What is the difference between Fine Arts and Visual Arts?
Fine Arts is a more general word which includes performing arts, visual arts, and applied arts which differ from painting to sketching to dance, filmmaking, animations, design and graphics to music. Students mostly get confused about what is the difference between Fine Arts and Visual Arts? Is it the same? What are the resemblances and what separates the two courses? Read the article to learn about the difference between Fine Arts and Visual Arts, the colleges offering admission, the admission process and what course you can take up.
Fine Arts is a wider term which is a part of the visual arts, performing arts, and applied arts which is different from sketching, dancing, painting, filmmaking, animations, design and graphics to music. The art enthusiast can get confused about the distinction between Fine Arts and Visual Arts. To understand the similarities and what separates the two courses candidates need to understand the word Arts as a whole. Arts is a combination of innovation, creation and talent and where learners use their skills to make artistic work and products. Anything which appeals to other people's senses is known as art and there are three different categories of Arts which are:
Fine Arts is a broader term which includes visual arts, performing arts, and applied arts which vary from painting to sketching to dance, filmmaking, animations, design and graphics to music. So, if you are opting to take up a course in Fine Arts, you are taught about various subjects while in Visual Arts, students can opt to specialize in a subject when it comes to visual arts. We will help you understand the difference by splitting the two courses, talking about each course separately, the colleges which offer the two courses and the differentiation between the two.
Fine Arts: Highlights
Fine Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts course is a popular course amongst students who have cleared Class 12. The table gives an insight into the course types, course levels, fees, top recruiters and job profiles. Given below are some of the major highlights of Bachelor of Fine Arts.
| Major Highlights of BFA | |
|---|---|
| Name of the course | Bachelor of Arts [BA] (Fine Arts) |
| Course level | Graduate |
| Duration | 3 years, full time |
| Stream | Fine Arts |
| Examination Type | Semester System |
| Eligibility | 10+2 qualification in any stream with a minimum 50 per cent marks aggregate |
| Admission Process | Either based on entrance test or marks secured in the higher secondary level or both |
| Average Course Fee | INR 85K to 6 Lakh |
| Top Institutes | LPU, Chandigarh University, Visva Bharti University, Rabindra Bharti University |
| Average Starting Salary | INR 2 Lacs to 9 Lakhs |
| Top Job Profiles | Actor, Painter, Animator, Art Conservator, Fine Artist, Musician |
| Entrance Exams | PUBDET, SET, CUET, BHU UET etc. |
| Top Recruiters | Advertising agencies, Publishing houses, TV and Film studios, Design firms, Museums |
What is Fine Arts?
Fine Arts is a form of art which deals with aesthetic value such as drawing, painting, literature, pottery, ceramics, murals and more. Fine Arts is the broader term for all the other forms of art. Students who have an artistic side and love painting, drawing, sketching, pottery making, and murals, can opt to take a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). There are numerous universities and colleges in India which offer courses in Fine Arts which help students fine-tune and refine their skills to use professionally. On completing the course, the candidate will know what to do thereafter and what to specialize in. Other than the specialisation, the student will also know other aspects of fine arts which can be applied. Under fine arts, the following specialisations are taken up.
| Drawing |
Painting |
|---|---|
| Charcoal |
Tempera painting |
| Chalk |
Oil painting |
| Pastel |
Water Colour painting |
| Pencil |
Gouache |
| Pen and Ink |
|
| Caricature |
|
| Sculpture |
Printmaking |
| Bronze |
Engraving |
| Stone |
Lithography |
| Wood carving |
Etching |
About BFA
A Bachelor of Fine Arts is a three-year programme and students and is a full-time course. Students can choose the area in which they want to specialize and want to work on refining and honing their skills and talent. To get admission to BFA, students are required to meet the eligibility criteria and need to complete the admission procedure to secure admission and get into the programme. There are Universities which offer postgraduate courses in Fine Arts (MFA) and students generally take the programme if they want to specialize in a subject and want to learn more.
Eligibility Criteria: The student should have done their Class 12 from a recognised Board in any stream and should have secured a minimum of 45% marks. However, the candidate receives a major boost if they have Art as a subject in their Class 12.
Admission Process: The candidate will have to follow the below-mentioned steps which are as follows:
- Fill and Submit the Application Form: The candidate will first have to apply online on the official website of the University or college which is offering a course in Fine Arts. The candidate is required to register and apply online by entering the details required and paying the application fee to complete the application process.
- Entrance Exam: For admission, there are some Universities and Colleges which conduct Entrance Exams or Aptitude Tests. Generally for the course, students are offered admission based on merit, judging the marks secured in the qualifying examination.
- Results: Results are declared in the form of merit lists, Candidates who clear the entrance exam or make the list based on merit, are offered admission to the University or college.
- Counselling: Students who make the merit list are required to attend the counselling session to complete the admission formalities by submitting their documents and paying the first semester/year fees to secure a seat.
Top Colleges Offering Fine Arts
What is Visual Arts?
A branch of Fine Arts, Visual Arts deals with work which is visual such as ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, design, crafts, photography, filmmaking, design and graphics. Even Architecture is a form of visual art as all of the mentioned topics deals with visuals. Also, Design is included in visual arts which have applied arts such as Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design and more.
By opting a course in Visual Arts, students can take up a specialisation and begin their course by refining their skills and also have the option to take an elective and study the subject as well. In art, all subjects and topics go hand in hand as it requires creativity, innovativeness and an aesthetic sense. After Class 12, students can opt to take up a Bachelor's in Visual Arts. The duration of the course is generally three or four years.
BVA: Highlights
Candidates can check the table below to learn all aboutthe BVA course. Candidates can check course highlights such as 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 |
Undergraduate |
| Duration | 3- 4 years |
| Admission Process |
Merit/Direct Admission |
| Examination Type |
Semester-wise |
| Course Fee |
INR 50K-2 LPA |
| Top Institutes |
MSU, Amity University, Parul University, Bangalore University, Pearl Academy |
| Average Starting Salary |
INR 3-10 LPA |
| Job Positions |
Actor, Drama Artist, Choreographer, Musician, Therapist, Theatre Director, Cinematographer, Community Arts Worker, Theatre Teacher |
| Entrance Exam |
PUBDET, CUET, URATPG |
| Top Recruiting Companies |
Film and Television Institute of India, Balaji Telefilms, YRF Studios, Universal Arts, Iris Media |
| Popular Courses |
Graphic Design, Production Design, Textile Design, Visual Communication, Acting, Cinematography, Editing |
About BVA
A Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) is a three or four-year course which is offered by various Universities and Colleges in the nation. Students can opt to take a specialisation in the above-mentioned courses. Students are required to meet the eligibility criteria and follow the admission process to secure admission to the University interested in.
Eligibility Criteria: The candidate needs to have done their Class 12 from a recognised board and should have secured a minimum of 45% to be eligible. If the candidate has Art as a subject in their Class 12, the subject acts as a major boost in the admission process.
- Fill and Submit the Application Form: The candidate will first have to select the University or college which is offering a course in Visual Arts. The candidate is required to register and apply online by entering the details required and paying the application fee to complete the application process.
- Entrance Exam: For admission, there are some Universities and Colleges which conduct Entrance Exams or Aptitude Tests. Generally for the course, students are offered admission based on merit that is judging the marks secured in the qualifying examination.
- Results: Results are declared in the form of merit lists, Candidates who clear the entrance exam or make the list based on merit, are offered admission to the University or college.
- Counselling: Students who make the merit list are required to attend the counselling session to complete the admission formalities by submitting their documents and paying the first semester/year fees to secure a seat.
Top Colleges Offering BVA
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