Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
dessinateur [artistic fields]
English translation:
illustrator OR draughtsman / draftsman [more precise term]
Added to glossary by
Tony M
May 17, 2005 21:08
19 yrs ago
7 viewers *
French term
dessinateur
French to English
Art/Literary
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
name of type of artist
When talking about the kind of artist who produces drawings, what should one call them? 'draughtsman' etc. sounds so technical, but I can't for the life of me think of the right word for an artist. This is NOT in the sense of "she is a fine draughstwomman and a sensitive colourist", but quite simply the name of this type of artist, in a list along with painter, sculptor, potter, writer, water-colourist etc.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +7 | illustrator |
NICKY AGATE (X)
|
| 4 | draughtsman |
severn (X)
|
| 3 | sketch artist |
Aisha Maniar
|
| 3 | graphic artist |
swisstell
|
| 3 | postscript |
Parrot
|
Proposed translations
+7
4 mins
Selected
illustrator
that's the closest i can come up with, unless your text means an actual designer, but you'd know that from the context.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Maria Karra
2 mins
|
| agree |
Pierre Renault
: What distinguishes an illustrator from a graphic artist, is that an illustrator can actually draw illustration. Graphic artists, on the other hand, don't need to know how to draw.
6 mins
|
| agree |
emiledgar
35 mins
|
| agree |
Kate Hudson (X)
36 mins
|
| agree |
roneill
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Susan Spier (X)
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Catherine Christaki
3 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, Nicky!
Although I accept the careful distinctions being made by other answerers, I think in this instance, this is the term best suited to my needs."
6 mins
Aisha Maniar
Native in English
Works in field
French/Arabic-English legal translator
Native in: English (Variants: UK, British) 
Works in: Arabic to English, French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
sketch artist
could this be the term you're looking for?
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Thomas Miles
: I think 'artist' can be a good generic solution when the context is unclear.
6734 days
|
6 mins
graphic artist
and if you don't like this one, here are some more:
drawer
sketcher
(and I had illustrator ready too but see someone has already suggested it)
drawer
sketcher
(and I had illustrator ready too but see someone has already suggested it)
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Thomas Miles
: I think 'artist' can be a good generic solution when the context is unclear.
6734 days
|
16 mins
postscript
Hi Dusty, only one thing to add here: an illustrator is bound to a subject matter. So if there is literature to illustrate or something to portray, I'd go along with illustrator. The graphic artist is free and may do completely abstract work with any graphic medium (this is like the difference between "program" and "absolute" music). Hope it helps.
43 mins
draughtsman
I would actually use the term draughtsman; even though initially one thinks of it in the technical sense, it also applies to the fine arts. I studied art in New York for a couple of years, and that was the term I saw at local galleries and museums. An "illustrator" uses a variety of media, including painting, computers, collage, etc.; not just drawing. See for example the following (although they use the American spelling):
Discussion
I decided to go with 'illustrator' because it fitted well into the list I had, but I understand the distinctions that have been suggested, and have tried to reflect this in part in the glossary entry I have made.
Many thanks to everybody! :-)