--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not Art. And Art is not Design." description: "\"“It's not Art. And Art is not Design.”\" — Chip Kidd" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/chip-kidd-15285_art_it-s-not-art-and-art-is-not-design-26918_2691856.jpg" --- # It's not Art. And Art is not Design. ![“It's not Art. And Art is not Design.” quote by Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/chip-kidd-15285_art_it-s-not-art-and-art-is-not-design-26918_2691856.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/chip-kidd-15285_art_it-s-not-art-and-art-is-not-design-26918_2691856.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/chip-kidd-15285_art_it-s-not-art-and-art-is-not-design-26918_2691856.jpg) > ““It's not Art. And Art is not Design.”” [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art and design are distinct; art isn’t defined by design, nor is design merely art. **In simple terms:** Art and design are different fields. Key Takeaway Respect each discipline’s unique purpose. Themes creativity design art discipline definition Mood analytical inquisitive Type philosophical technical When to use this quote - branding projects - gallery curation - product development Key Concepts aesthetic theory functionalism creative process Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate your artistic and design work? - When is crossover beneficial? A Different Perspective Blurring lines can inspire hybrid work, but clarity matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-design/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) ## Related quotes > [A designer is a planner with an aesthetic sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-munari/a-designer-is-a-planner-with-an-aesthetic-sense/) [Bruno Munari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-munari/) > [Design is a very personal thing. It's like art. Your personal choice plays a big role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gauri-khan/design-is-a-very-personal-thing-it-s-like-art-your-personal-choice/) [Gauri Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gauri-khan/) > [Art and design are not luxuries, nor somehow incompatible with science and engineering,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bran-ferren/art-and-design-are-not-luxuries-nor-somehow-incompatible-with-science/) [Bran Ferren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bran-ferren/) > [What’s next for technology and design? A lot less thinking about technology for technology’s sake, and a lot more thinking about design. Art humanizes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/what-s-next-for-technology-and-design-a-lot-less-thinking-about/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rand/design-can-be-art-design-can-be-aesthetics-design-is-so-simple-that-s/) [Paul Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rand/) > [The broader one's understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-broader-one-s-understanding-of-the-human-experience-the-better/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Design is not art. Design is utilitarian, art is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-vignelli/design-is-not-art-design-is-utilitarian-art-is-not/) [Massimo Vignelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-vignelli/) > [Simplicity, carried to an an extreme, becomes elegance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-franklin/simplicity-carried-to-an-an-extreme-becomes-elegance/) [Jon Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-franklin/) > [I was attracted to things that combined art and science equally. I've always been equally interested in art design, science and engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bran-ferren/i-was-attracted-to-things-that-combined-art-and-science-equally-i-ve/) [Bran Ferren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bran-ferren/) > [Being a student in an art & design school, that was the moment for me, that was when I began to develop a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/being-a-student-in-an-art-design-school-that-was-the-moment-for-me/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) > [If design isn't profitable, then it's art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-fisker/if-design-isn-t-profitable-then-it-s-art/) [Henrik Fisker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-fisker/) > [Design is in everything we make, but it's also between those things. It's a mix of craft, science, storytelling, propaganda, and philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-adigard/design-is-in-everything-we-make-but-it-s-also-between-those-things-it/) [Erik Adigard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-adigard/) > [“What separates design from art is that design is meant to be... functional . ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-moll/what-separates-design-from-art-is-that-design-is-meant-to-be/) [Cameron Moll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-moll/) > [“Fine art galleries are the excellent setups for exhibiting art, generally aesthetic art such as paints, sculptures, and digital photography. Basically, art galleries showcase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famous-art-galleries/fine-art-galleries-are-the-excellent-setups-for-exhibiting-art/) [Famous Art Galleries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famous-art-galleries/) > [If I make a painting, it should be seen for what it's set out to do too. A lot of the things that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-done/if-i-make-a-painting-it-should-be-seen-for-what-it-s-set-out-to-do/) [Ken Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-done/) ## More by Chip Kidd > [Yes, Garnett Grey was an Architect. Were a psychoanalyst to approach him from behind, tap his shoulder, and say 'Humanity,' Garrett'd spin and respond,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/yes-garnett-grey-was-an-architect-were-a-psychoanalyst-to-approach/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [I often get asked, 'Is the book dead?' It hasn't happened yet. It's different than music. Music was always meant to be pure sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/i-often-get-asked-is-the-book-dead-it-hasn-t-happened-yet-it-s/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [Much is to be gained by eBooks: ease, convenience, portability. But something is definitely lost: tradition, a sensual experience, the comfort of thingy-ness -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/much-is-to-be-gained-by-ebooks-ease-convenience-portability-but/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“On the first day of class, the Visual Arts building reclined before me like an old brick whore, egging me to show her one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/on-the-first-day-of-class-the-visual-arts-building-reclined-before-me/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [Hey, have you heard that one about the difference between me, Wit, and my loutish cousin, Hilarity? No? Okay, so I walk into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/hey-have-you-heard-that-one-about-the-difference-between-me-wit-and/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“(...) photography opened up quite a little Pandora's box, kiddies. (...) Once we no longer had to depend on drawing and painting to record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/photography-opened-up-quite-a-little-pandora-s-box-kiddies-once-we-no/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [Commercial Art tries to make you buy things. Graphic Design gives you ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/commercial-art-tries-to-make-you-buy-things-graphic-design-gives-you/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [What people really want, no matter who they are, is someone to listen to them. ... people have a lot on their minds, however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/what-people-really-want-no-matter-who-they-are-is-someone-to-listen/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [If you intend to die, you can do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/if-you-intend-to-die-you-can-do-anything/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“We are the Western World. We read, see, think. Left. To. Right. We can't help it. ..The problem with Top to Bottom is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/we-are-the-western-world-we-read-see-think-left-to-right-we-can-t/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“Never let your mouth write a check that your ass can't cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/never-let-your-mouth-write-a-check-that-your-ass-can-t-cash/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“Graphic Design for its own sake will never happen, because the concept cancels itself out — a poster about nothing other than itself is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/graphic-design-for-its-own-sake-will-never-happen-because-the-concept/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“He was the most astonishing contradiction of components I’d ever encountered. Shy yet fiercely communicative when putting an idea into your head. Vocally astringent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/he-was-the-most-astonishing-contradiction-of-components-i-d-ever/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [I had no idea what I was doing, I had no idea where I was going, but at some point I stopped — when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/i-had-no-idea-what-i-was-doing-i-had-no-idea-where-i-was-going-but-at/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“But at the end of the day, you can't major in Making Stuff, so it was Art by default.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/but-at-the-end-of-the-day-you-can-t-major-in-making-stuff-so-it-was/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) [Explore all 43 Chip Kidd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's not Art. 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