Artwork, Art work, or Art-work? (Helpful Examples)

Before writing “artwork,” you are going to want to make sure you know how to spell it. Is it one or two words? Or do we write it as a hyphenated form? This article will help you to understand the answers!

Art work vs. Art-work vs. Artwork

“Artwork” is only correct as a one-word variation. We combine the words “art” and “work” when using them as nouns to talk about something that someone has worked to create. “Art-work” and “art work” are incorrect because they follow the wrong English rules for what they define.

According to Google Ngram Viewer, “artwork” is the only correct choice. The popularity of the word is huge compared to the other two options, which shows that neither the hyphenated nor the two-word form should be written in any capacity.

In The Cambridge Dictionary and The Oxford Dictionary, “artwork” is the only defined variation. This shows that it makes sense only as a one-word spelling variation. It came from the original phrase “work of art” and works to simplify that phrase into one word.

Is “Artwork” One Word?

“Artwork” is one word. We always write it like this, and it’s the only spelling variation that is officially recognized. It’s the most common way to talk about someone’s creation, which shows that it’s the only variation that native speakers will recognize as grammatically correct.

If we kept the words separated, it would mean that “art” would modify “work.” However, this is not the aim of the definition since “artwork” is a noun that came from simplifying the original phrase “work of art.”

Here are some examples to help you out:

1. I would love it if you could view some of my latest artwork before passing your judgment on me.
2. My artwork isn’t anywhere near the standard that I would like for it to be.
3. I’m sure your artwork is great, and I’d be happy to take a look at it if you allow me.
4. Where is the artwork? I put it on this wall, but it’s gone!

Is “Art work” Two Words?

“Art work” is not correct as two words. The one-word spelling variation is already correct and has a definition, so it makes the most sense to stick to it. Separating the words “art” and “work” would mean that “art” modified “work,” but that’s not what we’re trying to achieve here.

Here are a couple of examples to remind you of the correct form:

• Correct: Whatever you want to pay for this artwork, we’ll be happy to hear you out.
• Incorrect: I think you could do with some nice art work to spice up your bathroom a little bit.
• Correct: This artwork isn’t for people like you! Though, I appreciate your interest in it.
• Incorrect: Where can I get some art work that looks professional but doesn’t cost my entire life savings?

Is “Art-work” Hyphenated?

“Art-work” does not make sense when it is hyphenated. We write “artwork” as a noun to show that someone has created something, but the hyphen would take away from the meaning of the one-word variation. Therefore, it’s incorrect.

Sometimes, we can refer to the AP Style when looking at hyphenated forms like this. However, in the case of “art-work,” we do not use hyphens because “artwork” already has a sufficient and official definition as a one-word option.

Here are a few examples to help you make more sense of it:

• Correct: I hope you’ll take a moment to admire my artwork.
• Incorrect: If you could just look at the art-work I’ve installed, I think you’ll be impressed.
• Correct: This artwork is nowhere near as impressive as I thought it would be.
• Incorrect: Do you have any art-work for sale or not?

Is “Work” Capitalized In The Word “Art-Work”?

We typically end these by talking about capitalization and hyphenation rules. They work together in an interesting way, so it’s nice to touch on. However, “art-work” is incorrect, so there’s no need to learn about it.

Instead, we will refer you back to the original form, “artwork.” You only need to capitalize it when it’s part of a title or when it starts a sentence. Otherwise, you don’t have to worry about capitalization (it’s not a proper noun).

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