--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was as old as these children, I…" description: "\"“When I was as old as these children, I could draw like Raphael, but it took me a lifetime to learn to draw like them.”\" — Ingo F. Walther" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/ingo-f-walther-80087_children_when-i-was-as-old-as-these-children-i-co_1079515.jpg" --- # When I was as old as these children, I could draw like… ![“When I was as old as these children, I could draw like Raphael, but it took me a lifetime to learn to draw like them.” quote by Ingo F. Walther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/ingo-f-walther-80087_children_when-i-was-as-old-as-these-children-i-co_1079515.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/ingo-f-walther-80087_children_when-i-was-as-old-as-these-children-i-co_1079515.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/ingo-f-walther-80087_children_when-i-was-as-old-as-these-children-i-co_1079515.jpg) > ““When I was as old as these children, I could draw like Raphael, but it took me a lifetime to learn to draw like them.”” Ingo F. Walther ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early talent can be innate, but true mastery often comes from observing and learning from others over time. **In simple terms:** Skill grows by learning from others. Key Takeaway Seek mentors and study peers. Themes growth humility artistic development Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - art school - self‑study - career transition - creative collaboration Key Concepts skill acquisition mentorship lifelong learning Questions to Reflect On - How can you incorporate peer learning into your practice? - What habits help translate early ability into lasting expertise? A Different Perspective Talent alone may not sustain a career without continual learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ## Related quotes > [“I know what you’re doing,” he whispered to Raphael, whose movements only became more fervent, and the thought slipped from the boy’s mind so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-dominique-taxer/i-know-what-you-re-doing-he-whispered-to-raphael-whose-movements-only/) [Carmen Dominique Taxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-dominique-taxer/) > [It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/it-took-me-four-years-to-paint-like-raphael-but-a-lifetime-to-paint/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Many young painters would never have taken their pencils in hand if they could have felt, known, and understood, early enough, what really produced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/many-young-painters-would-never-have-taken-their-pencils-in-hand-if/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“I wish I could paint like Raphael," Lucio said. "I'd paint you! You should smile more often - it's like dawn breaking over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-forsyth/i-wish-i-could-paint-like-raphael-lucio-said-i-d-paint-you-you-should/) [Kate Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-forsyth/) > [I think all children draw, as soon as they figure out the thumb and can grab crayons. The only difference with people like myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hughes/i-think-all-children-draw-as-soon-as-they-figure-out-the-thumb-and/) [Adam Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hughes/) > [So many things that you can ask children hopefully pique their interest and they can design and think for themselves. Having children draw and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/so-many-things-that-you-can-ask-children-hopefully-pique-their/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [Children will draw pictures with everything in them...houses and trees and people and animals...and the sun AND the moon. Grown-up says, "That's a nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/children-will-draw-pictures-with-everything-in-them-houses-and-trees/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [“When people look at my work, they often say, “Your picture is so good. I can’t even draw a straight line.” I think everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-provensen/when-people-look-at-my-work-they-often-say-your-picture-is-so-good-i/) Alice Provensen > [I've been drawing as long as I can remember. I think all children draw as soon as they figure out the thumb and can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hughes/i-ve-been-drawing-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-think-all-children-draw/) [Adam Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hughes/) > [You draw like a magnet, better yet I have it. Everything you wear people say they gotta have it. From the sweat suit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mary/you-draw-like-a-magnet-better-yet-i-have-it-everything-you-wear/) [Mary Mary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mary/) > [I'm a comic book artist. So I think to myself, what do I like to draw? I like to draw hot chicks, fast cars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-miller/i-m-a-comic-book-artist-so-i-think-to-myself-what-do-i-like-to-draw-i/) [Frank Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-miller/) > [I quickly realized that this medium had a lot to offer someone like me. To do Disney-quality hand-drawn cartoons, you have to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/i-quickly-realized-that-this-medium-had-a-lot-to-offer-someone-like/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [He was mostly leaping tall buildings in the beginning. There were cases where he would leap off a tall building or swoop down, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-shuster/he-was-mostly-leaping-tall-buildings-in-the-beginning-there-were/) [Joe Shuster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-shuster/) > [I mean if you draw you like drawing, it's er, an activity you do all the time actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/i-mean-if-you-draw-you-like-drawing-it-s-er-an-activity-you-do-all/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [I draw like other people bite their nails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/i-draw-like-other-people-bite-their-nails/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) ## More by Ingo F. Walther > [“When children paint, they express their ideas rather than their perception, and when Picasso had recourse to such a technique, then that was his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingo-f-walther/when-children-paint-they-express-their-ideas-rather-than-their/) Ingo F. Walther > [“I'm no pessimist. I don't loathe art because I couldn't live without devoting all my time to it. I love it as the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingo-f-walther/i-m-no-pessimist-i-don-t-loathe-art-because-i-couldn-t-live-without/) Ingo F. Walther Explore all 3 Ingo F. Walther quotes ## 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 > [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": "“When I was as old as these children, I could draw like Raphael, but it took me a lifetime to learn to draw like them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ingo F. 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