What is the difference between Fine Arts and Applied Arts?

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Updated on Jun 28, 2024 16:15 IST

When it comes to taking up Fine Arts as a degree, students often get confused. Is Fine Arts and Applied Arts the same? Or what is the difference between Visual arts and Fine arts? Shiksha explains the difference between fine arts and applied arts so that you don’t have any further problems when it comes to taking up a course.

If you are passionate to make a career in the field of Arts then you need to pursue Arts course. Candidates can enter the profession by pursuing a course in the field of Arts. There are various types of courses available in Arts such as Fine Arts, Applied Arts etc. When it comes to taking up Fine Arts as a degree, students often get confused. Is Fine Arts and Applied Arts the same? Or what is the difference between Visual arts and Fine arts? Shiksha explains the difference between fine arts and applied arts so that you don’t have any further problems when it comes to taking up a course. Read the article below to know in detail about both Fine Arts and Applied Arts courses.

Fine Arts: Highlights

Candidates can check the space below to know about important points related to various Fine Arts courses in the table below including major highlights on course level, course duration, entrance exams, average salaries, course fees, top recruiters and top job profiles. Candidates can refer to highlights for a quick reference:

Highlights	Details
Course Level	Certificate (6 months- 1 year) Diploma (1 year- 4 years) Undergraduate (3-4 years) Postgraduate (2 years)
Popular Courses	Certificate: Certificate in Acting, Certificate in Classical Music, Certificate in Kathak etc Diploma: Diploma in Performing Arts (Drama), Diploma in Performing Arts(Vocal), Diploma in Filmmaking and Acting, Diploma in Television Acting, Diploma in Theatre Undergraduate: Bachelor of Performing Arts in Music, Bachelor of Performing Arts in Drama, Bachelor of Performing Arts in Theatre/ Dramatics,Bachelor of Performing Arts in Classical Dance (Kathak/Odissi/Bharatnatyam) Postgraduate: Master of Performing Arts in Music, Bachelor of Performing Arts in Classical Dance Forms, Bachelor of Performing Arts in Acting and Theatre
Duration	Certificate: 1-12 months Diploma: 6 months- 1 years UG: 3- 4 years PG: 2 years
Admission Process	Entrance-based or Direct-Admission
Examination Type	Semester-wise
Course Fee	INR 2-6 LPA
Top Colleges	Rabindra Bharti University, Banaras Hindu University, UPES School of Design, Amity University
Average Starting Salary	INR 3-10 LPA
Job Positions	Actor, Drama Artist, Choreographer, Musician, Therapist, Theatre Director, Cinematographer, Community Arts Worker,Theatre Teacher
Entrance Exams	PUBDET, CUET, URATPG
Top Recruiting Companies	Film and Television Institute of India, Balaji Telefilms, YRF Studios, Universal Arts, Iris Media

What is the difference between Fine Arts and Applied Arts?

The difference between fine arts and applied arts is the work created and made. While Fine Arts deals with a freehand approach, Applied Arts deals with technicality and materialized work. For more information on the two arts, you can take a look at the two arts meaning, admission process and the working of each field.

Also Read: Diploma in Photography in India

What is Fine Arts?

Fine Arts is a form of art which deals with the aesthetic value. Fine Arts deals with the study of drawing, sculpture, painting, literature, pottery, printmaking, ceramics, and murals. Candidates who have an artistic side, can pursue a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts, which are offered by numerous universities and colleges in India. With technology advancing in every field, creativity and innovativeness take a whole new level. Under fine arts, the following activities come into play:

Drawing	Painting
Charcoal	Tempera painting
Chalk	Oil painting
Pastel	Watercolour painting
Pencil	Gouache
Pen and Ink
Caricature
Sculpture	Printmaking
Bronze	Engraving
Stone	Lithography
Wood carving	Etching

Also Read: Art Scholarships for Indian Students

If a candidate wants to pursue a Bachelor in Fine Arts, the duration of the course is generally three-years. Candidates can pursue BFA as a full-time course or part-time as well. Aspirants can choose an area they specialize to fine-tune their skills and enhance their creativity.

Eligibility: Student who are interested in taking up a Bachelor in Fine Arts, need to meet the eligibility criteria as set by universities. The basic criteria is that a student needs to have secured a minimum of 50% marks from a recognized school.

Admission Process: The admission process is such that students who are interested in a college or university, will have to apply online. While some universities and colleges grant admission on the basis of merit and scores secured, some universities conduct entrance exams. A few entrance exams which are conducted for BFA are as follows:

Also Read: Top BA Bharatanatyam Colleges in Kerala

Colleges offering BFA

Candidates interested in pursuing BFA course can refer the table below to know about colleges offering BFA courses.

Rabindra Bharati University (RBU)	Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
DOT School of Design	Chandigarh University
Lovely Professional University (LPU)	College of Fine Arts
University of Mumbai	More Colleges >>

What is Applied Arts?

One thing students need to understand, that applied arts is often mistaken for fine arts, but there is a thin line which separates the two. While Fine Arts deals with the traditional artistic field, applied arts deals with creativity which is commercialized and materialised such as architecture, graphic designing, interior designing, fashion designing and much more. The creativity applied here is that a student makes a product or a service soothing to the eyes. However, the creativity is more sophisticated and technical rather than the free hand in Fine Arts. Applied Arts include the following works:

Industrial design	Fashion design
Interior design	Graphics Art
Decorative Arts	Tapestry
Batik	Jewellery
Metalwork	Pottery
Goldsmithing	Basketry
Mosaic Art	Architecture

Applied Arts Course: Highlights

Candidates can check the table below to know about major highlights related to Applied Arts course including course level, course duration, entrance exams, average salaries, course fees, top recruiters and top job profiles. Candidates can check the highlights below for a quick reference:

Highlights	Details
Course Level	Certificate (6 months- 1 year) Diploma (1 year- 4 years) Undergraduate (3-4 years) Postgraduate (2 years)
Popular Courses	Graduation: BFA, BVA, BA Postgraduation: MFA, MVA, MA
Admission Process	PUBDET, CUET, URATPG /Merit/Direct Admission
Examination Type	Semester-wise
Course Fee	INR 2-6 LPA
Average Starting Salary	INR 3-10 LPA
Job Positions	Actor, Drama Artist, Choreographer, Musician, Therapist, Theatre Director, Cinematographer, Community Arts Worker,Theatre Teacher
Top Recruiting Companies	Film and Television Institute of India, Balaji Telefilms, YRF Studios, Universal Arts, Iris Media

With applied arts, a student has to undergo training to acquire knowledge to grab the nuances of applied art. Students need to have the required skills in order to excel in the field of arts. The creativity, innovativeness, originality, vision and ingenuity needs to flow from within.

Eligibility: Before a candidate can begin the admission process in a college, the student needs to meet the eligibility criteria set by the universities. With applied arts being a vocational course, candidates will need to have secured a minimum of 50% from a recognized school.

Admission Process: There are various institutes which offer BFA in applied arts. Students who are interested will need to apply online. While some universities grant admission on the basis of merit, some universities and colleges conduct entrance exams.