Art v. Craft: The Skill Off!

We're born, go to school, get a job, and die. Sometimes the monotony is broken by going mad somewhere in between. Rules, ideas, examples... All are welcome here.
Post Reply
Aaron
Sponsor
Sponsor
Posts:23
Joined:Tue Aug 13, 2013 4:35 am
Art v. Craft: The Skill Off!

Post by Aaron » Thu Aug 22, 2013 3:36 pm

Hello all! So I am still working my way through earlier episodes of the podcast, and in episode 8, I believe, there is a question about Art vs. Craft. Along with all of the ideas put forth in the podcast, I had another perspective that could add to some really fun role playing. Basically, when my table asked me about it, I told them that if they used Craft for something artistic, it means they can make it, but it doesn't mean it is good aesthetically. This idea came to me because my wife told me about a famous choreographer, whose name escapes me at the moment, who actually did not know how to dance. He could craft amazing dances, but he couldn't dance a lick.

For further example: If there is a character whose background is being a failed poet, then instead of having a higher percentile in Art: Poetry, they would have it in Craft: Poetry. So they can write a sonnet or villanelle, and they understand it mechanically, but the work they produce is really bad.

Ultimately, there are a lot more people who know how to make something than there are to make something actually good, and this could lead to some really hilarious RP moments.

Keeper Dan
Daemon Sultan
Daemon Sultan
Posts:708
Joined:Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:46 pm
Re: Art v. Craft: The Skill Off!

Post by Keeper Dan » Sat Aug 24, 2013 10:58 am

I really like this interpretation. That can indeed add a lot of fun character moments in a game.
Keeper Dan of the Miskatonic University Podcast

viscounteric
Freshman
Freshman
Posts:23
Joined:Sun Aug 11, 2013 11:21 am
Location:Wilkes-Barre, PA
Contact:
Re: Art v. Craft: The Skill Off!

Post by viscounteric » Mon Sep 02, 2013 8:24 pm

It works, although I've had enough wanna-be poets that I use the Literature skill from the Miskatonic University sourcebook for practical applications, rather than craft. Either that or a halved own language or better if they would be familiar with the subject at hand.

I recently had a chef who had craft: food to pump out the food, and a separate art: food when it needed to be a wedding cake or 5-star dinner.
The log of the CoC games http://gamingwiththegnomies.blogspot.com/p/call-of.html... and some gnomes.

User avatar
KeeperMurph
Daemon Sultan
Daemon Sultan
Posts:311
Joined:Thu Jul 26, 2012 2:14 am
Contact:
Re: Art v. Craft: The Skill Off!

Post by KeeperMurph » Mon Sep 02, 2013 10:57 pm

I like that interpretation as well

Sent from my Rezound on TRON using Tapatalk 4
Image

User avatar
fox01313
Graduate Student
Graduate Student
Posts:236
Joined:Wed Oct 16, 2013 12:18 pm
Location:DFW- TX
Re: Art v. Craft: The Skill Off!

Post by fox01313 » Wed Nov 13, 2013 12:40 pm

Very nice. I definitely picture this with older characters especially where they might have gotten stuck in some job for a year or two & got 10-20% in something. Hoping that in 7 ed. that they do copy something similar to what's mentioned in an early MUP episode about Traveler where they have a simple creative chart to help lay out the investigator's life quickly (with some variety) without having to spend forever on the character generation part.

If nothing else would recommend anyone just getting in the habit of just getting 10 points of some hobby or past job (or some job they heard their last ex-girlfriend/boyfriend talking about all the time) the character might have been stuck in or interested in just to add a little color to the background without sacrificing a ton of skill points.
"That's funny, usually the blood gets off on the second floor." -Mr. Burns in The Shinning episode (Treehouse of horror V)

Whitechapel Jack
Freshman
Freshman
Posts:21
Joined:Sun Aug 04, 2013 10:30 pm
Re: Art v. Craft: The Skill Off!

Post by Whitechapel Jack » Sun May 25, 2014 2:15 am

You know it has occurred to me that since they both have the same base you could just combine it to Arts and Crafts and not have to split hairs over whether Cooking is an Art or a Craft. I mean some things are obvious but a lot of things are more of an "In the eye of the beholder." kind of thing.
It may make more of a difference if one had a higher base than the other but they all start at 05.....

But to your point on the choreographer wouldn't that be his Art while Dance was the dancers Art??? Or Short Order Cook vs Pastry Chef, It is a huge bundle of worms but mostly a color skill for background, I believe I once saw somewhere a breakdown on interpreting % like 20% is hobbyist, 40% is Professional, 70+ is notable expert ect.... wish I could remember where I saw that......!!!!

DadsAngry
Freshman
Freshman
Posts:30
Joined:Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:13 pm
Location:Lawrenceville, GA
Re: Art v. Craft: The Skill Off!

Post by DadsAngry » Thu Nov 06, 2014 5:29 pm

Craft is a work of art that is purely superficial. The piece is purely decorative and has no deep meaning or concept behind it.
Art is an expression of an idea or concept that has a conscious meaning that the artist is conveying to the viewer.
Basically if you create a piece of art and are unable to explain any concept on why it is the way you made it other than I thought it looked pretty this way it's a craft.
If you created a piece of art and put meaning into it and can express why different elements are the way they are it's art.
Though both skills require great dexterity to complete, art adds a cerebral element in which crafts lacks.
Really there should only be one skill, craft. If you want it to be art you would need to combined a persuade skill to convince those who view it to understand the deeper meaning.
Being someone who went to art school and sat through countless critiques knows it's not art unless you can explain it and convince your peers of your vision.
That is why art is so subjective. Not everyone is convinced.

DadsAngry
B.F.A. '94

Post Reply