--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The small figures that appear in my…" description: "\"The small figures that appear in my paintings are there only because they were there when I was working from nature on my preliminary sketches with pen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/e-j-hughes-21207_figures_the-small-figures-that-appear-in-my-pain_1266091.jpg" --- # The small figures that appear in my paintings are there… ![“The small figures that appear in my paintings are there only because they were there when I was working from nature on my preliminary sketches with pencil.” quote by E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/e-j-hughes-21207_figures_the-small-figures-that-appear-in-my-pain_1266091.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/e-j-hughes-21207_figures_the-small-figures-that-appear-in-my-pain_1266091.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/e-j-hughes-21207_figures_the-small-figures-that-appear-in-my-pain_1266091.jpg) > “The small figures that appear in my paintings are there only because they were there when I was working from nature on my preliminary sketches with pencil.” [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 tiny figures in his paintings exist because they were present during his outdoor sketching sessions. **In simple terms:** Small figures reflect his on‑site observations. Key Takeaway Observe and incorporate real details into art. Themes artistic observation nature detail process Mood reflective inspired Type descriptive process When to use this quote - landscape painting - field sketching - artistic planning Key Concepts observation environmental influence Questions to Reflect On - How does on‑site observation shape artistic choices? - Can spontaneity coexist with planning? A Different Perspective May limit imaginative abstraction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Paintings Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paintings-working-1733628/) [Pencils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pencils/) [Preliminary Sketches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preliminary-sketches-4040776/) [Sketches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sketches/) [Sketches Pencil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sketches-pencil-2977986/) [Small Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-figures-4040775/) ## Related quotes > [I've found from years of trial that the only way I can work is to make sketches in pencil from Nature, purely as reference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/i-ve-found-from-years-of-trial-that-the-only-way-i-can-work-is-to/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [My pictures had and have secret lives, and so there were things I did not tell, a lot of stuff I did not say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-b-kitaj/my-pictures-had-and-have-secret-lives-and-so-there-were-things-i-did/) [R. B. Kitaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-b-kitaj/) > [The most interesting studio work, and perhaps the most practicable, is painting from pencil sketches and notes... It ensures the elimination of all facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-phillips/the-most-interesting-studio-work-and-perhaps-the-most-practicable-is/) [Walter J. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-phillips/) > [I don't believe in making pencil sketches and then painting landscape in your studio. You must be right under the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-merritt-chase/i-don-t-believe-in-making-pencil-sketches-and-then-painting-landscape/) [William Merritt Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-merritt-chase/) > [The kitchen was bright, cheerful yellow, the walls decorated with framed chalk and pencil sketches Simon and Rebecca had done in grade school. Rebecca…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/the-kitchen-was-bright-cheerful-yellow-the-walls-decorated-with/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [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/) > [I used to sketch - that's the way I thought out loud. 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They were these 4ft by 3ft drawings, and I got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-kinney/in-middle-school-i-started-to-draw-and-my-pencil-sketches-were-huge/) [Jeff Kinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-kinney/) > [“The stranger drew the curtains round the bed, took up the light, and inspected the apartment. The walls of both rooms were hung with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton/the-stranger-drew-the-curtains-round-the-bed-took-up-the-light-and/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton/) > [“A half-empty bottle of vodka sat on the bedside table, and his sketchbook was open on the king-size bed. Several sketches, only three of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/a-half-empty-bottle-of-vodka-sat-on-the-bedside-table-and-his/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [I used to do little sketches into my cassette tape recorder when I was a little boy. I would just turn it on and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harland-williams/i-used-to-do-little-sketches-into-my-cassette-tape-recorder-when-i/) [Harland Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harland-williams/) > [I love dipping into worlds at a fast and furious pace. A little glimpse allows the audience to put together the rest of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/i-love-dipping-into-worlds-at-a-fast-and-furious-pace-a-little/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [I wish I still had all of my old schoolwork. I'd just have all the sketches around the schoolwork, and none of the schoolwork…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-cauley-stein/i-wish-i-still-had-all-of-my-old-schoolwork-i-d-just-have-all-the/) [Willie Cauley-Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-cauley-stein/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/if-i-didn-t-have-a-conviction-that-a-serious-painter-can-portray/) [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 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. 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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": "The small figures that appear in my paintings are there only because they were there when I was working from nature on my preliminary sketches with pencil.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E. J. 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