--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're drawing from observation and…" description: "\"When you're drawing from observation and experience, whether you intend to or not, you'll create a more relatable cartoon.\" — Alex Hirsch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/alex-hirsch-3407_create_when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and_918813.jpg" --- # When you're drawing from observation and experience… ![“When you're drawing from observation and experience, whether you intend to or not, you'll create a more relatable cartoon.” quote by Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/alex-hirsch-3407_create_when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and_918813.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/alex-hirsch-3407_create_when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and_918813.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/alex-hirsch-3407_create_when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and_918813.jpg) > “When you're drawing from observation and experience, whether you intend to or not, you'll create a more relatable cartoon.” [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Drawing from real life makes cartoons more relatable and authentic **In simple terms:** Real experiences make cartoons relatable Key Takeaway Incorporate personal observations into art Themes creativity authenticity relatability observation Mood inspired reflective Type advice creative process When to use this quote - comic strips - animation workshops - personal branding Key Concepts artistic expression visual storytelling character design Questions to Reflect On - What personal detail can you exaggerate? - How to balance observation with imagination? A Different Perspective Over-reliance on personal experience can limit imagination ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) ## Related quotes > [I've always just loved drawing and loved cartoons. Growing up, I loved Disney films, I loved The Simpsons, and I was a big fan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/i-ve-always-just-loved-drawing-and-loved-cartoons-growing-up-i-loved/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [In a story, for example, you'll start off with a character who is a little bit of a cartoon. That's not satisfying and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-a-story-for-example-you-ll-start-off-with-a-character-who-is-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Not a lot of people get to say, 'I'm a cartoon character.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/not-a-lot-of-people-get-to-say-i-m-a-cartoon-character/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [I have a personal definition of cartooning, which is, simply, "imaginative drawing." Anything you're drawing that is not in front of you but is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/i-have-a-personal-definition-of-cartooning-which-is-simply/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [ Everything on Saturday morning \[cartoons\] moves alike that's one of the reasons it's not animation. The drawings are different, but everybody acts the same… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/everything-on-saturday-morning-cartoons-moves-alike-that-s-one-of-the/) [Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/) > [The drawings don't start with 'a beautiful mark'. It has to be a mark of something out there in the world. It doesn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kentridge/the-drawings-don-t-start-with-a-beautiful-mark-it-has-to-be-a-mark-of/) [William Kentridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kentridge/) > [The thing that was interesting to me about Relationshapes - as opposed to most of the other cartoons I've ever made - was I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-thing-that-was-interesting-to-me-about-relationshapes-as-opposed/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I always liked to draw, and when I was a kid, the Internet wasn't big at all, so I would go to Internet cafes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-brian/i-always-liked-to-draw-and-when-i-was-a-kid-the-internet-wasn-t-big/) [Rich Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-brian/) > [It's not like we have a formula, but I think one of the reasons this show has survived is that it has a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-parker/it-s-not-like-we-have-a-formula-but-i-think-one-of-the-reasons-this/) [Trey Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-parker/) > [I was invited to join the MGM cartoon department. But if I'd started work in animation I'd have had to take a cut in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-was-invited-to-join-the-mgm-cartoon-department-but-if-i-d-started/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I enjoy the fact that we have these mobile comics now, which are sort of a cross between a comic book and an animated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-enjoy-the-fact-that-we-have-these-mobile-comics-now-which-are-sort/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I just watched cartoons for three years, and that had a strong affect on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/i-just-watched-cartoons-for-three-years-and-that-had-a-strong-affect/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [In Roslyn, Pennsylvania, we started our real-life family circus. They provided the inspiration for my cartoons. I provided the perspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bil-keane/in-roslyn-pennsylvania-we-started-our-real-life-family-circus-they/) [Bil Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bil-keane/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I was always into cartoons and animation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nonito-donaire/i-was-always-into-cartoons-and-animation/) [Nonito Donaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nonito-donaire/) ## More by Alex Hirsch > [I've driven Ferrari 488 GTB, the 488 Spider, the Mclaren 570s and 540c, the Bentley GT3R, GT Speed and V8s, Mercedes AMG GTs, Lamborghini…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/i-ve-driven-ferrari-488-gtb-the-488-spider-the-mclaren-570s-and-540c/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [Gravity Falls' didn't just appear overnight - every spooky cave and moss covered tree was created by a team of brilliant artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/gravity-falls-didn-t-just-appear-overnight-every-spooky-cave-and-moss/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [Gravity Falls' is a very hard show to produce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/gravity-falls-is-a-very-hard-show-to-produce/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [When I was about 7 years old, I built a leprechaun trap out of a cardboard box, a biscuit tin and some toilet paper tubes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/when-i-was-about-7-years-old-i-built-a-leprechaun-trap-out-of-a/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [I can speak to my experience and say that CalArts worked out very well for me. After CalArts, I went to Cartoon Network, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/i-can-speak-to-my-experience-and-say-that-calarts-worked-out-very/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [Gravity Falls has transformed the children of America into an army of Dippers. I couldn't be more proud!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/gravity-falls-has-transformed-the-children-of-america-into-an-army-of/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [What people are going to see on my platform is cars from a different perspective - so that I'm still speaking the same language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/what-people-are-going-to-see-on-my-platform-is-cars-from-a-different/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [I loved 'The Simpsons' because it didn't talk down to its audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/i-loved-the-simpsons-because-it-didn-t-talk-down-to-its-audience/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [Not a lot of people get to say, 'I'm a cartoon character.