--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you imitate the forms of a single…" description: "\"If you imitate the forms of a single artist through constant practice, your intelligence would have to be crude indeed for you not to get some nourishm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/cennino-cennini-33845_art_if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-art_593637.jpg" --- # If you imitate the forms of a single artist through… ![“If you imitate the forms of a single artist through constant practice, your intelligence would have to be crude indeed for you not to get some nourishment from them.” quote by Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/cennino-cennini-33845_art_if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-art_593637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/cennino-cennini-33845_art_if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-art_593637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/cennino-cennini-33845_art_if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-art_593637.jpg) > “If you imitate the forms of a single artist through constant practice, your intelligence would have to be crude indeed for you not to get some nourishment from them.” [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Repeatedly copying one master’s style forces the mind to stay basic, missing broader learning and creative growth. **In simple terms:** Copying only one style limits intelligence. Key Takeaway Seek diverse influences. Themes learning creativity growth Mood reflective inquisitive Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - art education - personal development - creative practice - skill diversification Key Concepts Renaissance art skill acquisition cognitive development Questions to Reflect On - How can varied artistic study broaden your thinking? - What risks arise from focusing on a single style? A Different Perspective Only one perspective can stunt originality and critical thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Nourishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nourishment/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) ## Related quotes > [If you follow the course of one man through constant practice, your intelligence would have to be crude indeed for you not to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-you-follow-the-course-of-one-man-through-constant-practice-your/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [If you follow the course of one man through constant practice, your intelligence would have to be crude indeed for you not to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-you-follow-the-course-of-one-man-through-constant-practice-your-2/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [“No man can roan or inhabit the Canadian North without it affecting him, and the artist, because of his constant habit of awareness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawren-harris/no-man-can-roan-or-inhabit-the-canadian-north-without-it-affecting/) [Lawren Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawren-harris/) > [Yoga has always been an integral part of my life style. The benefits I have reaped from a constant practice have been invaluable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-dutta/yoga-has-always-been-an-integral-part-of-my-life-style-the-benefits-i/) [Lara Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-dutta/) > [To gain confidence, constant practice is essential. Just as a musician needs to practice regularly to retain his touch, the watercolourist needs to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-lovett/to-gain-confidence-constant-practice-is-essential-just-as-a-musician/) Robert A. Lovett > [If it proves unsuccessful and the constant practice of the highest pinnacle of success are waiting for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/if-it-proves-unsuccessful-and-the-constant-practice-of-the-highest/) Mak\_786 > [Confidence is something that you gain through knowledge, constant practice, and most importantly by believing in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/confidence-is-something-that-you-gain-through-knowledge-constant/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Yoga is a way to freedom. By its constant practice, we can free ourselves from fear, anguish and loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indra-devi/yoga-is-a-way-to-freedom-by-its-constant-practice-we-can-free/) [Indra Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indra-devi/) > [“That only by forgiveness could she forget—and that forgiveness was not a single act, but a matter of constant practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/that-only-by-forgiveness-could-she-forget-and-that-forgiveness-was/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [forgiveness is not a single act, but a matter of constant practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-matter-of-constant-practice/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [Constant practice devoted to one subject often outdoes both intelligence and skill. - Assiduus usus uni rei deditus et ingenium et artem saepe vincit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/constant-practice-devoted-to-one-subject-often-outdoes-both/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Writing is a craft and needs constant practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/writing-is-a-craft-and-needs-constant-practice/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [Let your constant practice be to offer yourself to God, that He may do with you what He pleases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonsus-liguori/let-your-constant-practice-be-to-offer-yourself-to-god-that-he-may-do/) [Alphonsus Liguori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonsus-liguori/) > [With constant practice, one can improve his physical body and mental attitude rapidly, thereby igniting the higher motives of making one’s self useful to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharma-mittra/with-constant-practice-one-can-improve-his-physical-body-and-mental/) [Dharma Mittra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharma-mittra/) > [“You go into extinction by being obsessed about becoming something else and then travelling in the wrong car while your real self keeps waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-go-into-extinction-by-being-obsessed-about-becoming-something/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Cennino Cennini > [When painting the faces of young persons ... use the yolk of the egg of a city hen, because they have lighter yolks than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/when-painting-the-faces-of-young-persons-use-the-yolk-of-the-egg-of-a/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [Take note that, before going any farther, I will give you the exact proportion of a man. Those of a woman I will disregard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/take-note-that-before-going-any-farther-i-will-give-you-the-exact/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [In the first place you must study drawing for at least one year; then you must remain with a master at the workshop for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/in-the-first-place-you-must-study-drawing-for-at-least-one-year-then/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [Mystery is the art of eliciting unseen things hidden in the shadow of natural ones... and serving to demonstrate as real the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/mystery-is-the-art-of-eliciting-unseen-things-hidden-in-the-shadow-of/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [This is an occupation known as painting, which calls for imagination, and skill of hand, in order to discover things not seen, hiding themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/this-is-an-occupation-known-as-painting-which-calls-for-imagination/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [Now then, you of noble mind, who love this profession, come at once to art and accept these precepts: enthusiasm , reverence, obedience, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/now-then-you-of-noble-mind-who-love-this-profession-come-at-once-to/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [If you follow the course of one man through constant practice, your intelligence would have to be crude indeed for you not to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-you-follow-the-course-of-one-man-through-constant-practice-your/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [The most perfect steersman that you can have, and the best helm, lies in the triumphal gateway of copying from nature. And this outdoes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/the-most-perfect-steersman-that-you-can-have-and-the-best-helm-lies/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [If you follow the course of one man through constant practice, your intelligence would have to be crude indeed for you not to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-you-follow-the-course-of-one-man-through-constant-practice-your-2/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [Do not fail, as you go on, to draw something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be well worthwhile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/do-not-fail-as-you-go-on-to-draw-something-every-day-for-no-matter/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [If you set out to copy after one master today and after one tomorrow, you will not acquire the style of either one or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-you-set-out-to-copy-after-one-master-today-and-after-one-tomorrow/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [If thou shouldst paint mountains in a good style and to look natural, take some large stones full of cracks and copy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-thou-shouldst-paint-mountains-in-a-good-style-and-to-look-natural/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [When you have practiced drawing for a while... take pains and pleasure in constantly copying the best works that you can find done by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/when-you-have-practiced-drawing-for-a-while-take-pains-and-pleasure/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) [Explore all 14 Cennino Cennini quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) ## 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": "If you imitate the forms of a single artist through constant practice, your intelligence would have to be crude indeed for you not to get some nourishment from them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cennino Cennini" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-artist-through-constant-practice/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-artist-through-constant-practice/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/cennino-cennini-33845_art_if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-art_593637.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/cennino-cennini-33845_art_if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-art_593637.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/cennino-cennini-33845_art_if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-art_593637.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you imitate the forms of a single artist through constant practice, your intelligence would have to be…” — Cennino Cennini", "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": "Cennino Cennini", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you imitate the forms of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-artist-through-constant-practice/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-artist-through-constant-practice/#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 } } ] } ```