--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not pretending to be somebody who's…" description: "\"I'm not pretending to be somebody who's got really limited craft skills. I just am a person who's got really limited craft skills.\" — David Shrigley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/david-shrigley-23041_crafts_i-m-not-pretending-to-be-somebody-who-s_1349514.jpg" --- # I'm not pretending to be somebody who's got really limited… ![“I'm not pretending to be somebody who's got really limited craft skills. I just am a person who's got really limited craft skills.” quote by David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/david-shrigley-23041_crafts_i-m-not-pretending-to-be-somebody-who-s_1349514.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/david-shrigley-23041_crafts_i-m-not-pretending-to-be-somebody-who-s_1349514.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/david-shrigley-23041_crafts_i-m-not-pretending-to-be-somebody-who-s_1349514.jpg) > “I'm not pretending to be somebody who's got really limited craft skills. I just am a person who's got really limited craft skills.” [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) ## 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 admits to modest abilities, emphasizing honesty over pretension. **In simple terms:** He openly says his craft is limited. Key Takeaway Embrace your true skill level. Themes humility self‑awareness art Mood reflective humorous Type artistic personal When to use this quote - portfolio reviews - art school - client pitches Key Concepts authenticity creative honesty skill assessment Questions to Reflect On - How does honesty affect audience perception? - Can limited skill still produce meaningful art? A Different Perspective Audience may undervalue the work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craft/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) ## Related quotes > [All the craft skills that I have, I feel like I developed and honed in drama school. It's the most important thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/all-the-craft-skills-that-i-have-i-feel-like-i-developed-and-honed-in/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) > [Every character, no matter who you play, at times is pretending to be somebody else. People have a public face and a private face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-tucci/every-character-no-matter-who-you-play-at-times-is-pretending-to-be/) [Stanley Tucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-tucci/) > [If you re not speaking your own truth, you will never be able to be all you are meant to be. You cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-re-not-speaking-your-own-truth-you-will-never-be-able-to-be/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Thankfully, I have other skills than just standing there and looking cute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-bean-cobain/thankfully-i-have-other-skills-than-just-standing-there-and-looking/) [Frances Bean Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-bean-cobain/) > [I don't think anybody in the world matches up with my skills. That's just the way you've got to be when you step in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-anderson/i-don-t-think-anybody-in-the-world-matches-up-with-my-skills-that-s/) [Corey Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-anderson/) > [Most of the time, it's pretending I'm somebody else to get into a different head space. A lot of times, it's just, 'Who do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borns/most-of-the-time-it-s-pretending-i-m-somebody-else-to-get-into-a/) [Borns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/borns/) > [In SW1 you don't really need survival skills, you just exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-toffolo/in-sw1-you-don-t-really-need-survival-skills-you-just-exist/) [Georgia Toffolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-toffolo/) > [If you play music for no other reason than actually just because you love it, the skills just kinda creep up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-bettencourt/if-you-play-music-for-no-other-reason-than-actually-just-because-you/) [Nuno Bettencourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuno-bettencourt/) > [Putting somebody else's pants on and pretending to be somebody else is occasionally, as you grow older, horrifying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gandolfini/putting-somebody-else-s-pants-on-and-pretending-to-be-somebody-else/) [James Gandolfini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gandolfini/) > [You get paid and you get venerated and worshipped for pretending to be somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-astbury/you-get-paid-and-you-get-venerated-and-worshipped-for-pretending-to/) [Ian Astbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-astbury/) > [I'm not a trained actor, so there was always going to be a certain amount of bringing my own... I was going to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-giedroyc/i-m-not-a-trained-actor-so-there-was-always-going-to-be-a-certain/) [Mel Giedroyc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-giedroyc/) > [Well no one else seems to appreciate my skills. I just want someone to see me for who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin/well-no-one-else-seems-to-appreciate-my-skills-i-just-want-someone-to/) [Merlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin/) > [As a kid, I spent an awful lot of time pretending I was somebody else. I think growing up in the 1980s wasn't very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rhys-meyers/as-a-kid-i-spent-an-awful-lot-of-time-pretending-i-was-somebody-else/) [Jonathan Rhys Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rhys-meyers/) > [I think when you're in the middle of a piece of work, there are things that bleed over into your life. You're spending a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-evans/i-think-when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-piece-of-work-there-are-things/) [Shaun Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-evans/) > [The point is with good maths skills you have just wonderful opportunities and if you don't have good maths skills, there are just so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-du-sautoy/the-point-is-with-good-maths-skills-you-have-just-wonderful/) [Marcus du Sautoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-du-sautoy/) ## More by David Shrigley > [I don't really want to tell jokes about trivia; I'd kind of rather tell jokes about things like life and death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-don-t-really-want-to-tell-jokes-about-trivia-i-d-kind-of-rather/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I'm never really that worried about doing something a little different, 'cause it always just seems to fit into what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-m-never-really-that-worried-about-doing-something-a-little/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [If the work jells a little bit in terms of being placed in the oeuvre, I don't care - as long as it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/if-the-work-jells-a-little-bit-in-terms-of-being-placed-in-the-oeuvre/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [Making drawings with text in the first place, it really was born of a desire to be economic, and to do things as simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/making-drawings-with-text-in-the-first-place-it-really-was-born-of-a/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I don't think I've ever made any conscious