Commercial art - commercial artists

Traditionally general references distinguishing visual image making, usually painting or drawing for money-making entities, from "fine art" or that which is done primarily from personal expression and not use by businesses. Among use of work by "Commercial artists", many of them called Illustrators, is ad copy, logos and text illustrations for periodicals, newspapers and books. However, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the perception that Fine Art is superior to Commercial Art has softened because of growing appreciation of the skills of Commercial Artists and the blurring of uses of their work. Also new respect has developed for the talents of commercial artists such as Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, and Maxfield Parrish. Sources: Source: Kimberley Reynolds and Richard Siddon, "Illustrated Dictionary of Art Terms"; Ralph Mayer, "A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques"; AskART database