The art of craft-making can be defined as an occupation or trade which involves manual dexterity and skilled artistry. A significant advent for the crafts was the Arts and Crafts Movement which flourished in the late 19th and early 20th century, where the focus was on good design and craftsmanship at a time when there was increasing mechanisation and mass production.

There are many types of craft in which the application of design and aesthetics can be considered an art form, including:

• ceramics - dating back to 24,000 BC, when clay was used to make animal and human figurines which were fired in kilns; now, more commonly, glazed and fired to create a coloured and smoother surface; ceramics take on many forms which include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain
• glassware - dating back to 3,500 BC, glass is an amorphous and solid material which is made up of silica, alkali and metal oxides; glass is often shaped and decorated before it hardens, but once it is cooled it can be embellished by cutting, etching or engraving; the 19th century saw glass becoming a significant form of decorative arts; glass art can be created through glass blowing, kiln casting, fusing, pate-de-verre, flame-working, hot-sculpting and cold-working
• woodwork - sculpting, carving or turning wood
• textiles - as early as the Stone Age, the first signs of textiles can be seen by manipulating plant and animal fibres; techniques have naturally evolved since then, especially in the 19th century when synthetic fibres were introduced; textiles are often made up of thread or yarn which can be woven, knitted or crocheted; felt is also a popular material, which is pressed to create the item; at the time of the Arts and Crafts Movement, textiles were reintroduced as objets d'art in their own right
• metalwork - the first examples of metalwork as a decorative art can be traced to the Celts around 500-50 BC where personal weaponry and items of jewellery were created; metalwork in terms of craft is used to create assemblages, sculpture and jewellery
• jewellery - the first signs of jewellery were in Africa around 75,000 years ago, typically made up of perforated beads from snail shells; precious metal, gemstones, plastic and glass are now popular materials for jewellery
• furniture - evidence of furniture dates back to the Neolithic Period; furniture, as with craft in general, is multifaceted as it can be functional, symbolic and decorative; furniture can be made from many materials, including metal, plastic and wood