[snugs]

It has been an interesting thread seeing the type of artwork fellow freepers enjoy from the more traditional pieces to very modern art.

To conclude this weekend I thought it would be interesting to discuss the usage of art in our daily lives.

This can be from simple sketches to illustrate how to complete a task or explain facts to school children.

Artwork is also used in outreach by churches in particular aimed at children at seaside resorts in Britain. In fact this weekend I actually saw this in the High Street in Ashford which in this case was aimed at adults.

Tonight questions.

1) Do you think art is useful in education and do you agree that simple picture or sketch can be 1000 words or do you find the written word easier to follow.

2) What form of artwork do you think is better for informing people. Sketches, cartoons or technical drawing?

3) If you were asked to do a lecture at work or church would you use illustrations to get your point over.

4) Do you think that illustrations are more effective than photographs which in certain circumstances can in themselves be classed as artwork?

Ashford High Street on Saturday

[snugs]

Answers to my own questions.

I think that artwork is useful in education as many people can relate to a picture or sketch and find it difficult to follow written instructions. However for me I often find the written word easier to follow especially directions to a location.

For me I thinks that for the average person sketches are best used though many children relate better to cartoons and engineers of course prefer technical drawings.

As I am not very good at illustrations I would either have to get ones done by others or get someone else to do them for me. I might however use photographs if appropriate.

Illustrations especially if done by yourself are easier to doctor to get your point of view over, photographs are less flexible but can especially to a non technical person be easier to understand.

[WFTR]

In answer to your questions:

1. I think the best explanations of anything involve a combination of written word and illustration. In many cases, I don't think of the illustration as being art in the strictest sense. If instructions are written well, illustrations often are not needed. Unfortunately, the quality of written instructions in many areas seems to be declining. For that matter, the instructive value of many of the illustrations is also falling.

2. The form of art needed to inform people depends on the content of the communication. For many things, a technical drawing or photograph is best. For other things, sketches and cartoons are better.

3. Generally, I incorporate some kind of figures into all of my technical writing and presentations. Often, I'm showing pictures of corroded or broken piping or equipment. I'll often show flow diagrams to show where the piece was located in the process.

4. If a photograph is taken correctly, the photograph is usually best. The question is whether the photographer had the skill and the equipment to set up the right shot. In many cases, an illustration is simpler and can be produced more easily.