I thought it was interesting how Kanach compared and contrasted art and design to one another. He said that design is used when things are meant to be functional, and are meant to prevent you from thinking. However, art is free to be non-functional, and is often designed to make you think or elicit an emotional response. I liked hearing about this interpretation, as the difference between art and design has often been unclear to me. I still think the topic of what art is and what design is is very subjective, but this has given me a deeper understanding of some possible classifiers.
I also liked hearing Kanach speak on the "designer's path". He emphasized that if you go to art school, you will surrounded by countless people who are more experienced than you, and that you should focus on self-improvement rather than constant comparison. He then talked about how once you leave art school, you could be the most knowledgeable and experienced person in your work environment, and how large that contrast can feel. Finally, his last step was to learn and become an expert in the software you need to use as a designer. While this path was dedicated to a very specific field, I think that it can be applied to many different areas of art. For example, focusing on self-improvement rather than becoming better than those around you is an incredibly important attitude to have as an art student.
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