--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As great a picture can be made as one's…" description: "\"As great a picture can be made as one's mental capacity-no greater. Art cannot be taught; it must be self-inspiration, though the imagination may be fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/edward-weston-8944_advice_as-great-a-picture-can-be-made-as-one-s_305659.jpg" --- # As great a picture can be made as one's mental capacity-no… ![“As great a picture can be made as one's mental capacity-no greater. Art cannot be taught; it must be self-inspiration, though the imagination may be fired and the ambition and work directed by the advice and example of others.” quote by Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/edward-weston-8944_advice_as-great-a-picture-can-be-made-as-one-s_305659.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/edward-weston-8944_advice_as-great-a-picture-can-be-made-as-one-s_305659.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/edward-weston-8944_advice_as-great-a-picture-can-be-made-as-one-s_305659.jpg) > “As great a picture can be made as one's mental capacity-no greater. Art cannot be taught; it must be self-inspiration, though the imagination may be fired and the ambition and work directed by the advice and example of others.” [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative ability is limited by one's imagination; true art arises from self‑inspiration, though guidance can spark ambition and direction. **In simple terms:** Art depends on imagination, not formal teaching. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal inspiration before seeking instruction. Themes creativity self‑inspiration art imagination Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal projects - artistic practice - creative workshops - self‑directed study Key Concepts autonomy mentorship skill development Questions to Reflect On - How do you nurture your own creative spark? - When is external guidance beneficial? A Different Perspective Self‑inspiration may be hindered without external feedback or resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) ## Related quotes > [Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/do-not-quench-your-inspiration-and-your-imagination-do-not-become-the/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Don't be afraid of what others may think. Your creativity belongs to you, your inspiration, your imagination is all yours. Be passionate and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-renee-parker/don-t-be-afraid-of-what-others-may-think-your-creativity-belongs-to/) [Sheila Renee Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-renee-parker/) > [I believe in intuition and inspiration. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-believe-in-intuition-and-inspiration-imagination-is-more-important/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Inspiration is not the imagination that can be made, but it came with a sudden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/inspiration-is-not-the-imagination-that-can-be-made-but-it-came-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The summit charms us, the steps to it do not; with the heights before our eyes, we like to linger in the plain. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-summit-charms-us-the-steps-to-it-do-not-with-the-heights-before/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Photography was increasingly being seen as something outside the art world. As a sort of illustration. They just fired the director of photography at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-franklin/photography-was-increasingly-being-seen-as-something-outside-the-art/) [Stuart Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-franklin/) > [Making art has taught me that the tiniest smidgen of progress is something to be cherished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/making-art-has-taught-me-that-the-tiniest-smidgen-of-progress-is/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [“You can not teach art, it's not to be taught, but felt and lived, or else it is naught.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabina-nore/you-can-not-teach-art-it-s-not-to-be-taught-but-felt-and-lived-or/) [Sabina Nore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabina-nore/) > [For in a dearth of comforts, we art taught To be contented with the least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-davenant/for-in-a-dearth-of-comforts-we-art-taught-to-be-contented-with-the/) [William Davenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-davenant/) > [Art can only be taught by artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-asawa/art-can-only-be-taught-by-artists/) [Ruth Asawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-asawa/) > [Art is not to be taught in Academies. 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Take them to a museum and say, 'This is art, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/you-want-to-know-how-i-think-art-should-be-taught-to-children-take/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [It is Nature who makes our artists for us, though it may be Art who taught them their right mode of expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-nature-who-makes-our-artists-for-us-though-it-may-be-art-who/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I deny that art can be taught, or, in other words, maintain that art is completely individual, and that the talent of each artist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-courbet/i-deny-that-art-can-be-taught-or-in-other-words-maintain-that-art-is/) [Gustave Courbet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-courbet/) ## More by Edward Weston > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [Since the recording process is instantaneous, and the nature of the image such that it cannot survive corrective handwork, it is obvious that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/since-the-recording-process-is-instantaneous-and-the-nature-of-the/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [for the obvious reason that nature - unadulterated and unimproved by man - is simply chaos. In fact, the camera proves that nature is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/for-the-obvious-reason-that-nature-unadulterated-and-unimproved-by/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [Good composition is merely the strongest way of seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/good-composition-is-merely-the-strongest-way-of-seeing/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [Now one does not think during creative work: any more than one thinks when driving a car. One has a background of years —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/now-one-does-not-think-during-creative-work-any-more-than-one-thinks/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The photographer's most important and likewise most difficult task is not learning to manage his camera, or to develop, or to print. 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It has been suggested that I am a cannibal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/the-pepper-is-beginning-to-show-signs-of-strain-and-tonight-should/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) [Explore all 76 Edward Weston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. 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And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. 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