings, many of these would also fall into the decorative or fashion crafts categories. Technically, these are textile crafts since the fabric is at the core of the finished product.
The Japanese art of boro, which involves combining textiles from different sources to make decorative repairs, is also an example of textile crafts. Sashiko, or decorative stitching, is another Japanese craft.
Paper Crafts
Crafts made with paper are called papercrafts. Children experiment with hand printing on construction paper with carved potatoes in pre-school. Wood and linoleum engraving is the more mature version of this. You can also make paper, papier-mache, or calligraphy with paper.
Decorative Crafts
Decorated crafts include furniture creations, stenciling, metalwork, stained glass, spongeware, goldsmithing, and basketry. The final product of these arts can also be a piece of decor, including toys and other arts. While fine art is typically considered a form of art, decorative art has a functional component. Despite being beautiful in its own right, a piece of furniture is ultimately meant to serve the function of providing seating.
Metalwork and furniture-making are popular pairings. Furniture created from wood with metalwork legs or trim is often featured in arts and crafts and home décor magazines. The metalwork tends to have an industrial look, although some ornate elements are also included.
Fashion Crafts
A craftsman in this field is responsible for dressing a person from head to toe, including jewelry, leatherwork, hats, and clothing. The metalwork can be used to make jewelry, and sewing enables garments to be made-which can be classified as a textile craft. Therefore, this craft will naturally intersect with other craft types.
Crafts for fashion use a variety of fabrics, from soft fabrics to stiffer ones such as nylon, canvas, and leather. Making a garment is more than just sewing; it requires a lot of skill and attention to detail as well as precision technique.
Functional Crafts
In addition to the four types of crafts described above, many other types of crafts are also functional. It is common for decorative pottery, such as serving platters and utensils, to have food-safe components. There are also many furniture crafts that are functional and decorative at the same time.
Having functionality in your art or craft is important if you want to reach the broadest audience possible. It is common for consumers who will not spend the big bucks on an original creation based solely on its looks to justify the cost because it is also practical.
What Is the Difference Between Craft and Art?
Despite their similarities, crafts and art do have some differences. It is primarily a personal expression of ideas and emotions that artists express through their work. Many artists create art without receiving payment or expecting it to be sold. A painting or sculpture will still retain the artist’s creative control and freedom, even if it is commissioned.
A craftsperson receives payment for his or her craftwork. Molding, carving, or sewing are all tangible crafts that produce a tangible result. Art forms such as painting and sculpture were historically considered more creative than craft. Even high-quality craftsmen made items with a practical function; they didn’t gain the luxury status enjoyed by art, which is unpractical. In this way, the crafts were devalued, and artisans were seen as low-class workers, while craftspeople moved in high society circles.
Final Words
In this article, we have tried to give you an overview of various types of art and craft. So really, all art is a craft, and all craft is art. Whether it’s to express yourself or a lovely decoration piece, you don’t limit the artist when you decide what it is. There are many different types of art and craft. Each of them has its own rules artistic and commercial context. Being a designer requires you to study, practice, and be aware of what are the major types of fields you are interested in. Art and crafts are a great way to express your creativity, and they don’t just have to look. You can make functional things too. If you enjoy using art and crafts, you should commit to it.