--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always been a pencil." description: "\"I have always been a pencil.\" — Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec-2130_always_i-have-always-been-a-pencil-2601613_2601613.jpg" --- # I have always been a pencil. ![“I have always been a pencil.” quote by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec-2130_always_i-have-always-been-a-pencil-2601613_2601613.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec-2130_always_i-have-always-been-a-pencil-2601613_2601613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec-2130_always_i-have-always-been-a-pencil-2601613_2601613.jpg) > “I have always been a pencil.” [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identifies himself metaphorically as a pencil, implying a role in drawing or creating. **In simple terms:** He sees himself as a tool. Key Takeaway Embrace your creative purpose. Themes identity art metaphor Mood reflective artistic Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - artistic work - personal branding - design process Key Concepts self‑concept creative agency Questions to Reflect On - What does being a pencil mean? - How does this shape your work? A Different Perspective Metaphor may be ambiguous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Pencil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pencil/) [Pencils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pencils/) ## Related quotes > [I had placed my stick on the table, as I do every evening. It had been specially made to suit my height, to enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/i-had-placed-my-stick-on-the-table-as-i-do-every-evening-it-had-been/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [It's easier to make changes with a pencil than a wrecking bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/it-s-easier-to-make-changes-with-a-pencil-than-a-wrecking-bar/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [The best design tool is a long eraser with a pencil at one end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-neumeier/the-best-design-tool-is-a-long-eraser-with-a-pencil-at-one-end/) [Marty Neumeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-neumeier/) > [I wear anything I feel like. If I want to put on a pair of Converse with a pencil stuck through them, I will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willow-smith/i-wear-anything-i-feel-like-if-i-want-to-put-on-a-pair-of-converse/) [Willow Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willow-smith/) > [A formal manipulator in mathematics often experiences the discomforting feeling that his pencil surpasses him in intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-formal-manipulator-in-mathematics-often-experiences-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I belong to this notebook and this pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-belong-to-this-notebook-and-this-pencil/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Increasingly, editing means going to lunch. It means editing with a credit card, not with a pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/increasingly-editing-means-going-to-lunch-it-means-editing-with-a/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [The computer is really like a pencil, you know. It used to be. The pencil can do anything you want to, but you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-vignelli/the-computer-is-really-like-a-pencil-you-know-it-used-to-be-the/) [Massimo Vignelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-vignelli/) > [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/) > [Said Hamlet to Ophelia, I'll draw a sketch of thee. What kind of pencil shall I use? 2B or not 2B?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/said-hamlet-to-ophelia-i-ll-draw-a-sketch-of-thee-what-kind-of-pencil/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [I put my pencil upon the paper, doubtfully, and drew little lines, considering my theme. But I would not long hesitate in this manner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/i-put-my-pencil-upon-the-paper-doubtfully-and-drew-little-lines/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [With pencil there is a tendency to be timid, either using very faint lines or erasing bad lines... Line sketching tends to emphasize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laseau/with-pencil-there-is-a-tendency-to-be-timid-either-using-very-faint/) [Paul Laseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laseau/) > [But I had never drawn on a tablet before. I've been doing pencil and paper and film for almost 20 years. I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-hertzfeldt/but-i-had-never-drawn-on-a-tablet-before-i-ve-been-doing-pencil-and/) [Don Hertzfeldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-hertzfeldt/) > [Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/arithmetic-is-numbers-you-squeeze-from-your-head-to-your-hand-to-your/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I've got to feel the pencil and see the words at the end of the pencil,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-ve-got-to-feel-the-pencil-and-see-the-words-at-the-end-of-the-pencil/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) ## More by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec > [My dear Mama, you are definitely the hen who hatched a famous duck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/my-dear-mama-you-are-definitely-the-hen-who-hatched-a-famous-duck/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [I paint things as they are. I don't comment. I record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/i-paint-things-as-they-are-i-don-t-comment-i-record/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [Never be tempted by water. The water tap should be sealed at lunchtime. If, for example, a sauce goes wrong, adding water doesn't help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/never-be-tempted-by-water-the-water-tap-should-be-sealed-at-lunchtime/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [I had placed my stick on the table, as I do every evening. It had been specially made to suit my height, to enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/i-had-placed-my-stick-on-the-table-as-i-do-every-evening-it-had-been/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [Jealousy will drive you mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/jealousy-will-drive-you-mad/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [I don't belong to any school. I work in my corner. I admire Degas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/i-don-t-belong-to-any-school-i-work-in-my-corner-i-admire-degas/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [I paint things as they are. I don't comment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/i-paint-things-as-they-are-i-don-t-comment/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [The body of a beautiful woman is not made for love; it is too exquisite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/the-body-of-a-beautiful-woman-is-not-made-for-love-it-is-too-exquisite/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [I am certainly not regenerating French art, but am struggling hard to accomplish something on an unlucky piece of paper which has done me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/i-am-certainly-not-regenerating-french-art-but-am-struggling-hard-to/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [Novelty is seldom the essential... make a subject better from its intrinsic nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/novelty-is-seldom-the-essential-make-a-subject-better-from-its/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [Of course one should not drink much, but often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/of-course-one-should-not-drink-much-but-often/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [When a figure painter executes a landscape he treats it as if it were a face; Degas' landscapes are unparalleled because they are visionary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/when-a-figure-painter-executes-a-landscape-he-treats-it-as-if-it-were/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [The harmony of the luncheon is achieved by a combination of the two main courses which are the focus of the menu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/the-harmony-of-the-luncheon-is-achieved-by-a-combination-of-the-two/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [The cafes bore me; going downstairs is a nuisance. Painting and sleeping - that's all there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/the-cafes-bore-me-going-downstairs-is-a-nuisance-painting-and/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) > [The wise woman patterns her life on the theory and practice of modern banking. She never gives her love, but only lends it on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/the-wise-woman-patterns-her-life-on-the-theory-and-practice-of-modern/) [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) [Explore all 29 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have always been a pencil.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/i-have-always-been-a-pencil/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/i-have-always-been-a-pencil/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec-2130_always_i-have-always-been-a-pencil-2601613_2601613.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec-2130_always_i-have-always-been-a-pencil-2601613_2601613.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec-2130_always_i-have-always-been-a-pencil-2601613_2601613.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have always been a pencil.” — Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec", "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": "Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have always been a pencil.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/i-have-always-been-a-pencil/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec/i-have-always-been-a-pencil/#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 } } ] } ```