Is decorative painting craft or art?
There is no simple answer to this question. Decorative painting is often regarded as a craft simply because of the way in which it is taught and learnt – systematically, skill-building and technique-oriented. Anyone can learn decorative painting and certainly it doesn’t require any previous training, artistic experience or special skills. Decorative painting students paint projects which the teacher has created. Different projects are created for different skill levels. In class, students are coached step-by-step as they learn the different skills associated with that project. There is little creativity at this stage of the learning process as a decorative painting student replicates the teacher’s creations. As skills are learnt and techniques mastered, decorative painters become more and more confident. This is when experimentation begins and the creative process develops: playing with colours, modifying designs provided, attempting freehand drawing and even designing simple projects
