--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All I could do at school was paint and…" description: "\"All I could do at school was paint and draw and that was the only time I ever passed any exam. It was the only thing I ever got right at school.\" — Dav..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/david-bailey-4423_draw_all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-d_2866928.png" --- # All I could do at school was paint and draw and that was… ![“All I could do at school was paint and draw and that was the only time I ever passed any exam. It was the only thing I ever got right at school.” quote by David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/david-bailey-4423_draw_all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-d_2866928.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/david-bailey-4423_draw_all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-d_2866928.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/david-bailey-4423_draw_all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-d_2866928.png) > “All I could do at school was paint and draw and that was the only time I ever passed any exam. It was the only thing I ever got right at school.” [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative expression was the sole area where he succeeded academically, highlighting the value of artistic outlets. **In simple terms:** Art was his only success at school. Key Takeaway Cultivate artistic skills alongside academics. Themes creativity education self‑esteem Mood reflective inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - school projects - personal hobbies - career development Key Concepts artistic expression identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How can schools better integrate arts? - What other talents can be nurtured? A Different Perspective Art may not replace academic achievement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Draw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draw/) [Draws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draws/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Exam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exam/) [Exam Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exam-thing-3900890/) [Only time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only-time/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Passed Exam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passed-exam-2220548/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-paint-3900889/) ## Related quotes > [I knew I didnt know till I passed the exam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthias/i-knew-i-didnt-know-till-i-passed-the-exam/) [Matthias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthias/) > [“I’d rather be defined by perseverance than by whether or not I passed an exam.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/i-d-rather-be-defined-by-perseverance-than-by-whether-or-not-i-passed/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [I used to skip school and paint my face with Ace Frehley Kiss make-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimebag-darrell/i-used-to-skip-school-and-paint-my-face-with-ace-frehley-kiss-make-up/) [Dimebag Darrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimebag-darrell/) > [At eight or nine I passed the exam for Notting Hill and Ealing High, a private school. I had an assisted place; I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konnie-huq/at-eight-or-nine-i-passed-the-exam-for-notting-hill-and-ealing-high-a/) [Konnie Huq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konnie-huq/) > [I remember when I came out of an exam thinking I had done well and then I had a clue that maybe one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbas-kiarostami/i-remember-when-i-came-out-of-an-exam-thinking-i-had-done-well-and/) [Abbas Kiarostami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbas-kiarostami/) > [To apply for a gifted program, children as young as 4 are required to sit through hour-long verbal exams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanna-rosin/to-apply-for-a-gifted-program-children-as-young-as-4-are-required-to/) [Hanna Rosin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanna-rosin/) > [One of the leading causes of divorce is sexual incompatibility. Why not mandate premarital sex, overseen, of course, by the Marriage Board to ensure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rosen/one-of-the-leading-causes-of-divorce-is-sexual-incompatibility-why/) [Mike Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rosen/) > [“one of those nightmares where it’s the final exam for a course”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kreider/one-of-those-nightmares-where-it-s-the-final-exam-for-a-course/) [Tim Kreider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kreider/) > [Please, God,' Ruth would pray, 'don't let me be competitive. Let me realize what a privilege it is to study. Let me remember that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/please-god-ruth-would-pray-don-t-let-me-be-competitive-let-me-realize/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [I was thrown out of college for cheating on the metaphysics exam; I looked into the soul of the boy sitting next to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-was-thrown-out-of-college-for-cheating-on-the-metaphysics-exam-i/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I flunked my exam for university two times before I was accepted by what was considered my city's worst university, Hangzhou Teachers University. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/i-flunked-my-exam-for-university-two-times-before-i-was-accepted-by/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [I didn't go to university. They offered me a job as a junior reporter and I went off to work for the Southern Reporter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-douglas/i-didn-t-go-to-university-they-offered-me-a-job-as-a-junior-reporter/) [Jill Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-douglas/) > [Life is the most difficult exam. Many tend to fail in it copying others not realizing that each one has a different question paper.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/life-is-the-most-difficult-exam-many-tend-to-fail-in-it-copying/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Poems come from ordinary experiences and objects, I think. Out of memory - a dress I lent my daughter on her way back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/poems-come-from-ordinary-experiences-and-objects-i-think-out-of/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [I'm drinking away the exam results that don't take me anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-herrick/i-m-drinking-away-the-exam-results-that-don-t-take-me-anywhere/) [Steven Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-herrick/) ## More by David Bailey > [I'm not mad about movies, there are too many people involved in the making of them, and they lack a definitive creative focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-m-not-mad-about-movies-there-are-too-many-people-involved-in-the/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [Rather than knowing more, I think I've got more open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/rather-than-knowing-more-i-think-i-ve-got-more-open-minded/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/it-takes-a-lot-of-imagination-to-be-a-good-photographer-you-need-less/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I don't do proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-don-t-do-proud/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [When I stop working, I go out and start working again. Most people paint a picture, or whatever they do, and go home. