Your website is not a piece of art for people to simply admire. Instead, it's a marketing tool which needs to be highly functional. Of course your website should be attractive, but more importantly, it must function smoothly and be easy to navigate.
An artist focuses on aesthetics. Art is often done individually and sparks an emotional response. Most artists are born with an innate creative talent.
A designer focuses on solving problems, not just making things look pretty. Design includes planning, engineering, and meeting requirements.
Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like...people think it's this veneer -- that the designers are handed this box and told, 'Make it look good!' That's not what we think design is. It's not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.
Think of a dishwasher. If it’s quiet and cleans dishes spotlessly, no one will notice it. In contrast, if the dishwasher is loud and leaves residue on the dishes, it’s an annoyance. Often, when design is executed properly, we don’t notice it. Design is about function, followed by form.
The bottom line – the main difference between art and design – is that art asks questions, while design answers them.
There is a common misconception that a web designer’s only job is to make websites look good. If this were the case, they’d be an artist, not a designer. Instead, a web designer has many other important problems to solve.
Web Design is not just about using the right graphics, fonts or color schemes. The designer must also focus on the site’s functionality. This could include user research, prototyping, usability testing, and more. These skills can take years of experience to learn, and are not just developed by chance.
All of this being said, don’t worry! Just because you are hiring a designer and not an artist for your website does not mean your site is going to be ugly. Designers have the skillset and experience to know what will make your site aesthetically pleasing and stand out from the competition.
Do you need a professional website which is both highly functional and visually attractive? Let's talk about putting design to work for you.
I like that you mentioned that web designers are not artists. It is important to remember that it is about improving the functionality of the website. It is important that it is visually appealing, but that is not the web designers sole purpose.
I'm glad you agree, Kenneth! Thanks for chiming in.