Conceptual Art: Turning Your Vision into an Art Piece.

Summary/Overview

Conceptual art offers a way to illustrate ideas in novel and thought-provoking ways. In this style, ideas take centre stage.

This article explores what the Conceptual art movement is all about and how you can use those ideas to create your own designs in Adobe Express.

What is Conceptual Art?

The Conceptual art movement emerged in the 1960s as a style that highlights the underlying message and intention of a piece rather than traditional aesthetics. So, artists created random imagery that often appeared even incomplete.

Prominent artists at the genesis of this movement included Marcel Duchamp and John Baldessari. Duchamp is regarded as the first Conceptual artist, and placed emphasis on ideas, rather than skill and style. Baldessari was a pioneer of appropriated imagery, and blended photography, painting and text in his work.

Conceptual artists bypassed the commercialised art world, by placing value on the thought processes and production instead of the art piece itself. In some cases this meant using art forms that did not result in a finished object, like a painting or sculpture. This made it harder for their work to be displayed in a gallery, bought or sold.

Key Characteristics of Conceptual Art.

Conceptual art is characterised by:

• Ideas rather than specific elements: The underlying idea and thought process takes centre stage in every piece. So, what a viewer sees first isn’t always the full story, as the piece usually has a deeper meaning.
• Multi-media: Often, the artwork involves a combination of materials, media and methods, from music to videos and photography.
• Use of words: Conceptual artists often use language, whether combined with other elements or alone.

From Idea to Execution.

The Conceptual art movement is focused on the idea of the piece, over the finished product. That means that a lot of thought goes into the ideation of a piece. Some of the basic steps to consider when creating Conceptual art include:

Step 1: Ideation.

An artist will need all the information they can get about the concept. That is mostly the Who? What? Where? And when? This provides the framework for the message they want to convey. The artist may also refer to previous Conceptual artworks for examples and inspiration.

Step 2: Creation.

The artist will then create multiple versions, comparing what works and what doesn’t. Ideally, they borrow aesthetics and methods from existing work as an inspiration while adding a new touch to their own.

Step 3: Presentation and Editing.

The artist can then document and share their Conceptual art designs with the audience, get feedback and edit if needed. Conceptual art designs are common with movies, shows and events, costumes and even video games.

Create your own Conceptual art with these editable templates.

Adobe Express's Tools of Expression.

Adobe Express has several features to help Conceptual art designers turn their vision into an art piece.

Some of the tools a Concept artist might use when creating include:

• Sketching: You can test out your ideas with initial sketches using Adobe’s Drawing tools. Or use these to create Compositional sketches.
• 3D tool: With the 3D Add-ons, you can bring your idea to life in 3D using Adobe Express.
• Photo bashing tools: In photo bashing, artists combine photographs or other assets to create something new. With Adobe Express's intuitive interface, you can do this fast and easily to bring your vision to life.
• Thumbnails: Wouldn’t you want to see or show people what your design would look like first? Adobe Express’s thumbnail makers help you create a mini version of your work so you can get feedback and more ideas.

Use Adobe Express templates to bring your own artistic concepts to life.

Examples of Previous Work.

René Magritte: The Treachery of Images.

The artist’s main idea was that the image should not be confused with the real object and that not everything is as it appears. This concept has inspired multiple designs from logos to movie posters.

John Baldessari: The Pencil Story.

The artist’s idea was to highlight the importance of everyday things—and how the general world matters rather than individual objects. Conceptual artists still draw inspiration from this for movies, event posters, and even social media graphics.

Barbara Kruger: Your Body Is a Battleground.

Created for the early pro-choice movement, Kruger uses a combination of words and imagery to make a statement. Many poster and campaign designers draw inspiration from such pieces to create bold and effective promotional material even today.

The conceptual art movement continues to inspire artists worldwide. And now with Adobe Express, you have the tools to join this movement at your fingertips. So, express yourself! And start creating today with a free trial.

Try Adobe Express for free now

Useful things to know.

What is the difference between Conceptual art and traditional art?

Conceptual art involves abstract elements, but the main focus remains on the underlying concept rather than its visual representation. On the other hand, traditional art focuses on specific forms and subjects, even though some abstract elements may be used.

When did Conceptual art start?

The Conceptual art movement started in the 1960s and usually refers to art produced from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s. But the origins can date all the way back to 1917, with Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain cited as the first piece of Conceptual art.

Can Conceptual art be about anything?

Yes, Conceptual art can be anything, because well, it is just a concept. The goal is to guide the viewer to the underlying story or meaning behind the elements. So as long as the most appropriate elements are used, a great conceptual art design will emerge.

Does Conceptual art design require skill?

With digital tools now available, conceptual art designers may not be experts at every aspect of the field. However, they must have a vivid and practical imagination to be able to bring their ideas to life. This also comes with the ability to identify the right elements to illustrate those ideas.

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