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/when-i-stop-working-i-go-out-and-start-working-again-most-people/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [The Sixties was a time of breaking down class barriers, although I think class still exists today in some areas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/the-sixties-was-a-time-of-breaking-down-class-barriers-although-i/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [Rockers are the nicest people to photograph. They have no inhibitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/rockers-are-the-nicest-people-to-photograph-they-have-no-inhibitions/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I like change. There's something Buddhist about it - continuous change is wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-like-change-there-s-something-buddhist-about-it-continuous-change/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [The reason I did fashion was it was the only way to get paid to do anything creative. You couldn't support yourself as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/the-reason-i-did-fashion-was-it-was-the-only-way-to-get-paid-to-do/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I don't think my work does reflect my nationality - I don't like the idea of nationalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-don-t-think-my-work-does-reflect-my-nationality-i-don-t-like-the/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [It's not about composition. It's the way you feel about how your objects should relate to each other. I've got lots of African statues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/it-s-not-about-composition-it-s-the-way-you-feel-about-how-your/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [In New York, everyone's desperate for success, desperate for money and desperate to be accepted, but in London they're more laid back about things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/in-new-york-everyone-s-desperate-for-success-desperate-for-money-and/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I hate being so nostalgic about the Sixties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-hate-being-so-nostalgic-about-the-sixties/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [Girls are more attractive to me than dresses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/girls-are-more-attractive-to-me-than-dresses/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I had a terrible time with feminists in the Seventies. They hated me, those women. I think they hated everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-had-a-terrible-time-with-feminists-in-the-seventies-they-hated-me/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) [Explore all 111 David Bailey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) ## More Draw quotes > [You can draw power from everything in your life. In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It is the common defect of modern art study. Too many students do not know why they draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/it-is-the-common-defect-of-modern-art-study-too-many-students-do-not/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [I've just always loved really good projects. The things that draw me into a new project have very little to do with genre and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel-staite/i-ve-just-always-loved-really-good-projects-the-things-that-draw-me/) [Jewel Staite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel-staite/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [Except for me, no one in my family could draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barbera/except-for-me-no-one-in-my-family-could-draw/) [Joseph Barbera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barbera/) > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [“It is not until you draw something, whether it is an object, a building or an activity, that you really begin to understand it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-salisbury/it-is-not-until-you-draw-something-whether-it-is-an-object-a-building/) [Martin Salisbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-salisbury/) > [I came out of the womb drawing on everything; I used to draw on my mother's white furniture and her white walls with her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/i-came-out-of-the-womb-drawing-on-everything-i-used-to-draw-on-my/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [I love spilling my creativity on paper. I just draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-parker/i-love-spilling-my-creativity-on-paper-i-just-draw/) [Jabari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jabari-parker/) > [I learned how to draw from being bored in school. I would doodle on the margins of my paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-learned-how-to-draw-from-being-bored-in-school-i-would-doodle-on/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I've always been a draw-er, all throughout elementary school I was the "kid who draws".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-prince/i-ve-always-been-a-draw-er-all-throughout-elementary-school-i-was-the/) [Liz Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-prince/) > [I dish the dirt out, and I can take it. But why should my mother and children have to take it? In 20 years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/i-dish-the-dirt-out-and-i-can-take-it-but-why-should-my-mother-and/) [Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/) > [Some actors can draw from their own darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-harron/some-actors-can-draw-from-their-own-darkness/) [Mary Harron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-harron/) > [In acting, you are fulfilled if you give justice to your role... if you are able to do a credible performance and touch the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-hutton/in-acting-you-are-fulfilled-if-you-give-justice-to-your-role-if-you/) [Timothy Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-hutton/) > [“Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that Thou hast done to me. Therefore turn and draw.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/boy-this-shall-not-excuse-the-injuries-that-thou-hast-done-to-me/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 992 Draw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draw/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All I could do at school was paint and draw and that was the only time I ever passed any exam. It was the only thing I ever got right at school.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Bailey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-draw-and-that-was-the-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Draw" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-draw-and-that-was-the-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/david-bailey-4423_draw_all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-d_2866928.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/david-bailey-4423_draw_all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-d_2866928.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/david-bailey-4423_draw_all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-d_2866928.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All I could do at school was paint and draw and that was the only time I ever passed any exam. It was the…” — David Bailey", "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": "David Bailey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All I could do at school...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-draw-and-that-was-the-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/all-i-could-do-at-school-was-paint-and-draw-and-that-was-the-only/#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 } } ] } ```