Is a calligrapher an artist or a craftsman?

[caliken]

Yesterday, katim (Ken) wrote

 

"I am very fond of calligraphy, but I sometimes wonder if it is as much an artistic skill as a specialist penman's art - it ought to be achievable by any good artist who has drawing skills (theoretically at least!)."

 

This, of course, is the age-old argument as to whether or not calligraphy is an art or a craft.

 

I'd like to raise it again, because I don't think that it has been discussed before in any depth on this forum, and fresh ideas from fountain pen users would be valuable, So - what do you think....is a calligrapher an artist or a craftsman?

 

From my own perspective, it is quite straightforward. I can write all of the major hands at about the same level of competency. I am a self-employed, full-time, self-taught calligrapher, and have been for many years. I am a craftsman and not an artist - I am a copyist.

 

I have a very accurate eye for detail, a steady hand, infinite patience and a love of good lettering. For any calligrapher who is interested in replicating the historic hands as accurately as possible, these are the only, basic requirements.

 

If I can achieve the above, I am more than satisfied. I am a craftsman, pure and simple. I happen to think that I am a competent craftsman....but that is all.

 

In my opinion, to be an artist, one requires imagination and creativity, two fundamental artistic attributes I sadly lack. Having said that, I know that there are artists who are also calligraphers but whether or not their work is calligraphy (beautiful writing) or not, is very much in the eye of the beholder....sometimes it works, and sometimes not.

 

As for "non-legible artistic calligraphy" - don't get me started!

 

So there we have it. Anyone who possesses the basic requirements as listed above, can become a competent calligrapher - a competent craftsman.

 

On the other hand, those who also have imagination and creativity, can produce calligraphy as an art form

 

Which is it? Is calligraphy an art form or a craft.....or can it be both, and if so, do you have a preference?

 

caliken

[Beechwood]

If it is any guide, I learnt calligraphy at Art School so...........whilst many can do basic calligraphy, I would suggest your work is of a higher level and it becaomes a Craft.

Edited August 3, 2009 by Arthur

[Renzhe]

caliken, I have been thinking about this very question for the past few days. So far, I acknowledge that the commonly accepted definition of calligraphy is the art of writing. Therefore, if you aren't an artist, you aren't a calligrapher. The term "art" has many definitions, many of which I actually think fits the description of a faithful calligrapher. That is, the display, application, or expression of skill and knowledge. I think, as a calligrapher, one is doing that. Other definitions of "art" aren't as accurate. Namely, the ones that imply that in artistic work, creativity runs rampant, and that originality is encouraged. That, I feel, is not what a calligrapher does.

 

Complicating this matter is the way varying cultures interpret art. Many cultures do not have a native concept of "art" as the Western world does, yet they may produce what the Western world calls "calligraphy." To the people of these cultures, such "calligraphy" may merely be good writing. An example is Chinese calligraphy. Many people, especially those who aren't familiar with Chinese calligraphy, think that it is an art. They think that calligraphy is a medium through which calligraphers express themselves. Actually, this is a misconception. Faithful calligraphers make no effort to make their writing appear in any particular way. They write honestly. When their exemplary handwriting is brought before foreign (especially Western) eyes, the viewers' knee-jerk reaction is to call it art, because it looks good. In fact, it's just their handwriting. As a result of the widespread misconception of Chinese calligraphy (especially) as art, blasphemous writing produced by so-called "calligraphers" showing their "creativity" pollute the name of calligraphy.

 

Then, if calligraphy isn't art, what is it? I would prefer not to catagorize it into anything and just call it "calligraphy," but it seems that many people like to categorize everything. If I had to put it into some kind of category, I'd call it "craft." This is not much different from "art" except that "craft" doesn't imply that ones creativity can run rampant. When producing a calligraphic work, there are certain rules that a calligrapher must follow. Most of the time, it seems that there is no room for creativity, but if that were the case, everyone's calligraphy would be the same. The key to having one's own identity as a calligrapher, then, is to find freedom within all those rules, and produce something that is both faithful and one's own. That's as close to "art" as calligraphy gets, in my opinion. Calligraphers that repeatedly break established rules are not legitimate calligraphers.

[katim]

Ken,

 

First, I'm glad you've taken up this point - it's a question that has puzzled me for some time and I know no one better able to chair such a discussion!

 

Second, I must immediately say that I consider your work displays the twin characteristics of an artist and a craftsman! I fully agree that the skills required for the basics of calligraphy - the formation of a beautiful series of letters into a given text - are those acquired by a craftsman with a good eye and a steady hand - in fact, with the skills which you yourself set out above. However, I have seen too many of your set pieces that go way beyond these basics, using an artist's skills to produce imaginative, attractive and artistic results! You must not allow yourself to believe that that artistic talent is not recognized by the many fans of your work.