decision to be a comic artist, but to me there's something quite anarchic about comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-made-any-conscious-decision-to-be-a-comic/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I feel quite comfortable and happy with making a work that looks like it could have been made by somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-feel-quite-comfortable-and-happy-with-making-a-work-that-looks-like/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I think people are quite surprised that the handwriting I use in my drawings and paintings is my own handwriting. They're slightly shocked when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-think-people-are-quite-surprised-that-the-handwriting-i-use-in-my/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I think circumstance plays a big part in terms of what I do. For example, if I wasn't ever able to show in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-think-circumstance-plays-a-big-part-in-terms-of-what-i-do-for/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I guess I must just be obsessed with death. Apparently you think about it a lot more as you get older. Maybe you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-guess-i-must-just-be-obsessed-with-death-apparently-you-think-about/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [ I like comedy but I guess I don't think \[my art\] is that funny, either. It's too dark and a bit weird in places… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-like-comedy-but-i-guess-i-don-t-think-my-art-is-that-funny-either/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I think the thing is there's a work for every space, you always have to respond to a context, whether it be a physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-think-the-thing-is-there-s-a-work-for-every-space-you-always-have/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I don't like theorizing about my work myself, but that's not to say I have no interest in theory. Other people are free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-don-t-like-theorizing-about-my-work-myself-but-that-s-not-to-say-i/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I think my books are better than my exhibitions. If people don't like my books then I don't mind. I guess you like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-think-my-books-are-better-than-my-exhibitions-if-people-don-t-like/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I am a serious artist in my own right, in the sense that I've spent my entire life being an artist and trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-am-a-serious-artist-in-my-own-right-in-the-sense-that-i-ve-spent-my/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [I'm definitely not an outsider artist. I'm very much an insider artist. I get written about in art magazines, and I'm not, like, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-m-definitely-not-an-outsider-artist-i-m-very-much-an-insider-artist/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) [Explore all 26 David Shrigley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) ## More Craft quotes > [As I progressed in the firm, I learnt the craft, and as I learnt my craft, my partners and the firm threw up different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punit-renjen/as-i-progressed-in-the-firm-i-learnt-the-craft-and-as-i-learnt-my/) [Punit Renjen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punit-renjen/) > [Learn your craft. You want to be a doctor or a teacher - it's very important to learn your craft and indulge in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-horry/learn-your-craft-you-want-to-be-a-doctor-or-a-teacher-it-s-very/) [Robert Horry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-horry/) > [What I didn't know that by sticking to craft we would blow open some doors that I never saw opened before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/what-i-didn-t-know-that-by-sticking-to-craft-we-would-blow-open-some/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [All the craft skills that I have, I feel like I developed and honed in drama school. It's the most important thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/all-the-craft-skills-that-i-have-i-feel-like-i-developed-and-honed-in/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) > [“There is something deeply satisfying in shaping something with your hands. Proper artificing is like a song made solid. It is an act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/there-is-something-deeply-satisfying-in-shaping-something-with-your/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I have a lot of fun working and training and learning and trying to figure out the different aspects of my craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-cannonier/i-have-a-lot-of-fun-working-and-training-and-learning-and-trying-to/) [Jared Cannonier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-cannonier/) > [I probably learned most of my craft from singing to the radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-b-schmit/i-probably-learned-most-of-my-craft-from-singing-to-the-radio/) [Timothy B. Schmit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-b-schmit/) > [The key to acting - from what little I know about that wonderful craft - is listening, and interacting with the other person in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gray/the-key-to-acting-from-what-little-i-know-about-that-wonderful-craft/) [James Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gray/) > [It is by losing himself in the objective, in inquiry, creation, and craft, that a man becomes something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/it-is-by-losing-himself-in-the-objective-in-inquiry-creation-and/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [“The instruction here is not for every kind of writer - not for the writer of nurse books or thrillers or porno or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/the-instruction-here-is-not-for-every-kind-of-writer-not-for-the/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [I take a pretty expansive view of craft, which is to say I don't see craft as just being technique - it's also process;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-take-a-pretty-expansive-view-of-craft-which-is-to-say-i-don-t-see/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [“Writing is a craft, being an author is work, and having readers and a following is a gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-kannengieser/writing-is-a-craft-being-an-author-is-work-and-having-readers-and-a/) [Michael J. Kannengieser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-kannengieser/) > [You need to know your craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorena-garcia/you-need-to-know-your-craft/) [Lorena Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorena-garcia/) > [I have developed my eye as a cinematographer through the craft of operating. When I am not operating, I am often anxious, uncertain, restless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-richardson/i-have-developed-my-eye-as-a-cinematographer-through-the-craft-of/) [Robert Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-richardson/) > [Muscle is good, but craft is better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wace/muscle-is-good-but-craft-is-better/) Wace [Browse all 514 Craft quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craft/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not pretending to be somebody who's got really limited craft skills. 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