Have a special interest, a positive prejudice about some clump of trees or one particular knoll, an excitement about them can spread through the whole composition, and so fire the rest of the things that you are only mildly interested… — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
Think of drawing as a way of talking about the things that interest you. Think of those wonderful documents, drawings made on scraps of paper by the lesser Dutch masters while they were wandering around market places and sitting in… — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
Painting is drawing, with the additional means of color. Painting without drawing is just 'coloriness,' color excitement. To think of color for color's sake… — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
The purpose of subject matter is to veil technique. The great artist uses the cloak of resemblance to hide the means. — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
You can be a giant among artists without ever attaining any great skill. Facility is a dangerous thing. When there is too much technical… — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
Be sensitive to the qualities inherent in the medium. Paint honestly and avoid tricks. — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
Assimilate all you can from tradition and then say things in your own way. — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
Don't be afraid to borrow. The great men, the most original, borrowed from everybody. — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
When painting a landscape it is desirable to walk through the clumps and around the bushes, around the trees, the houses and the rocks.… — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
...in the habit of watching every bit of human life I can see about my windows, but I do it so that I am… — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
The subject may be of first importance to the artist when he starts a picture, but it should be of least importance in the… — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
When you draw a crowd of people in a street or room or landscape, decide whether you want to say that the people dominate… — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
To play your colors by eye is worse than playing the piano by ear. — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
The important thing is to keep on drawing when you start to paint. Never graduate from drawing. — John French Sloan Copy Share Image
