Forgive me that I am no Tolkien scholar but I seem to recall that orcs can not create, only destroy. Is it fair to say they do have 'crafts" but all serve the purpose of destruction? Orcs can build things like weapons and armor or tools of torture but never create art or beauty?

Opinions?

That'd be a fair assumption, but... There's always a but.

The orkish culture changed a lot in Tolkien's mind over the years. Sometimes they're mindless killing machines, sometimes they're funny and witty victims of the circumstances.

As for art, I wouldn't say they strived for beauty. Intimidation? Probably. Grishnákh's knife was decorated with a demon face if I remember correctly. For example.

Orcs are corrupted beings. Someone who has been corrupted can be creative, but it is unlikely. I refer here to subcreation as Tolkien described it, not simply ingenuity (of which orcs have plenty).

So they're not incapable of creativity; they just don't care about it. They would rather destroy.

On a rhetorical level, perhaps.

As far as more earthly/necessity crafting, orcs do seems to be able to craft rough weapons and crude and heavy armours that their great strength allow them to bear. That would be covered by the vocation skill, which orc-chieftains even have as a favoured skill...

From The Hobbit, Chapter IV:

That said, I'd follow the advice in the book and allow for contradictions. Like the book and Jan point out, Tolkien did himself.

Of course orcs can craft (like you could discuss that aweful orc liquid that pippin and merry get when captured could be orc make) but the most likely have a inner burining hate for subcreation. Is this weapon made for art? Ah destroy it! Is it for destruction, then its mine.

Tolkien have alot of themes about subcreation in books (simarills, the rings of power etc) and in tje mind of Tolkien, what I gather, destroying subcreation is worst crime of all. Thats why orcs are so aweful for they have no love for it, and have hatred against it like living things.

And whats subcreation, for what I understand its when you create anything for others to behold. Creating a painting or a story is subcreation, creating weapons aint.

It's more than that. Ilúvatar (God) is the only Creator. His creations do not have the power of Creation, but they have the power to bring out the hidden beauty and glory of Creation. This is subcreation. Art is subcreation because it is the act of expressing, magnifying, or interpreting a part of Creation.

In itself, subcreation is a wholly good thing. But, as demonstrated in Leaf by Niggle, it can go wrong. When you start to care more about your own subcreation than the rest of Creation, you are sinning. (And this is the main reason why Tolkien's writings are very Christian.)

Could an orc ever be a subcreator? Could a lone orc hiding in a cave find something remarkable which he then wanted to draw purely from an artistic urge? Sure. Of course, when other orcs found it they'd simply obliterate it, and if our orc artist protested he'd get his throat slit, so orcish society certainly prevents any kind of subcreation from spreading. But no creature is completely irredeemable: even Morgoth himself was once good, and Frodo never gave up hope that Gollum could be cured.

So it is fair to say that Orc Craft is clever and useful but NEVER beautiful? Orc built dwellings would be secure shelters but not attractive or overly comfortable. Orc clothing is useful and keeps the wearer warm but looks ugly.

Probably never beautiful, but I imagine the rare orc genius could create something with a certain terrible aesthetic. I think of artists like HR Giger, or some of the more extreme piercings and scarification I've seen.