--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I didn't have a conviction that a…" description: "\"If I didn't have a conviction that a serious painter can portray Nature more profoundly than the best colour photography, I'd probably give it all up o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/e-j-hughes-21207_abstract_if-i-didn-t-have-a-conviction-that-a-ser_1563160.jpg" --- # If I didn't have a conviction that a serious painter can… ![“If I didn't have a conviction that a serious painter can portray Nature more profoundly than the best colour photography, I'd probably give it all up or go abstract or take up photography.” quote by E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/e-j-hughes-21207_abstract_if-i-didn-t-have-a-conviction-that-a-ser_1563160.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/e-j-hughes-21207_abstract_if-i-didn-t-have-a-conviction-that-a-ser_1563160.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/e-j-hughes-21207_abstract_if-i-didn-t-have-a-conviction-that-a-ser_1563160.jpg) > “If I didn't have a conviction that a serious painter can portray Nature more profoundly than the best colour photography, I'd probably give it all up or go abstract or take up photography.” [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker believes painting can capture nature's depth beyond photography, otherwise they'd abandon painting or switch mediums. **In simple terms:** Painting can reveal nature deeper than photos. Key Takeaway Value painting's unique depth. Themes art nature photography creativity Mood reflective passionate Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - gallery curation - art education - personal artistic direction Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy medium choice Questions to Reflect On - How does painting convey emotion differently than a photo? - What makes a medium 'more profound'? A Different Perspective Photography may capture detail but lacks painterly interpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Abstract Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract-photography-2784195/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Colour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colour/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painter Portray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter-portray-5868579/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Photography Probably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography-probably-847743/) [Portray Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portray-nature-5868578/) [Probably Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probably-abstract-5868580/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) ## Related quotes > [I embrace the abstract in photography and exist on a few bits of order extracted from the chaos of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-gibson/i-embrace-the-abstract-in-photography-and-exist-on-a-few-bits-of/) [Ralph Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-gibson/) > [If I had to start over, I'd pursue photography - probably to the exclusion of acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lange/if-i-had-to-start-over-i-d-pursue-photography-probably-to-the/) [Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lange/) > [Photography was a blessing because it filled my time. If I had to start over, I'd pursue photography - probably to the exclusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lange/photography-was-a-blessing-because-it-filled-my-time-if-i-had-to/) [Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lange/) > [I'm this superphilosophical kind of person. Stuck in a prison of abstract ideas and overpowering emotions, I have this personality that makes it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuo-kirino/i-m-this-superphilosophical-kind-of-person-stuck-in-a-prison-of/) [Natsuo Kirino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuo-kirino/) > [A mobile is an abstract sculpture made chiefly out of sheet metal, steel rods, wire and wood. Some or all of these elements move,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-calder/a-mobile-is-an-abstract-sculpture-made-chiefly-out-of-sheet-metal/) [Alexander Calder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-calder/) > [The word of the Lord never comes to us as an opinion, no attempt is made to support it by argument, it comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-w-ivins/the-word-of-the-lord-never-comes-to-us-as-an-opinion-no-attempt-is/) [Anthony W. Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-w-ivins/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [Describing comic sensibility is near impossible. It's sort of an abstract silliness, that sometimes the joke isn't the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/describing-comic-sensibility-is-near-impossible-it-s-sort-of-an/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [The more horrible this world (as today, for instance), the more abstract our art, whereas a happy world brings forth an art of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-more-horrible-this-world-as-today-for-instance-the-more-abstract/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) > [Abstract Expressionism was invented by New York drunks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/abstract-expressionism-was-invented-by-new-york-drunks/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [“Happy is very abstract, you can't touch it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-veal/happy-is-very-abstract-you-can-t-touch-it/) [Julius Veal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-veal/) > [A little too abstract, a little too wise, It is time for us to kiss the earth again, It is time to let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinson-jeffers/a-little-too-abstract-a-little-too-wise-it-is-time-for-us-to-kiss-the/) [Robinson Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinson-jeffers/) > [Where human eyes have never seen, where human beings have never been, I build a world of abstract dreams, and I wait for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-ra/where-human-eyes-have-never-seen-where-human-beings-have-never-been-i/) [Sun Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-ra/) > [Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-the-abstract-of-the-past-but-beauty-is-the-promise-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by E. J. Hughes > [Unfortunately when I start to talk or when someone watches over my shoulders my pencil either stops or I draw meaningless lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/unfortunately-when-i-start-to-talk-or-when-someone-watches-over-my/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [The primitive style makes nature look like stage scenery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/the-primitive-style-makes-nature-look-like-stage-scenery/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [It takes more time to rework a painting than it takes to fill in the canvas in the first place. I wish I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/it-takes-more-time-to-rework-a-painting-than-it-takes-to-fill-in-the/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [I hope my work isn't dismissed by the critics as illustration or photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/i-hope-my-work-isn-t-dismissed-by-the-critics-as-illustration-or/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [At