The Difference Between Art and Design 文章.doc

The Difference Between Art and Design 艺术与设计之异The subject of what separates art and design is convoluted and has been debated for a long time.关于究竟是神马鬼东西区分了艺术和设计的课题是这么的绕，并已经历了长期的争论。Artists and designers both create visual compositions using a shared knowledge base, but their reasons for doing so are entirely different.艺术家和设计师都运用相同的知识储备来创设视觉奇观，但他们行动的依据是迥然不同的。Some designers consider themselves artists, but few artists consider themselves designers.有些设计师自认为是艺术家，但认为自己是设计师的艺术家寥若晨星。So what exactly is the difference between art and design? In this post, well examine and compare some of the core principles of each craft.然则，究竟是神马东西区分了艺术和设计？在这份通讯中，我们将探讨并区分两种工艺各自的一些核心原则。This is a subject that people have strong opinions about, and Im looking forward to reading the various points of view in the comments.这是一个人们固执己见的话题，而且个人很期待在评论中读到各种各样的意见。This post isnt a definitive guide, but rather the starting point for a conversation, so lets be open-minded!这篇通讯并非是确定的指示性文件，而不过是引玉之砖，因此让我们敞开心胸，广开言路。Good Art Inspires. Good Design Motivates.好艺术启智，好设计动人。Perhaps the most fundamental difference between art and design that we can all agree on is their purposes.或许艺术和设计之间最本质的世所公认之区别便是它们目的不同。Typically, the process of creating a work of art starts with nothing, a blank canvas. A work of art stems from a view or opinion or feeling that the artist holds within him or herself.最具代表性的，艺术作品之创作过程始于无物，譬如一张白帆布。一件艺术作品源自艺术家内心中的一种观点、见解或感受。They create the art to share that feeling with others, to allow the viewers to relate to it, learn from it or be inspired by it.他们创设一种艺术以同他们分享这份感受，让他们来欣赏、受教、得到启发。The most renowned (and successful) works of art today are those that establish the strongest emotional bond between the artist and their audience.今时最富盛誉而成功的作品都是那些在艺术家和受众间建立起最强情感纽带的。By contrast, when a designer sets out to create a new piece, they almost always have a fixed starting point, whether a message, an image, an idea or an action.相比之下，一个着手创作新作品的设计师，总是有一个固定的起始点或是一条信息、一幅图像、一个理念、一个举动。The designers job isnt to invent something new, but to communicate something that already exists, for a purpose.设计师的工作并非创造新的东西，不过是将已经存在的东西为了特定目的加以传递。That purpose is almost always to motivate the audience to do something: buy a product, use a service, visit a location, learn certain information. The most successful designs are those that most effectively communicate their message and motivate their consumers to carry out a task.这目的几乎总是驱动受众去做些什么：购买产品，使用服务，参观某地，学习特定知识。最成功的设计是那些总能将它们的信息有效传递并驱使消费者做出一个举动。Good Art Is Interpreted. Good Design Is Understood.好艺术可得诠释，好设计能被理解。Another difference between art and design is how the messages of each are interpreted by their respective audiences.另一个横亘于艺术和设计间的差异，则是它们的信息如何被其尊敬的受众诠释。Although an artist sets out to convey a viewpoint or emotion, that is not to say that the viewpoint or emotion has a single meaning.尽管一位艺术家着手传达一个观点或一份情感，但并不是说那玩意儿只有区区一种意义。Art connects with people in different ways, because its interpreted differently.Da Vincis Mona Lisa has been interpreted and discussed for many years. Just why is she smiling? Scientists say its an illusion created by your peripheral vision. Romantics say she is in love. Skeptics say there is no reason. None of them are wrong.艺术能以不同的方式联系群众，因它能以多种方式被诠释。达文西之蒙娜丽莎已被诠释和探讨了无数春秋。就好比她为神马而微笑？科学家看来：这是你视觉神经创造的错觉。罗曼蒂克之人说道：她深陷情网之中。怀疑论者声称：这就不需要理由。他们可都没错。Design is the very opposite. Many will say that if a design can be “interpreted” at all, it has failed in its purpose.设计却很不同，许多人认为：如果一件设计能稍微被诠释，在目的上这就已经可以回家吃饭了。The fundamental purpose of design is to communicate a message and motivate the viewer to do something.