Fine Art
Fine Art
Definition, Meaning, History: Painting, Sculpture, Prints.
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Fine Art: Definition & Meaning
The term "fine art" refers to an art form practised mainly for its aesthetic value and its beauty ("art for art's sake") rather than its functional value. Fine art is rooted in drawing and design-based works such as painting, printmaking, and sculpture. It is often contrasted with "applied art" and "crafts" which are both traditionally seen as utilitarian activities. Other non-design-based activities regarded as fine arts, include photography and architecture, although the latter is best understood as an applied art.
Problems of Definition
The area of fine art is constantly being extended to embrace new activities arising because of either new technology, or artistic invention. The former is exemplified by acrylic painting, as well as silkscreen printing and giclee prints; the latter by the invention of mixed-media artworks employing collage, decollage, photomontage, or "found-art". Because of this gradual widening process, it is almost impossible to define or fix a meaning for fine art. (See also: Types of Art.)
Difference Between Fine Art and Decorative Arts/Crafts
Until the English Arts & Crafts Movement of the late 19th century, there was a rigid distinction between fine art (purely aesthetic) and decorative art (functional). During the 20th century, with the introduction of the category of visual art, this arbitrary distinction has become blurred, and certain crafts or decorative arts (notably ceramics) are now considered to be fine art.
What Does Fine Art Include?
Definitions of fine art are obliged to change with the time, but most encompass the following activities:
Painting
- encaustic painting
- tempera painting
- ink and wash
- oil painting
- watercolour painting
- gouache
- acrylics
Other Fine Arts
Photography But see: Is Photography Art?
Architecture
Manuscript Illumination
Calligraphy
Animation
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/definitions/fine-art.htm
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