Artist Typing

An artist can be defined by two spectrums:

Romantic vs. Artisan

Developer vs. Performer

Every artist falls somewhere between each of those two spectrums. As an example, you could have a Romantic Developer or an Artisan that is somewhere between a Developer and a Performer (a person who does some of each).

The first spectrum is defined by the artist's motivation for working with art. Artisans work with art as either a means of income or an enjoyable passtime. Generally an artisan becomes a professional artist largely due to circumstance. They may have equally enjoyed being a doctor or a mechanic but for whatever reasons art seemed the most practical choice. If an artisan chooses to use art as more of a passtime then that will be because for them art is refreshing and fun.

Romantics work with art because, from their point of view, they were made to do it. They will pursue their art regardless of whether or not it is practical. Though Romantics may at times enjoy the art they work with, they do not choose their art because it is fun but because they feel compelled to do it.

In comparing the two types directly, Romantics are generally much more obsessive about their craft than Artisans. Artisans tend to be more laid-back in their artistic approach than Romantics but they can still be very perfectionistic. Romantics generally identify more closely with their art than Artisans. They take it more personally. Often times Romantics have more natural talent than Artisans, but since I am predominantly basing these distinctions on inclination alone it would be possible to have a Romantic with absolutely no capability in the field they are driven toward.

The second spectrum is defined by how the artists works with art. Developers design, pioneer, and construct art. Performers re-create art. Though they may have some creative freedom in how they re-create that art, they are not executing the degree of construction and design that Developers utilize.

Developers create art. Performers become art.

Design is the key distinction between the two types. Performers are always implementing a design. A Developer may or may not implement a design, but only Developers create a design.

These artist types are wide open for adjustment. I myself am not sure that they are the best means of categorizing artists. In particular, one of my biggest concerns is that the second spectrum of Developer vs. Performer should instead be purely defined by Designer vs. Implementer. Developer vs. Performer is closer to what your average artist would relate to but if it is less accurate than what is actually taking place then it may cause inconsistencies and confusion. But it may work since these artist types are meant to be handy guidelines at best.

For the record, I am a Romantic Developer. (With that in mind you can keep an eye out for any signs of bias in my essays or even within this specific system of artist categorizing.)