"Illustration" versus "Fine Art" - What the Heck is the Difference?

[A. Sobriquet]

Hello there, thanks for reading.

Now, I did so a search on this topic on the forum, but I got a ton of unrelated topics - about a dozen pages worth. Sorry if the question's been answered before, but I don't have the remotest inclination to struggle through that much text when it's easier to let my fingers fly in a new post.

I asked this question in no uncertain terms to the director of an illustration program at a major Californian art school, and the reply I got was that the illustration program teaches you to "work jobs better," and the art program teaches you to "do your own projects," better.

Doesn't really give me a clue what's the difference in terms of what's taught.

I asked a friend of mine, a graduate with a BFA, what the difference was, and the answer I got from him was basically the same.

So can someone out there put into clearer terms what the difference is, in terms of what exercises one completes, what lessons one learns, and, in the end, after four years, what one is capable of?

Thanks very much, bye.

[Mirana]

Fine Art = do work for a gallery environment and client commission.
Illustration = do work for a commerical environment through agent, in a company, or on your own.

They are not mutually exclusive, though. You can cross over into either realm.

[A. Sobriquet]

While I do appreciate the response, if you bother to read my thread you'll understand why I'm tsktsking you right now.
:nohope: (i couldnt find a tsktsking emoticon sorry)

[Storyboard Dave]

I'm not so sure why you needed to tsktsk Mirana. Was it just not complete or in-depth enough??

That is what's being taught at most art colleges' Fine Art & Illustration programs. In essence both programs can use the same tools & media. Whereas one calls it a commission, the other calls it a job. But at the end of the day, both camps are in the business of selling art.

Both disciplines are taught foundation drawing skills, explore and are eventually taught to find their own voice or market. Each person has to be able to find his/her own niche and any valid art school will do its best to show you how to find them- whether it's a gallery, movie studio, game developer, publisher or whatever.

[Meloncov]

Generally, an illustration program will have more representational drawing and more specific assignments.

[A. Sobriquet]

Oh, hi Dave, hi Mel, imagine running into you guys here. :)

Thanks for the replies.

Well, Mirana gets the tsktsk because I made it fairly clear in my first post the nature of the replies I had gotten when asking the question before, and then Mirana wrote a reply that was almost identical to what I stated had not been helpful information. I still appreciate that Miranda took the time to write though.

Meloncov's reply is of greater value, because it gives me some idea of what the day-to-day differences would be. Unless the difference between the two majors is that in one you take How To Get Rich Hipsters To Buy Your Stuff 101 and in the other you take How To Not Get Your Deadline Ballsed-Up, I don't see how the manner of answer that I have objected to receiving would sufficiently convey the fundamental differences between the two programs.

My thinking was: both have pencils, pens, paints and principles, so how much differentiation could there be?

[Storyboard Dave]

My thinking was: both have pencils, pens, paints and principles, so how much differentiation could there be?

I think this is where Mirana's quote of "They are not mutually exclusive, though. You can cross over into either realm." comes into play. Beyond the ivy covered walls of college, what you want to label yourself is your deal. Whether you want to be known as an illustrator, fine artist, painter, imagineer, swanky man about town or whatever- you're still trying to make images to generate money.

I try not to get into the label game beyond college.

[Elwell]

Now, I did so a search on this topic on the forum, but I got a ton of unrelated topics - about a dozen pages worth. Sorry if the question's been answered before, but I don't have the remotest inclination to struggle through that much text when it's easier to let my fingers fly in a new post.
Here:http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=132643
Still on the first page of this section, easy to find, should have been one of your top search results.
It may be easier for you not to search, but it's easier for us not to have to answer the same questions over and over.

[A. Sobriquet]

It may be easier for you not to search, but it's easier for us not to have to answer the same questions over and over.

Naturally, I only care about myself.
My foremost concern is not your leisure, and if that was your concern then you wouldn't bother "answering the same questions over and over;" you do that only because you want to.
Whatever your particular reason was (which isn't to say I don't know it already): thank you for the link, and my compliments on having keener eyes than my own, as I overlooked that entry on the first page. I blame my old glasses and ambien.

If in fact it answers the question accurately, then I would summarize that answer as: illustrators learn more principles and fine arts students horse-off with paint.
Objections?