 

In short, therefore, I will happily accept that the basics of calligraphy require craftsmanship, but only if you will accept that a calligrapher can also be an artist!

 

Ken

[msacco]

Ken,

I'm an art teacher who also went to ARt school here in the U.S. (A B.F.A. degree )

So here's my slant.

 

If a calligrapher merely learns a hand and replicates it, he/she is a craftsman. if done well then an accomplished craftsman.

 

However if a calligrapher takes this hand and on a page uses good design sense and creativity it has now been, IMHO taken to the "art" stage. Basically I believe the calligrapher must take the letterforms further. This could be the use of flourishing, contrasting typesizes/styles, additive illustrations, etc.

 

So for me it's like this....Some calligraphy is art and some isn't depending on the above criteria.

Mike S.

Edited August 2, 2009 by msacco

[vidalia11]

I often see things as a continuum...

 

-at one end, practice penmanship

 

-in the middle (a wide zone), nice penmanship leading to calligraphy, leading to craftsmanship

 

-at the other end, the very thin line between craftsmanship & artistry

 

IMO the commercial applications are graphic art, which, to me, is an artist. I see very little diff. between a craftsman and an artist.

 

 

Karen

 

 

[Randal6393]

I would not call your work, Ken, anything but "art" in the purest sense. All of your work shows good use of line, excellent choice of color and harmony, and is a delight to behold. The fact that you do it for purposes of making a living (a craft, as it were) does not make your work any less art. I mean, Rembrandt also charged for his paintings.

 

Enjoy,

[QuantumPugilist]

I'd like to confound the idea further by adding a 3rd category in the middle: design.

 

Calligraphy as a craft would be things like taking used scripts or typesets and hand copying them without any personal additions. Here the words are slightly more important than the writing itself.

 

Design would be using craft calligraphy, but in an "artistic manner". Varying type size, orientation, minor additions to pre-existing typesets, perhaps creating ones own typeset. Here the words and writing are of equal importance.

 

Art would be either original creation of a typeset, or taking a pre-existing typeset to an otherwise unrealized level. Extensive flourishing, calligraphy in various odd mediums, etc. Here the writing itself is the important part, with the words accenting or just being part of the medium.

 

Of course, language and usage will blur the already blurred lines, since there are always median points in between these three styles. I treat my various crafts somewhat the same way, particularly book binding. Simple book bindings just to create a readable document/notebook are a craft, the same but with some embellishment is a design art/craft, and wildly embellished book bindings where the cover is as or more important than the internals is an art.

 

In some ways I actually think the craft side of many of these broad skills are more impressive than the artistic ends, skill and dedication wise. Uniform replication, particularly by hand, of something is a very difficult thing to do, as I have found learning bookmaking.

[Ted H]

It depends on the person. Ideally, like anything else, the answer would be "Both!"

[penspouse]

Ken,

 

First, I'm glad you've taken up this point - it's a question that has puzzled me for some time and I know no one better able to chair such a discussion!

 

Second, I must immediately say that I consider your work displays the twin characteristics of an artist and a craftsman! I fully agree that the skills required for the basics of calligraphy - the formation of a beautiful series of letters into a given text - are those acquired by a craftsman with a good eye and a steady hand - in fact, with the skills which you yourself set out above. However, I have seen too many of your set pieces that go way beyond these basics, using an artist's skills to produce imaginative, attractive and artistic results! You must not allow yourself to believe that that artistic talent is not recognized by the many fans of your work.

 

In short, therefore, I will happily accept that the basics of calligraphy require craftsmanship, but only if you will accept that a calligrapher can also be an artist!

 

Ken

 

Well said!

 

[Jamesiv1]

Which is it? Is calligraphy an art form or a craft.....or can it be both, and if so, do you have a preference?

 

caliken

 

Hi Ken,

 

Good thoughts... and a good topic. Here's my take, FWIW

 

I think it depends on whose vision is being expressed in the piece.

 

Traditionally, calligraphy is a craft. The calligrapher is taking words written by someone else, and expressing the vision of the author - "illuminating" it, if you will. It is incumbent upon the calligrapher to remain true to the words, true to the author, and express the author well.

 

On the other hand, an artist has a vision of his own, and expresses it through his artwork. He may use calligraphy as the medium, but the vision remains his own.

 

I, too, have always had difficulty with the "calligraphy as fine art" movement. Still do. The ones that do it successfully are few and far between.... Denis Brown comes to mind.

