--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always liked the idea that you can put…" description: "\"I always liked the idea that you can put something in you onto a canvas or a piece of paper and have it exist there and not inside you. It's a way to c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/el-p-2359_artist_i-always-liked-the-idea-that-you-can-put_229839.jpg" --- # I always liked the idea that you can put something in you… ![“I always liked the idea that you can put something in you onto a canvas or a piece of paper and have it exist there and not inside you. It's a way to control things.” quote by El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/el-p-2359_artist_i-always-liked-the-idea-that-you-can-put_229839.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/el-p-2359_artist_i-always-liked-the-idea-that-you-can-put_229839.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/el-p-2359_artist_i-always-liked-the-idea-that-you-can-put_229839.jpg) > “I always liked the idea that you can put something in you onto a canvas or a piece of paper and have it exist there and not inside you. It's a way to control things.” [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating art external externalizing internal ideas onto a medium gives the creator control and permanence **In simple terms:** Putting thoughts on canvas gives control Key Takeaway Use external media to shape ideas Themes creativity control expression Mood introspective inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - studio sessions - sketching - writing drafts Key Concepts visualization externalization Questions to Reflect On - What mediums best capture your inner vision? - How does externalizing affect your creative process? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canvas/) [Canvas Piece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canvas-piece-2329756/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Control Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-things/) [Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist/) [Idea Canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-canvas-2329755/) [Liked Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liked-idea/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I've always liked the idea of being different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo/i-ve-always-liked-the-idea-of-being-different/) [MO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo/) > [I saw the short stories people were doing on Kindle and really liked the idea of seeing something I'd written on that screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sloan/i-saw-the-short-stories-people-were-doing-on-kindle-and-really-liked/) [Robin Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sloan/) > [“I liked the idea—that we left pieces of ourselves everywhere we went, coloring all our important places.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-hubbard/i-liked-the-idea-that-we-left-pieces-of-ourselves-everywhere-we-went/) [Kirsten Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-hubbard/) > [For a long time the IOC liked the idea of money but they didn't like the thought of working for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-pound/for-a-long-time-the-ioc-liked-the-idea-of-money-but-they-didn-t-like/) [Dick Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-pound/) > [I really liked the idea of focusing on one thing for, hopefully, a long time to come. I also like the idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-paquin/i-really-liked-the-idea-of-focusing-on-one-thing-for-hopefully-a-long/) [Anna Paquin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-paquin/) > [ We really wanted someone from the culture to sort of do that. And we heard about Taika \[Waititi\]. We saw his movie Boy, which… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-clements/we-really-wanted-someone-from-the-culture-to-sort-of-do-that-and-we/) [Ron Clements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-clements/) > [“I liked the idea, how the past could be preserved, fossilized, in the stars. I wanted to think that somewhere on the other end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/i-liked-the-idea-how-the-past-could-be-preserved-fossilized-in-the/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [“Kip had always liked the idea that courage was a thing a person could hold on to and use.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-auxier/kip-had-always-liked-the-idea-that-courage-was-a-thing-a-person-could/) [Jonathan Auxier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-auxier/) > [Early on, I really liked the idea of being confrontational. I loved the idea of making songs that made people really uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/early-on-i-really-liked-the-idea-of-being-confrontational-i-loved-the/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [To answer the question, though: I didn't always want to direct. I just liked the idea of it. If a friend was making a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/to-answer-the-question-though-i-didn-t-always-want-to-direct-i-just/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [But there was something I liked about the idea of those seeds buried so deep having at least a chance to emerge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-there-was-something-i-liked-about-the-idea-of-those-seeds-buried/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I've always liked the idea of taking old dramatic ideas and devices and making them feel relevant or contemporary or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-ve-always-liked-the-idea-of-taking-old-dramatic-ideas-and-devices/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [ I liked the idea of using this mega-star \[Beyoncé \] to talk about all those things on the tiny scale of my life. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-parker/i-liked-the-idea-of-using-this-mega-star-beyonc-to-talk-about-all/) [Morgan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-parker/) > [“Being independent,making my one money… I liked the idea. -The killer(comics).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matz/being-independent-making-my-one-money-i-liked-the-idea-the-killer/) [Matz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matz/) > [I liked the idea of being the kind of woman who'd go to the Gobi desert pregnant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/i-liked-the-idea-of-being-the-kind-of-woman-who-d-go-to-the-gobi/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) ## More by El-P > [I'm not mad at digital media at all; I just see the importance and beauty of physical media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-mad-at-digital-media-at-all-i-just-see-the-importance-and/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Standing up for what you believe is right, as well as standing up for what you believe is funny, standing up for what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/standing-up-for-what-you-believe-is-right-as-well-as-standing-up-for/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [For me, growing up in hip-hop culture, it's all about having the next style, the new fashion, the new way to express yourself, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/for-me-growing-up-in-hip-hop-culture-it-s-all-about-having-the-next/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I definitely grew up on Garfield. I just loved his pessimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-definitely-grew-up-on-garfield-i-just-loved-his-pessimism/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Most people aren't happy about being consistent and staying at the same place for years. People want forward progress and motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/most-people-aren-t-happy-about-being-consistent-and-staying-at-the/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Any issue and any problem, no matter what height you look at it from, no matter how much you extend past the first fractal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/any-issue-and-any-problem-no-matter-what-height-you-look-at-it-from/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I really don't believe in going too far out of your way to hunt down somebody to do a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-really-don-t-believe-in-going-too-far-out-of-your-way-to-hunt-down/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [The last Company Flow reunion show in New York City was pretty insane. Everybody knew all the words to every song; everybody had smiles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/the-last-company-flow-reunion-show-in-new-york-city-was-pretty-insane/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [At a young age, I really wanted to make music and make my own sort of thing. I'm sure if it wasn't music, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/at-a-young-age-i-really-wanted-to-make-music-and-make-my-own-sort-of/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [One of the reasons why I thought it was a good decision to put Def Jux on hold is that it's a hell of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/one-of-the-reasons-why-i-thought-it-was-a-good-decision-to-put-def/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I am trying to change hip-hop music because I do feel there are places people can go with production and the structure of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-am-trying-to-change-hip-hop-music-because-i-do-feel-there-are/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I'm not really one of these people who's been known for particularly hopeful sentiments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-really-one-of-these-people-who-s-been-known-for-particularly/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I think it's impossible for hip-hop to be a dying art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-think-it-s-impossible-for-hip-hop-to-be-a-dying-art-form/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I like Das Racist, and so should you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-like-das-racist-and-so-should-you/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I had a boom box with a dual cassette deck and a mic, so I used to make pause tapes. I think a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-had-a-boom-box-with-a-dual-cassette-deck-and-a-mic-so-i-used-to/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) [Explore all 170 El-P quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) ## 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. 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 always liked the idea that you can put something in you onto a canvas or a piece of paper and have it exist there and not inside you. 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