present I am using a good sized bedroom in the 2 bedroom house here as a studio, and it is large enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/at-present-i-am-using-a-good-sized-bedroom-in-the-2-bedroom-house/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [It is... treading on dangerous ground to paint the picturesque as I am at times doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/it-is-treading-on-dangerous-ground-to-paint-the-picturesque-as-i-am/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [I felt landscapes would sell more readily, and not being equipped psychologically to be a teacher or commercial artist, that was important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/i-felt-landscapes-would-sell-more-readily-and-not-being-equipped/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [I am hoping that, with the added wisdom of old age, I can still look ahead for an improvement in tone, line, colour and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/i-am-hoping-that-with-the-added-wisdom-of-old-age-i-can-still-look/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [It feels much better to me to think that an artist is working to show his appreciation of what already has been created than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/it-feels-much-better-to-me-to-think-that-an-artist-is-working-to-show/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [I feel that when I am painting, it is a form of worship. I see how wonderful nature is and how wonderful art is...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/i-feel-that-when-i-am-painting-it-is-a-form-of-worship-i-see-how/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [The small figures that appear in my paintings are there only because they were there when I was working from nature on my preliminary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/the-small-figures-that-appear-in-my-paintings-are-there-only-because/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [It is definitely mostly due to the invention of the camera that all this design and emphasized paint quality have come into painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/it-is-definitely-mostly-due-to-the-invention-of-the-camera-that-all/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [Worry, about the 'thousand and one' details entailed. My one-track mind has to be relieved of these worries completely or I cannot get started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/worry-about-the-thousand-and-one-details-entailed-my-one-track-mind/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [One of the main reasons I paint is because I think nature is so wonderful. I want to try to get my feelings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/one-of-the-main-reasons-i-paint-is-because-i-think-nature-is-so/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [I'm going to just sit down for a couple of weeks and do nothing but read who-dunnits and Art books. I feel my work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/i-m-going-to-just-sit-down-for-a-couple-of-weeks-and-do-nothing-but/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) [Explore all 29 E. J. Hughes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) ## More Abstract quotes > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-the-abstract-of-the-past-but-beauty-is-the-promise-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Where human eyes have never seen, where human beings have never been, I build a world of abstract dreams, and I wait for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-ra/where-human-eyes-have-never-seen-where-human-beings-have-never-been-i/) [Sun Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-ra/) > [A little too abstract, a little too wise, It is time for us to kiss the earth again, It is time to let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinson-jeffers/a-little-too-abstract-a-little-too-wise-it-is-time-for-us-to-kiss-the/) [Robinson Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinson-jeffers/) > [“Happy is very abstract, you can't touch it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-veal/happy-is-very-abstract-you-can-t-touch-it/) [Julius Veal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-veal/) > [Abstract Expressionism was invented by New York drunks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/abstract-expressionism-was-invented-by-new-york-drunks/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [The more horrible this world (as today, for instance), the more abstract our art, whereas a happy world brings forth an art of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-more-horrible-this-world-as-today-for-instance-the-more-abstract/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) > [Describing comic sensibility is near impossible. It's sort of an abstract silliness, that sometimes the joke isn't the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/describing-comic-sensibility-is-near-impossible-it-s-sort-of-an/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The word of the Lord never comes to us as an opinion, no attempt is made to support it by argument, it comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-w-ivins/the-word-of-the-lord-never-comes-to-us-as-an-opinion-no-attempt-is/) [Anthony W. Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-w-ivins/) > [A mobile is an abstract sculpture made chiefly out of sheet metal, steel rods, wire and wood. Some or all of these elements move,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-calder/a-mobile-is-an-abstract-sculpture-made-chiefly-out-of-sheet-metal/) [Alexander Calder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-calder/) > [I'm this superphilosophical kind of person. Stuck in a prison of abstract ideas and overpowering emotions, I have this personality that makes it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuo-kirino/i-m-this-superphilosophical-kind-of-person-stuck-in-a-prison-of/) [Natsuo Kirino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuo-kirino/) > [Future lawyers should be more aware that law is not a system of abstract logic, but the web of arrangements, rooted in history but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/future-lawyers-should-be-more-aware-that-law-is-not-a-system-of/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [The trouble is that when you read criticisms about the other films that I've made you get the impression that they're all about themes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/the-trouble-is-that-when-you-read-criticisms-about-the-other-films/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [Painting is... a richer language than words... Painting operates through signs which are not abstract and incorporeal like words. The signs of painting are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dubuffet/painting-is-a-richer-language-than-words-painting-operates-through/) [Jean Dubuffet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dubuffet/) [Browse all 1,403 Abstract quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I didn't have a conviction that a serious painter can portray Nature more profoundly than the best colour photography, I'd probably give it all up or go abstract or take up photography.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E. J. 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