But I also look at it like this: Design (to me) is the structure and use of what the ART is created for. Yes, you’re creating art when you create a website/flyer/biz-card/ect but I consider it a “design” when you’re studying the intent of it. Art is more free of limits and guidelines where a great Design will reflect all of the information in proper form.

Just my two pennies

“Art” is a little harder for me to put a finger on, because there can be art in everything, on the micro and macro of anything human-created… I think you can have a big evil-corp media campaign, and the whole thing might not be “art”, but parts may be “art”… Are there design pieces that aren’t “art”? Is it safe to say that the Photoshop UI is art? Or MS Word? It has been “designed”, surely… If it isn’t art as a whole… are the icons “art”? What if I took the paint bucket icon and did a pop-art color arrangement ala Warhol’s Monroe? Is it then “Art”?

I know one thing… being an “artist” is not necessary to be a inspiring “designer”, but it can help in some disciplines… but if yourself an “artist”, but can’t separate “art” and “design” you will surely fail in any client-based professional career, because you are paid to solve their problem, not your own… if you create “art” in that process then that is great, as long as it solves their problem…

My first thought is that the difference is the motivation.

However, there is also ‘pure art’ and ‘pure design.’ The former is typified by fine art; these are things that have little function other than to beautify a place. Most sculpture falls here, as well as most 2-d art such as oils or watercolors.

An example of pure design might be a text-only classified newspaper ad for which only one or two fonts can be used. There is certainly art in typography and such things, but these happen only when the options are opened up somewhat.

That said, here are some of my thoughts:

Design always has a specific message in mind for a specific audience. Its goal is to speak that message with 100% accuracy.

Art has a message but the audience isn’t always clear. Expressivity is held superior to accurate communication.

Design understands the way its audience thinks and uses that knowledge to make the communication clear.

Art enjoys the range of interpretation it gets from people with different worldviews.

Design is bought because it speaks to the masses.

Art is bought because it speaks to one.

Design can objectively succeed or fail.

Art decides itself whether it has succeeded.

In the end, some things are pretty cut-and-dried. An annual report is design. An abstract painting is art. It’s those in-between places that get blurry.

In my opinion: let’s leave it that way.

It sort of hits the nail on the head, Artist have no restrictions & work for no one, designers do.

The difference is that Design is generally used for commerce, advertising, or it’s all about showing off something else (content). Art is all about itself in that way. Can Design be Art? Yes. Can Art be Design? Maybe.

To play off what Steph said, I agree. You call something art and it is. But does that work for design? Not as much.