--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Clearly the hardest thing for the working…" description: "\"Clearly the hardest thing for the working artist is to create his own conception and follow it, unafraid of the strictures it imposes, however rigid th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-workin_2061786.jpg" --- # Clearly the hardest thing for the working artist is to… ![“Clearly the hardest thing for the working artist is to create his own conception and follow it, unafraid of the strictures it imposes, however rigid these may be... I see it as the clearest evidence of genius when an artist follows his conception, his idea, his principle, so unswervingly that he…” quote by Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-workin_2061786.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-workin_2061786.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-workin_2061786.jpg) > “Clearly the hardest thing for the working artist is to create his own conception and follow it, unafraid of the strictures it imposes, however rigid these may be... I see it as the clearest evidence of genius when an artist follows his conception, his idea, his principle, so unswervingly that he has this truth of his constantly in his control, never letting go of it even for the sake of his own enjoyment of his work.” [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An artist must stay true to his vision despite external pressures, maintaining control over his creative truth. **In simple terms:** Stay true to your artistic vision. Key Takeaway Guard your creative truth. Themes creativity integrity artistic vision Mood reflective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - painting - writing - music composition - design - film directing Key Concepts authenticity self-discipline genius Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal vision with audience expectations? - When might flexibility improve your work? A Different Perspective Rigid adherence can stifle growth and collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Enjoyment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) ## Related quotes > [“Conception of an idea is vital. Rightly said, "Products are made in the factory, but brands are built in the minds of the customer.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyavrat-thareja/conception-of-an-idea-is-vital-rightly-said-products-are-made-in-the/) [Priyavrat Thareja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyavrat-thareja/) > [Kendrick is a true genius artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flying-lotus/kendrick-is-a-true-genius-artist/) [Flying Lotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flying-lotus/) > [You have to be a little bit cautious when the market gets quite strong because there's a tendency to anoint a genius artist every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gagosian/you-have-to-be-a-little-bit-cautious-when-the-market-gets-quite/) [Larry Gagosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gagosian/) > [I wish I was this dark genius artist - like Richard Pryor or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-lange/i-wish-i-was-this-dark-genius-artist-like-richard-pryor-or-something/) [Artie Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-lange/) > [The man of genius whether as artist or thinker requires a mass of accidental variations to select from and a rigidly selective process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-sidis/the-man-of-genius-whether-as-artist-or-thinker-requires-a-mass-of/) [Boris Sidis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-sidis/) > [A writer writes with his genius; an artist paints with hers; everyone who creates operates from this sacramental center.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/a-writer-writes-with-his-genius-an-artist-paints-with-hers-everyone/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“The humorous self-sufficiency of genius is the unity of a modest resignation in the world and a proud elevation above the world: of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/the-humorous-self-sufficiency-of-genius-is-the-unity-of-a-modest/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [I've had a nice career. I'm no David Bowie or Bruce Springsteen out there. I'm not an icon. I'm just a working artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/i-ve-had-a-nice-career-i-m-no-david-bowie-or-bruce-springsteen-out/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [You can never not feel like that, as a working artist these days. It's funny - time off makes me nervous, but so does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-condon/you-can-never-not-feel-like-that-as-a-working-artist-these-days-it-s/) [Zach Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-condon/) > [There's nothing wrong with working with no artist from any type of demographic, but you've still got to maintain what you do on whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-working-with-no-artist-from-any-type-of/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [“The working artist will not tolerate trouble in her life because she knows trouble prevents her from doing her work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-working-artist-will-not-tolerate-trouble-in-her-life-because-she-2/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [The working artist will not tolerate trouble in her life because she knows trouble prevents her from doing her work. The working artist banishes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-working-artist-will-not-tolerate-trouble-in-her-life-because-she/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [I think what we should concentrate on is what it feels like to be a working artist in the day to day. One doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-what-we-should-concentrate-on-is-what-it-feels-like-to-be-a/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I'm always working my own thing. A few times a week - I try to not go too crazy - I'm working with some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lp/i-m-always-working-my-own-thing-a-few-times-a-week-i-try-to-not-go/) LP > [A working