How Form and Function Play into the Rise of Good Design
Whether it's a building, logo, website, or software, good design is easy to recognize. Most people may not realize that good design has just as much to do with how something works as it does with how something looks. Let's face it: if you buy something to perform a function, you want it to perform well.
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What is Function?
Conveying a message to an audience should be the central function or purpose of any design. When we start designing, we keep in mind the audience and the message we want to convey. This dictates the form we choose. Think about how your audience perceives your message. Is it something they’re going to see and understand immediately? Or is it something they’re going to have to think about and absorb more slowly? Perhaps your message will be meant to appeal to a small and specific audience, or even a single person. Or you could create messages that are designed to appeal to different audiences, in which case you may use different forms to reach these audiences. What is Form? It’s important to have messages presented in a form that fits their function. Otherwise, it’s like fitting a square peg into a round hole. Even if you’re able to make something look pretty, it could be failing at getting the message across (its primary function) if the form isn’t right. Make sure that you always think of the function before the form, because even the nicest looking design can’t accomplish its goal when it’s not in the right form. |
How do Form and Function work together?
The shape or form of something should be driven by its intended purpose and function In other words, don’t build a beautiful, square-shaped wheel. Source: Function in Design and Marketing |
What are the FUNCTIONS in art?
There are many reasons why artists create. First, proceed with this caution: No piece of art can be "assigned" a function (or functions), either in essay form or in casual conversation, if it isn't first considered within the proper context. Trying to classify function depends on context (where, when, and why it was made). The contextual equation also includes you, the viewer in thinking about what the work means to you, living right now. Taking anything out of context can lead to misunderstanding. The functions in art fall within the following categories. These categories can, and (often) do, overlap.
PERSONAL FUNCTION – communicates life experiences, emotions or feelings of an individual - EXAMPLE: Expressive Art, Art Therapy
The personal functions of art are often the most difficult to explain. There are many types of personal function, and they are subjective and will therefore vary from person to person. An artist may create out of a need for self-expression, or gratification. S/he might have wanted to communicate a thought or point to the viewer. Perhaps the artist was trying to provide an aesthetic experience, both for self and viewers. A piece might have been meant to "merely" entertain others. Sometimes a piece isn't meant to have any meaning at all. Art is often used to bring order to a messy and disorderly world. Conversely, art can be used to create chaos when an artist feels life is too static and ordinary. Art can also be therapeutic - for both the artist and the viewer.
SOCIAL FUNCTION - addresses aspects of (collective) life, as opposed to one person's point of view or experience, enhances the shared sense of identity of those within a family, community, or civilization - EXAMPLE: Activist Art, Political Propaganda, Ceremonial Art
The public art in 1930s Germany had an overwhelming social function. The art directly exerted influence on the German population, as did the political and patriotic posters in Allied countries during the same time. Political art always carries a social function. Art that depicts social conditions performs social functions. The Realists figured this out early in the 19th century. Dorothea Lange (and, indeed, many other photographers) often photographed people in conditions we'd rather not think about. Additionally, satire performs social functions. Francisco Goya and William Hogarth both went this route, with varying degrees of success at enacting social change.
PHYSICAL FUNCTION – performs some service or has a specific use - EXAMPLE: Architecture, Interior Design, Furniture Design, Utilitarian Art, Crafts
The physical functions of art are often the the most easy to understand. Works of art that are created to perform some service have physical functions. If you see a Fijian war club, you may assume that, however wonderful the craftsmanship may be, it was created to perform its task in the midst of a deadly battle. A Japanese raku bowl is art that performs a physical function in the tea ceremony.
DECORATIVE FUNCTION - meant to entertain or excite the eye and may not have any meaning at all
EXAMPLE: Ornamental Art, Crafts
SPIRITUAL FUNCTION – expresses beliefs about the destiny of life controlled by a higher power
EXAMPLE: Religious Art
EDUCATIONAL FUNCTION – symbols and signs that illustrate knowledge, meant to inform or tell a true story
EXAMPLE: Science or Math Illustrations, Infographics, Historical or Narrative Art
Sources: Art History, Functions of Art , ThoughtCo
There are many reasons why artists create. First, proceed with this caution: No piece of art can be "assigned" a function (or functions), either in essay form or in casual conversation, if it isn't first considered within the proper context. Trying to classify function depends on context (where, when, and why it was made). The contextual equation also includes you, the viewer in thinking about what the work means to you, living right now. Taking anything out of context can lead to misunderstanding. The functions in art fall within the following categories. These categories can, and (often) do, overlap.
PERSONAL FUNCTION – communicates life experiences, emotions or feelings of an individual - EXAMPLE: Expressive Art, Art Therapy
The personal functions of art are often the most difficult to explain. There are many types of personal function, and they are subjective and will therefore vary from person to person. An artist may create out of a need for self-expression, or gratification. S/he might have wanted to communicate a thought or point to the viewer. Perhaps the artist was trying to provide an aesthetic experience, both for self and viewers. A piece might have been meant to "merely" entertain others. Sometimes a piece isn't meant to have any meaning at all. Art is often used to bring order to a messy and disorderly world. Conversely, art can be used to create chaos when an artist feels life is too static and ordinary. Art can also be therapeutic - for both the artist and the viewer.
SOCIAL FUNCTION - addresses aspects of (collective) life, as opposed to one person's point of view or experience, enhances the shared sense of identity of those within a family, community, or civilization - EXAMPLE: Activist Art, Political Propaganda, Ceremonial Art
The public art in 1930s Germany had an overwhelming social function. The art directly exerted influence on the German population, as did the political and patriotic posters in Allied countries during the same time. Political art always carries a social function. Art that depicts social conditions performs social functions. The Realists figured this out early in the 19th century. Dorothea Lange (and, indeed, many other photographers) often photographed people in conditions we'd rather not think about. Additionally, satire performs social functions. Francisco Goya and William Hogarth both went this route, with varying degrees of success at enacting social change.
PHYSICAL FUNCTION – performs some service or has a specific use - EXAMPLE: Architecture, Interior Design, Furniture Design, Utilitarian Art, Crafts
The physical functions of art are often the the most easy to understand. Works of art that are created to perform some service have physical functions. If you see a Fijian war club, you may assume that, however wonderful the craftsmanship may be, it was created to perform its task in the midst of a deadly battle. A Japanese raku bowl is art that performs a physical function in the tea ceremony.
DECORATIVE FUNCTION - meant to entertain or excite the eye and may not have any meaning at all
EXAMPLE: Ornamental Art, Crafts
SPIRITUAL FUNCTION – expresses beliefs about the destiny of life controlled by a higher power
EXAMPLE: Religious Art
EDUCATIONAL FUNCTION – symbols and signs that illustrate knowledge, meant to inform or tell a true story
EXAMPLE: Science or Math Illustrations, Infographics, Historical or Narrative Art
Sources: Art History, Functions of Art , ThoughtCo
Research Exercise
Choose one function of art to focus on your research.
Start by finding two artists from different cultures (continents and/or centuries apart) who both create works of art for that same purpose.
Compare and contrast one work by each of the artists by breaking down the visual, conceptual, and functional decisions that were made by the artists.
Start by finding two artists from different cultures (continents and/or centuries apart) who both create works of art for that same purpose.
Compare and contrast one work by each of the artists by breaking down the visual, conceptual, and functional decisions that were made by the artists.