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/not-a-lot-of-people-get-to-say-i-m-a-cartoon-character/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [Cliffhangers are a lot of fun, but I think they can be easily abused if you're not careful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/cliffhangers-are-a-lot-of-fun-but-i-think-they-can-be-easily-abused/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [When I was 12 years old, I was obsessed with codes, conspiracies, and secret messages. I would record TV commercials with SoundRecorder.exe on Windows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/when-i-was-12-years-old-i-was-obsessed-with-codes-conspiracies-and/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [You can look at a finale as chance to make an impact or a statement, to shock people or shoot a big cannon and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/you-can-look-at-a-finale-as-chance-to-make-an-impact-or-a-statement/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [I thought that was the coolest thing in the world, the idea of somebody trying to solve mysteries. I would see conspiracies in everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/i-thought-that-was-the-coolest-thing-in-the-world-the-idea-of/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [The best thing about driving supercars is the way it makes me feel. It's so much fun that I often find myself laughing behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/the-best-thing-about-driving-supercars-is-the-way-it-makes-me-feel-it/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [When you write scripts, it begins to feel like you're living in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/when-you-write-scripts-it-begins-to-feel-like-you-re-living-in-them/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) [Explore all 131 Alex Hirsch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) ## More Cartoon quotes > [I was always into cartoons and animation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nonito-donaire/i-was-always-into-cartoons-and-animation/) [Nonito Donaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nonito-donaire/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [In Roslyn, Pennsylvania, we started our real-life family circus. They provided the inspiration for my cartoons. I provided the perspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bil-keane/in-roslyn-pennsylvania-we-started-our-real-life-family-circus-they/) [Bil Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bil-keane/) > [I just watched cartoons for three years, and that had a strong affect on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/i-just-watched-cartoons-for-three-years-and-that-had-a-strong-affect/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [I enjoy the fact that we have these mobile comics now, which are sort of a cross between a comic book and an animated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-enjoy-the-fact-that-we-have-these-mobile-comics-now-which-are-sort/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I was invited to join the MGM cartoon department. But if I'd started work in animation I'd have had to take a cut in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-was-invited-to-join-the-mgm-cartoon-department-but-if-i-d-started/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [It's not like we have a formula, but I think one of the reasons this show has survived is that it has a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-parker/it-s-not-like-we-have-a-formula-but-i-think-one-of-the-reasons-this/) [Trey Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-parker/) > [I always liked to draw, and when I was a kid, the Internet wasn't big at all, so I would go to Internet cafes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-brian/i-always-liked-to-draw-and-when-i-was-a-kid-the-internet-wasn-t-big/) [Rich Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-brian/) > [The thing that was interesting to me about Relationshapes - as opposed to most of the other cartoons I've ever made - was I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-thing-that-was-interesting-to-me-about-relationshapes-as-opposed/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [If you were to look at an old 'Betty Boop' cartoon or an 'Out of the Ink Well' animation, there are many things about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-seibert/if-you-were-to-look-at-an-old-betty-boop-cartoon-or-an-out-of-the-ink/) [Fred Seibert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-seibert/) > [I seem to thrive by destroying the last thing I did, in a kind of cartoon Nietzsche way. Emerson says in "Experience" something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chiasson/i-seem-to-thrive-by-destroying-the-last-thing-i-did-in-a-kind-of/) [Dan Chiasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chiasson/) > [I love an underdog. No, I don't necessarily mean the cartoon. I mean like David, as in Goliath, or the Bears, as in The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-lublin/i-love-an-underdog-no-i-don-t-necessarily-mean-the-cartoon-i-mean/) [Nancy Lublin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-lublin/) > [Garry Trudeau put me in the Doonesbury strip many years ago. So I've been a cartoon once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-cropper/garry-trudeau-put-me-in-the-doonesbury-strip-many-years-ago-so-i-ve/) [Steve Cropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-cropper/) > [It's hard to describe to people how terrible it was when you could only watch cartoons at a certain time in your life. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/it-s-hard-to-describe-to-people-how-terrible-it-was-when-you-could/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) > [There are artists who are writers, but there was no such thing as cartoons that were written by somebody who couldn't draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/there-are-artists-who-are-writers-but-there-was-no-such-thing-as/) [John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/) Browse all 670 Cartoon quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're drawing from observation and experience, whether you intend to or not, you'll create a more relatable cartoon.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alex Hirsch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and-experience-whether-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cartoon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and-experience-whether-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/alex-hirsch-3407_create_when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and_918813.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/alex-hirsch-3407_create_when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and_918813.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/alex-hirsch-3407_create_when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and_918813.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're drawing from observation and experience, whether you intend to or not, you'll create a more…” — Alex Hirsch", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alex Hirsch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you're drawing from observation and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and-experience-whether-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/when-you-re-drawing-from-observation-and-experience-whether-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```