artist is a playing artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/a-working-artist-is-a-playing-artist/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) ## More by Andrei Tarkovsky > [Art is realistic when it strives to express an ethical ideal. Realism is striving for truth, and truth is always beautiful. Here the aesthetic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/art-is-realistic-when-it-strives-to-express-an-ethical-ideal-realism/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [I think in fact that unless there is an organic link between the subjective impressions of the author and his objective representation of reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/i-think-in-fact-that-unless-there-is-an-organic-link-between-the/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Perhaps the meaning of all human activity lies in the artistic consciousness, in the pointless and selfless creative act? Perhaps our capacity to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/perhaps-the-meaning-of-all-human-activity-lies-in-the-artistic/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [If we succeed with something, that is only because others are in need of what e have produced. And the more success we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/if-we-succeed-with-something-that-is-only-because-others-are-in-need/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [“I believe in one thing: the human spirit is immortal and indestructible. In the beyond there could be anything, it is of no importance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/i-believe-in-one-thing-the-human-spirit-is-immortal-and/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [It is perfectly possible to be a professional director or a professional writer and not to be an artist: merely a sort of executor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/it-is-perfectly-possible-to-be-a-professional-director-or-a/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Some sort of pressure must exist; the artist exists because the world is not perfect. Art would be useless if the world were perfect,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/some-sort-of-pressure-must-exist-the-artist-exists-because-the-world/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [I know only one thing. when i sleep, i know no fear, no, trouble no bliss. blessing on him who invented sleep. the common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/i-know-only-one-thing-when-i-sleep-i-know-no-fear-no-trouble-no-bliss/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [It is a mistake to talk about the artist looking for his subject. In fact, the subject grows within him like a fruit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/it-is-a-mistake-to-talk-about-the-artist-looking-for-his-subject-in/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [“The image in cinema is based on the ability to present as an observation one's own perception of an object”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/the-image-in-cinema-is-based-on-the-ability-to-present-as-an/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Man is born unto the trouble as the sparks fly upwards.' In other words suffering is germane to our existence; indeed, how without it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/man-is-born-unto-the-trouble-as-the-sparks-fly-upwards-in-other-words/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Why do people go to the cinema? What takes them into a darkened room where, for two hours, they watch the play of shadows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/why-do-people-go-to-the-cinema-what-takes-them-into-a-darkened-room/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Objectivity can only be the author's and therefore subjective, even if he is editing a newsreel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/objectivity-can-only-be-the-author-s-and-therefore-subjective-even-if/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [“Perhaps cinema is the most personal art, the most intimate. In cinema only the author's intimate truth will be convincing enough for the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/perhaps-cinema-is-the-most-personal-art-the-most-intimate-in-cinema/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Weakness is a great thing, and strength is nothing. When a man is just born, he is weak and flexible. When he dies, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/weakness-is-a-great-thing-and-strength-is-nothing-when-a-man-is-just/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) [Explore all 120 Andrei Tarkovsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Clearly the hardest thing for the working artist is to create his own conception and follow it, unafraid of the strictures it imposes, however rigid these may be... I see it as the clearest evidence of genius when an artist follows his conception, his idea, his principle, so unswervingly that he has this truth of his constantly in his control, never letting go of it even for the sake of his own enjoyment of his work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrei Tarkovsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-working-artist-is-to-create-his-own/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-working-artist-is-to-create-his-own/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-workin_2061786.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-workin_2061786.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_art_clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-workin_2061786.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Clearly the hardest thing for the working artist is to create his own conception and follow it, unafraid of…” — Andrei Tarkovsky", "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": "Andrei Tarkovsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Clearly the hardest thing for the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-working-artist-is-to-create-his-own/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-working-artist-is-to-create-his-own/#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 } } ] } ```