--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought it would be very nice to become…" description: "\"I thought it would be very nice to become Picasso or Rembrandt, or a van Gogh.\" — Dick Bruna" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/dick-bruna-30694_artist_i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-becom_1510592.png" --- # I thought it would be very nice to become Picasso or… ![“I thought it would be very nice to become Picasso or Rembrandt, or a van Gogh.” quote by Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/dick-bruna-30694_artist_i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-becom_1510592.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/dick-bruna-30694_artist_i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-becom_1510592.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/dick-bruna-30694_artist_i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-becom_1510592.png) > “I thought it would be very nice to become Picasso or Rembrandt, or a van Gogh.” [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aspiring to emulate great artists reflects admiration but may limit personal originality. **In simple terms:** Wanting to be like famous artists. Key Takeaway Cultivate your own style. Themes creativity inspiration identity Mood thoughtful inspired Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - art classes - personal projects - portfolio development Key Concepts art history self‑expression Questions to Reflect On - Who inspires you uniquely? - How can you blend influence with originality? A Different Perspective Imitation can hinder authentic voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ## Related quotes > [A friend of mine says his two favorite artists are Picasso and Rembrandt. Picasso because he paints the beautiful in such an ugly fashion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-torv/a-friend-of-mine-says-his-two-favorite-artists-are-picasso-and/) [Anna Torv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-torv/) > [Van Gogh never made a penny in his entire lifetime. He painted because it was his soul, his excitement. It was what aligned him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/van-gogh-never-made-a-penny-in-his-entire-lifetime-he-painted-because/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [ I will be an artist. I am sure I will. \[Vincent Van Gogh\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-stone/i-will-be-an-artist-i-am-sure-i-will-vincent-van-gogh/) [Irving Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-stone/) > [“Against all expectations, the symptoms of Van Gogh’s mental illness are conspicuous by their almost complete absence from his letters. Much as he chose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/against-all-expectations-the-symptoms-of-van-gogh-s-mental-illness/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > ['The Night Cafe' and 'The Starry Night' still emit such pathos, density, and intensity that they send shivers down the spine. Whether Van Gogh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/the-night-cafe-and-the-starry-night-still-emit-such-pathos-density/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/artists-real-artists-have-to-work-they-can-t-be-hedonists-really-good/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [If I could have any artist's work on my sitting room wall it would probably be by Van Gogh or Picasso.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-stevenson/if-i-could-have-any-artist-s-work-on-my-sitting-room-wall-it-would/) [Juliet Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-stevenson/) > [The artist cannot look to others to validate his efforts or his calling. If you don't believe me, ask Van Gogh, who produced masterpiece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-artist-cannot-look-to-others-to-validate-his-efforts-or-his/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“You have first to experience what you want to express. —Vincent van Gogh”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/you-have-first-to-experience-what-you-want-to-express-vincent-van-gogh/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [I've always been really fascinated by Vincent van Gogh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-hall/i-ve-always-been-really-fascinated-by-vincent-van-gogh/) [Michael C. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-hall/) > [“I’m not Helen Keller—I’m Van Gogh. It’s not that I can’t hear, it’s that I don’t use my ears.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-not-helen-keller-i-m-van-gogh-it-s-not-that-i-can-t-hear-it-s/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Now don't think I've lost my mind - but I'll tell you, I'll look at some of the cards I have, some of Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/now-don-t-think-i-ve-lost-my-mind-but-i-ll-tell-you-i-ll-look-at-some/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [ You cannot be the good all the time — sometimes it is necessary to get angry. \[Vincent Van Gogh\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-stone/you-cannot-be-the-good-all-the-time-sometimes-it-is-necessary-to-get/) [Irving Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-stone/) > [“Van Gogh on Christmas: And now we’re slowly heading towards winter, and many dread it, but Christmas is wonderful, it’s like the moss on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liesbeth-heenk/van-gogh-on-christmas-and-now-we-re-slowly-heading-towards-winter-and/) Liesbeth Heenk > [“No wonder Van Gogh cut his ear off, I thought; there’s nothing else to do in a place like this but cut your ear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-thought-there-s-nothing-else-to/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) ## More by Dick Bruna > [When I make a book, I make it for the child and not for the parent - no jokes in it for the parents!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/when-i-make-a-book-i-make-it-for-the-child-and-not-for-the-parent-no/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [My father realised that for me to become a publisher in his firm would have been the end of the firm!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/my-father-realised-that-for-me-to-become-a-publisher-in-his-firm/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [I want a nice picture book with 12 pictures - I do my best with that format.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/i-want-a-nice-picture-book-with-12-pictures-i-do-my-best-with-that/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [I have been drawing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/i-have-been-drawing-all-my-life/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [I did about 2000 covers altogether, for all sorts of books - from Shakespeare to James Bond - and I always had the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/i-did-about-2000-covers-altogether-for-all-sorts-of-books-from/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [Each book first begins with a little idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/each-book-first-begins-with-a-little-idea/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [However, my father was a publisher and it was expected that I would become a publisher as well - in his firm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/however-my-father-was-a-publisher-and-it-was-expected-that-i-would/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [I come from a family of business people, but I had the idea I wanted to become an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/i-come-from-a-family-of-business-people-but-i-had-the-idea-i-wanted/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [But I don't sit down and think: this is meant for children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/but-i-don-t-sit-down-and-think-this-is-meant-for-children/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [Right at the beginning, I didn't know if Miffy was a boy or girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/right-at-the-beginning-i-didn-t-know-if-miffy-was-a-boy-or-girl/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [Now, I had been drawing all this time - especially in France of course - so, when I came back, my father gave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/now-i-had-been-drawing-all-this-time-especially-in-france-of-course/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [Miffy has changed quite a lot since the early books, although I never realised it at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/miffy-has-changed-quite-a-lot-since-the-early-books-although-i-never/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [Then one day I thought it would be wonderful to make a whole book, to make my text and my drawings together, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/then-one-day-i-thought-it-would-be-wonderful-to-make-a-whole-book-to/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [But we discovered that, although I liked publishing, the commercial side meant nothing at all to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/but-we-discovered-that-although-i-liked-publishing-the-commercial/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) > [Before he went to sleep, I told him a little story about a rabbit we saw run around the beach house we rented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/before-he-went-to-sleep-i-told-him-a-little-story-about-a-rabbit-we/) [Dick Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) [Explore all 17 Dick Bruna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“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 > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [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 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/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought it would be very nice to become Picasso or Rembrandt, or a van Gogh.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dick Bruna" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-become-picasso-or-rembrandt-or-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-become-picasso-or-rembrandt-or-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/dick-bruna-30694_artist_i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-becom_1510592.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/dick-bruna-30694_artist_i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-becom_1510592.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/dick-bruna-30694_artist_i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-becom_1510592.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I thought it would be very nice to become Picasso or Rembrandt, or a van Gogh.” — Dick Bruna", "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": "Dick Bruna", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bruna/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I thought it would be very...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-become-picasso-or-rembrandt-or-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bruna/i-thought-it-would-be-very-nice-to-become-picasso-or-rembrandt-or-a/#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 } } ] } ```