# What is the difference between an Artisan and a Craftsman? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 22, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650 "2011-08-22T13:03:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/21 "2011-08-24T02:54:28Z")
One possible definition for me is that an artist makes things for their own sake (no utility, no useful purpose), while a craftsman makes something that has utility and function. Although that may be more the distinction between “fine art” and “decorative art.” ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/22 "2011-08-24T03:42:11Z")
One is a house and the other is a type of bread. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/23 "2011-08-24T04:24:59Z")
Don’t forget the tools! ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/24 "2011-08-24T05:54:29Z")
Hmm, I seem to differ from a lot of people in that I wouldn’t necessarily say that a craftsman makes something of utility. To me, craftsman implies just the act of creation, and doesn’t speak to any kind of use of the end result, just that the act of creation requires ability beyond simple labour. An artisan on the other hand necessarily includes that intent behind a creation, as well as being the originator of that intent. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/25 "2011-08-24T11:36:19Z")
An artist is a craftsman who crafts art. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/26 "2011-08-24T11:50:07Z")
Why do you folks keep talking about artists? Big asked for the difference between an artisan and a craftman, not an artist and a craftman. Artisan=artist? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/27 "2011-08-24T11:53:53Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Why do you folks keep talking about artists? Big asked for the difference between an artisan and a craftman, not an artist and a craftman. Artisan=artist? Fair enough, a google search on a couple of dictionary websites indicates that the difference between an artisan and a craftsman is spelling.😃 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/28 "2011-08-24T13:01:24Z")
To put it into my own milieu, knitting, a craftsman can make things given a pattern and the yarn and equipment to make that thing. An artist is the person who came up with the pattern, or blended the yarn colorway you used (or lathed and finished the [beautiful rosewood knitting needles](http://www.ascianofiberartstools.com/)). ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/29 "2011-08-24T13:18:48Z")
Artisans make cheese or bread. Craftsmen are sold at Sears… Seriously, I think that an artisan is a craftsman that specializes in food-based creations. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/30 "2011-08-25T02:05:42Z")
Art is using the mastery of craft to make a statement. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/31 "2011-08-25T02:18:29Z")
One place where I worked was heavily unionized, with strictly-defined jobs for the various trades. They referred to people in the building trades…carpenters, house painters, cement finishers, brickmasons, etc. as artisans. People in the mechanical trades…electricians, plumbers, mechanics and so forth were craftsmen. We didn’t have any strictly artistic types working there, but in my mind an artist creates, whereas an artisan replicates and refines creative efforts. An artist is the person who writes a book, an artisan might edit or proofread it. An artist designs furnishings, an artisan builds chairs and cabinets. An artist paints a picture, an artisan makes prints or drafts blueprints. There can be a lot of overlap between the two. SS ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/32 "2011-08-25T02:18:32Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Why do you folks keep talking about artists? Big asked for the difference between an artisan and a craftman, not an artist and a craftman. Artisan=artist? See post #7. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/33 "2011-08-25T02:41:04Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > See post #7. Right you are! Reading threads is one of those good habits I hear about. ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/34 "2011-08-26T13:37:53Z")
The distinction isn’t always clear. One can be an artist or a craftsman or both. What separates the two is the origin of the drive to create, in my opinion. An artist creates something in order to impart ideas to the world, a craftsman creates and in the process achieves beauty. Consider the following examples [here.](http://www.artcomplex.org/shaker.html) Those chairs are revered as a classic example of beauty in form, function and simplicity. The people that made them were craftsmen of the highest order. Now, look at this [chair.](http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_image.aspx?image=mm043394.jpg&retpage=16119) It’s a really well constructed and thought out piece considering the materials, very clever. It was made to impart ideas, not to look pretty or to sit on. That makes it art. Just my opinion, for what it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/35 "2011-08-26T19:00:43Z")
I agree with the general idea that craftmen make functional objects that require skill and artists make things that are aesthetically pleasing and that they are not in any way mutually exclusive. However, unless one just makes purely functional things (like an extremely plain chair using the same process hundreds of times) or purely aesthetic things (like a painting), most people do both but will probably describe themselves as more of one than the other. For instance, I certainly do both sorts of things, and though I sometimes make things that are more about function, I still consider myself an artist first, particularly since my first loves are in purely artistic pursuits (music, poetry, etc.). So, if I were to hazard a guess, without know what your craft is, I would imagine that perhaps you feel most comfortable with craftman because you value the quality and skill and functionality of whatever it is you make over the aesthetics, and thoughts or feelings it might convey. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650/36 "2011-08-27T04:24:01Z")
I give my students separate grades for Art and Craft. Because you need both for a particular piece to “work”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-an-artisan-and-a-craftsman/593650.md?page=1)