Fine arts

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Fine arts refers to an art form practiced mainly for its aesthetic value and its beauty ("art for art's sake") rather than its functional value. Fine arts include painting, sculpture, drawing, graphic arts, photography, and printmaking, often contrasted with applied arts and crafts which are both traditionally seen as utilitarian activities. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and textile arts also involve aspects of fine arts.

History

The term "fine art" was first attested in the 17th century, coming into English from the French term beaux arts. Historically, the five main fine arts were painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and poetry, with performing arts including theatre and dance. In practice, fine art is seen as a creative activity requiring great skill or ability, distinguished from applied arts that focus on the practical application of artistic skills and design to everyday objects.

Education

Fine arts education is traditionally divided into studio practice and theoretical studies. Higher education institutions such as art schools, academies, and universities offer fine arts degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Students can pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or a Master of Fine Arts (MFA), which are considered professional degrees for artists.

Disciplines

Painting

Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color, or other medium to a solid surface (support base). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and airbrushes, can be used.

Sculpture

Sculpture involves the creation of three-dimensional forms. Traditional sculptural materials include clay, stone, wood, and metal. Modern sculptures also use materials like plastics and synthetic resins.

Drawing

Drawing involves making marks on a surface, usually paper, to express or communicate ideas visually. Common tools include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoals, pastels, and markers.

Graphic Arts

Graphic arts typically refers to the artistic disciplines that focus on the creation of visual art pieces that are primarily graphic in nature, such as printmaking, design, and typography.

Photography

Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film.

Contemporary Fine Arts

In the contemporary context, fine arts includes the traditional forms as well as newer forms such as digital art, installation art, and video art. It also sometimes includes the applied arts such as industrial design, graphic design, fashion design, interior design, and decorative art.

See also

• Art history
• Visual arts
• Contemporary art
• Artistic expression