--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Artists, real artists, have to work. They…" description: "\"“Artists, real artists, have to work. They can’t be hedonists. Really good painters are always working. The world is such a marvelous place. You have t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-hockney-1395_art_artists-real-artists-have-to-work-they-c_281058.png" --- # Artists, real artists, have to work. They can’t be… ![“Artists, real artists, have to work. They can’t be hedonists. Really good painters are always working. The world is such a marvelous place. You have to look and to work. That’s exactly why Van Gogh was such a great artist: total commitment. That’s what you need.” quote by David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-hockney-1395_art_artists-real-artists-have-to-work-they-c_281058.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-hockney-1395_art_artists-real-artists-have-to-work-they-c_281058.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/david-hockney-1395_art_artists-real-artists-have-to-work-they-c_281058.png) > ““Artists, real artists, have to work. They can’t be hedonists. Really good painters are always working. The world is such a marvelous place. You have to look and to work. That’s exactly why Van Gogh was such a great artist: total commitment. That’s what you need.”” [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True artistry demands constant effort; dedication transforms observation into creation, as exemplified by Van Gogh. **In simple terms:** Artists must work continuously to create great art. Key Takeaway Commit to daily practice in your craft. Themes creativity discipline art work ethic Mood inspirational motivational Type practical philosophical When to use this quote - painting - design projects - creative brainstorming - skill development Key Concepts flow mastery commitment Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance work and rest? - What daily habit fuels your creativity? A Different Perspective Constant work may lead to burnout without balance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Great artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-artist/) [Painters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painters/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [ I don't think it was pain that made \[Vincent Van Gogh\] great - I think his painting brought him whatever happiness he had. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-don-t-think-it-was-pain-that-made-vincent-van-gogh-great-i-think/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [Everyone said to Vincent van Gogh, "You can't be a great painter, you only have one ear." And you know what he said? 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You can't really believe. If you see me shaking hands with Mr. \[Barack\] Obama, it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/you-can-t-believe-any-picture-nowadays-if-it-s-digital-you-can-t/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [I had always planned to make a large painting of the early spring, when the first leaves are at the bottom of the trees,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/i-had-always-planned-to-make-a-large-painting-of-the-early-spring/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [I've always said that the only thing a photograph is good at capturing faithfully is another flat surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/i-ve-always-said-that-the-only-thing-a-photograph-is-good-at/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [I'm rather shocked by what I thought was simple mindedness actually. 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The LA Times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/with-chemical-film-it-was-possible-to-alter-photographs-but-you-had/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) [Explore all 247 David Hockney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) ## 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. 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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. 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