 

Then you have the graphic artists - those that incorporate calligraphy into their graphic designs. Julian Waters comes to mind. But is it art? Well, it's graphic art - something of a hybrid it seems.

 

Here is one of my all-time favorite calligraphy quotes:

 

"The art of calligraphy has twice been killed stone dead by mechanical invention, and has twice found a new set of justifications. As an industry for the manual copying of texts, it was destroyed by the printing press. As an essential tool of commerce and finance and an evidence of gentility, it flourished for three centuries and was strangled by the typewriter. In its third and present lifetime, it stands with the fine arts, safe from any further technological threat." -- The Times Literary Supplement, 1965

 

Note that it says "stands with" the fine arts... It doesn't say it "is" a fine art. I like to think that in these modern times, calligraphy stands alongside the fine arts. We not trying to *be* fine art. For me it's acceptable to be a humble, yet worthy sibling.

 

Thanks for the topic.

 

James

 

 

 

[eric47]

Yesterday, katim (Ken) wrote

 

"I am very fond of calligraphy, but I sometimes wonder if it is as much an artistic skill as a specialist penman's art - it ought to be achievable by any good artist who has drawing skills (theoretically at least!)."

 

This, of course, is the age-old argument as to whether or not calligraphy is an art or a craft.

Not meaning to be pain, but an argument like this depends critically on the defining and distinguishing "art" and "craft". There are some hints on your post about the difference but applied to calligraphy itself, which makes it even harder (or stacks the deck in some cases).

 

Perhaps you can define or distinguish in such a way that it applies to other areas/fields to get a handle on the difference -- or at least to generate a "shared agreement" of what falls where with regard to "art" or "craft". Thereafter see where calligraphy would fall. (I think James is trying to do that with typefaces.) Otherwise, a difference drawn may seem ad hoc to shift calligraphy one way or the other.

 

And not to be a further pain, it's usually not a hard line between the two, with gray in between.

Edited August 3, 2009 by eric47

[Ondina]

When I first read your topic, just posted, I though the answer was not clear and that it needed some thought before being answered.

Most of my own conclusions have been brilliantly resumed by most post above. Calligraphy is a craft. That sometimes, reaches the level of art. As it happens with ceramics, painting, architecture.... The line between most crafts/arts is very thin, and in many cases a continuum. Craftsmen achieve art in some of its works, when taken to extreme quality and original & unique levels. The above example of Denis Brown would illustrate this point; a craft elevated to art.

[Beechwood]

Craft is defined as a Skill in doing or making something, as in the arts; proficiency

[eric47]

Craft is defined as a Skill in doing or making something, as in the arts; proficiency

Right. And as you indicated, art (often) involves the same thing. So what differentiates the two?

[tipstricks]

I assume a craftsman is an unpretentious artist, or better: I think it's normal, for a craftsman, apply his creativity, imagination and inspiration to his daily work, so he should be also an artist, but people don't call him an artist.

If he has success people call him an artist. Some people are died as a craftsman and then became artist.

So long life to all craftsmen!

 

[eric47]

I assume a craftsman is an unpretentious artist, or better: I think it's normal, for a craftsman, apply his creativity, imagination and inspiration to his daily work, so he should be also an artist, but people don't call him an artist.

If he has success people call him an artist. Some people are died as a craftsman and then became artist.

So long life to all craftsmen!

You happen to live in a country and area (Romagna) where the level of craft and art (be it cuisine, wood, metal, paper, writing, etc.) are still high and tightly intertwined.

 

I'm always stumped whether an "artigiano" (and its cognates) should be translated as "craftman" or "artisian" -- probably both depending on context.

Edited August 3, 2009 by eric47

[Zoe]

I have always thought of calligraphy as a form of art, and have followed some of the major calligraphers here and elsewhere.

 

While calligraphic work does require craftsmen(women)ship, and has often been associated with artisans and guilds, it demands inclusion in both the art and craft dictionary.

 

Zoe

[Paddler]

I have thought about this subject for a while. I think calligraphy, the "beautiful writing" part of it, is a craft. With enough practice, almost anybody can learn to form letters correctly. The art comes from choosing colors, writing styles, letter sizes, flourishes and white space to make a display that is pleasing to the eye. Caliken does it all.

 

Paddler

 

edit: typo

 

Edited August 6, 2009 by Paddler

[happyhaley]

I'd say art, though I'm sure my art school alumni wouldn't agree. Calligraphy isn't just about writing the words and copying a work (that's a good way to learn though), it's about creating beautiful work like a painter paints more paintings. Calligraphy done for envelopes and such is art too, but more in the realm of commercial art than art for the sake of creating beauty.

 

~Haley