--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was meticulously copying other art and…" description: "\"I was meticulously copying other art and then I realized I could just use a camera and put my time into an idea instead.\" — Cindy Sherman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/cindy-sherman-11074_art_i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and_2298833.jpg" --- # I was meticulously copying other art and then I realized I… ![“I was meticulously copying other art and then I realized I could just use a camera and put my time into an idea instead.” quote by Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/cindy-sherman-11074_art_i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and_2298833.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/cindy-sherman-11074_art_i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and_2298833.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/cindy-sherman-11074_art_i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and_2298833.jpg) > “I was meticulously copying other art and then I realized I could just use a camera and put my time into an idea instead.” [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shifting from copying to original creation frees artistic voice, emphasizing concept over technique. **In simple terms:** Create ideas, not just replicas. Key Takeaway Prioritize concept over imitation. Themes art creativity originality Mood inspired thoughtful Type visual conceptual When to use this quote - gallery exhibitions - creative workshops - personal projects - educational curricula Key Concepts conceptual art photography Questions to Reflect On - What concept could you explore today? - How does copying limit artistic growth? A Different Perspective Original ideas still need technical skill to execute. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Cameras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cameras/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Copying is an art in itself, demanding the greatest technical ability, especially in watercolour. However well done, the copy invariably lacks that nascent, ineffable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-phillips/copying-is-an-art-in-itself-demanding-the-greatest-technical-ability/) [Walter J. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-phillips/) > [Ideas are somewhat like babies - they are born small, immature, and shapeless. They are promise rather than fulfillment. In the innovative company executives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/ideas-are-somewhat-like-babies-they-are-born-small-immature-and/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [When we have a brilliant idea, instead of making others think it is ours, why not let them cook and stir the idea themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/when-we-have-a-brilliant-idea-instead-of-making-others-think-it-is/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Sometimes confidence can lead you to accept the first decent idea instead of to really strive to even discard that and go for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-gilligan/sometimes-confidence-can-lead-you-to-accept-the-first-decent-idea/) [Vince Gilligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-gilligan/) > [Sometime I write a song off a central idea, instead of emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hill/sometime-i-write-a-song-off-a-central-idea-instead-of-emotion/) [Ken Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hill/) > [When I was younger I was very opinionated about art. And then, I realized that I kind of recognized this pattern where the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bradley/when-i-was-younger-i-was-very-opinionated-about-art-and-then-i/) [Joe Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bradley/) > [I started thinking what could happen with my art and I realized that the biggest thing that could is that it winds up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-started-thinking-what-could-happen-with-my-art-and-i-realized-that/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I got into architecture because I was searching for a way to produce in the world. I went to art school and thought I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-adjaye/i-got-into-architecture-because-i-was-searching-for-a-way-to-produce/) [David Adjaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-adjaye/) > [I have disciplined myself when I'm working. When I discovered art, I realized that one could keep that search going within creation. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-have-disciplined-myself-when-i-m-working-when-i-discovered-art-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [We're able to influence younger generations on design and art. They might not have realized they were an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/we-re-able-to-influence-younger-generations-on-design-and-art-they/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [It was only after I had been out of the art school that I actually copied a small Seurat, and I copied it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-riley/it-was-only-after-i-had-been-out-of-the-art-school-that-i-actually/) [Bridget Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-riley/) > [Copying is a form of self-validation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cox/copying-is-a-form-of-self-validation/) [Patrick Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cox/) > [“Here's how man thinks: "If no one's done it, why should I try? It's a waste of my time; but if he's done it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nabil-n-jamal-2/here-s-how-man-thinks-if-no-one-s-done-it-why-should-i-try-it-s-a/) [Nabil N. Jamal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nabil-n-jamal-2/) > [I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-hold-flesh-food-to-be-unsuited-to-our-species-we-err-in-copying-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) ## More by Cindy Sherman > [I don't analyze what I'm doing. I've read convincing interpretations of my work, and sometimes I've noticed something that I wasn't aware of, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-don-t-analyze-what-i-m-doing-i-ve-read-convincing-interpretations/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [I don't think I can see the world through other people's eyes, but I can capture an attitude or a look that makes others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-don-t-think-i-can-see-the-world-through-other-people-s-eyes-but-i/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [I’m really just using the mirror to summon something I don't even know until I see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-m-really-just-using-the-mirror-to-summon-something-i-don-t-even/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [Quite often, I will do something and think, 'Oh, no, she looks a little too much like me.' I have tried to learn not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/quite-often-i-will-do-something-and-think-oh-no-she-looks-a-little/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [The way I see it, as soon as I make a piece I’ve lost control of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/the-way-i-see-it-as-soon-as-i-make-a-piece-i-ve-lost-control-of-it/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [When I do work, I get so much done in such a concentrated time that once I’m through a series, I’m so drained I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/when-i-do-work-i-get-so-much-done-in-such-a-concentrated-time-that/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [I didn't have any interest in traditional art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-didn-t-have-any-interest-in-traditional-art/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [I always need to get away from whatever it is I've just finished, to feel a distance from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-always-need-to-get-away-from-whatever-it-is-i-ve-just-finished-to/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [My dad was such a bigot. He was a horrible, self-centred person. He was really racist and he'd talk about the Jews and blacks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/my-dad-was-such-a-bigot-he-was-a-horrible-self-centred-person-he-was/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [Some people have told me they remember the film that one of my images is derived from, but in fact I had no film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/some-people-have-told-me-they-remember-the-film-that-one-of-my-images/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [ I want\[ed\] to make a show of really big pictures, because you see male artists doing it all the time. It just seemed like… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-want-ed-to-make-a-show-of-really-big-pictures-because-you-see-male/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [I wonder how it is that I’m fooling so many people, I’m doing one of the most stupid things in the world…and people seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-wonder-how-it-is-that-i-m-fooling-so-many-people-i-m-doing-one-of/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [I have had a lifelong fascination with horror movies, scary movies, how they work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-have-had-a-lifelong-fascination-with-horror-movies-scary-movies-how/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [Dreamers are those who have achieved in love and life, because it is a dream that got them there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/dreamers-are-those-who-have-achieved-in-love-and-life-because-it-is-a/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [I wanted pretty pictures of older women - women who are trying too hard but succeeding - pulling off an extreme look. What I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-wanted-pretty-pictures-of-older-women-women-who-are-trying-too-hard/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) [Explore all 62 Cindy Sherman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) ## 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": "I was meticulously copying other art and then I realized I could just use a camera and put my time into an idea instead.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cindy Sherman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and-then-i-realized-i-could-just/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and-then-i-realized-i-could-just/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/cindy-sherman-11074_art_i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and_2298833.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/cindy-sherman-11074_art_i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and_2298833.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/cindy-sherman-11074_art_i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and_2298833.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was meticulously copying other art and then I realized I could just use a camera and put my time into an…” — Cindy Sherman", "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": "Cindy Sherman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was meticulously copying other art...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and-then-i-realized-i-could-just/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-was-meticulously-copying-other-art-and-then-i-realized-i-could-just/#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 } } ] } ```