设计最本质的目的就是传达消息，鼓动人们去做些什么。If your design communicates a message other than the one you intended, and your viewer goes and does something based on that other message, then it has not met its requirement. With a good piece of design, the designers exact message is understood by the viewer.如果你的设计传达了一个不同于你本要表达的信息，而你的受众为另一个信息驱动，在那玩意儿的基础上行了动，那设计没就没达到要求。一件好的设计，能令设计者的确切信息被受众所理解。Good Art Is a Taste. Good Design Is an Opinion.好艺术：品味。好设计：理念。Art is judged by opinion, and opinion is governed by taste.艺术由意见做判断，意见为品味所驱使。To a forward-thinking modern art enthusiast, Tracey Emins piece “My Bed”, which was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 1999, may be the height of artistic expression.对前卫时尚艺术狂热者而言，入选1999特纳奖的崔西爱敏之吾床，许是艺术表达之高标。To a follower of more traditional art, it may be an insult to the medium. This goes back to our point about interpretation, but taste is more about peoples particular likes and dislikes rather than the message they take away from a piece.对较传统艺术的追随者而言，这许便是对媒体的羞辱。这就回归到我们对诠释的观点，但品味更多是与个人恶趣味相关而非他们从作品中提取的消息。Design has an element of taste, but the difference between good and bad design is largely a matter of opinion.设计是品味的一份元素，但设计好坏很大程度上取决于理念。A good piece of design can still be successful without being to your taste. If it accomplishes its objective of being understood and motivates people to do something, then whether its good or not is a matter of opinion.一件好的设计仍可以很成功，尽管它并不对你的胃口。如果它完成了被理解和驱动人们去做些什么，那么随后它的好坏就并非是理念的问题了。We could go on discussing this particular point, but hopefully the underlying principle is clear.我们可以继续这点的探讨，但希望潜在的原则依然明晰。Good Art Is a Talent. Good Design Is a Skill.好艺术是天才。好设计是手艺。What about the creators abilities?而设计者是能力又有何干？More often than not, an artist has natural ability. Of course, from a young age, the artist grows up drawing, painting, sculpting and developing their abilities.艺术家多半有天生之才。当然，从年轻时始，艺术家就一边画画、雕塑、提升自身技能，一边茁壮成长。But the true value of an artist is in the talent (or natural ability) they are born with. There is some overlap here: good artists certainly have skill, but artistic skill without talent is, arguably, worthless.但艺术家的真正价值就在于他们与生俱来的天才（或者称自然能力）。这儿就有些重复：好的艺术家确然有技巧，但无天才的艺术家的技巧则可视作毫无意义。Design, though, is really a skill that is taught and learned. You do not have to be a great artist to be a great designer; you just have to be able to achieve the objectives of design.然而设计，却着实是一门可被教授学习的技术。你并不需要成为伟大的艺术家而成为伟大的设计师；你只需能能实现设计的目标。Some of the most respected designers in the world are best known for their minimalist styles. They dont use much color or texture, but they pay great attention to size, positioning, and spacing, all of which can be learned without innate talent.有些世上最受人尊敬的艺术家是以他们极简抽象派艺术风格享誉盛名。他们并不运用大量的颜料或材料，他们对形状、位置和和间距关注甚密，而这些都可以不具备天生资质而后天学成。Good Art Sends a Different Message to Everyone. Good Design Sends the Same Message to Everyone.好艺术是千人眼中的哈姆莱特。好设计是看神马就是神马。This really falls under the second point about interpretation and understanding. But if you take only one thing away from this article, take this point.这就归结到第二点上，关于诠释和理解。但如果你愿意去除这篇文章中的一点，就去掉这个吧。Many designers consider themselves artists because they create something visually attractive, something they would be proud for people to hang on a wall and admire.许多设计师自诩艺术家，因为他们设计一些视觉上颇为诱人的，一些他们会为人们将之悬于墙上景仰而自豪不已的东西。But a visual composition intended to accomplish a specific task or communicate a particular message, no matter how beautiful, is not art.但视觉作品是为完成特定任务，或传达特定信息而生。无论如何动人，终归不是艺术。It is a form of communication, simply a window to the message it conta