--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't work from drawings. I don't make…" description: "\"I don't work from drawings. I don't make sketches and drawings and color sketches into a final painting.\" — Jackson Pollock" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/jackson-pollock-8264_artist_i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make_3150908.jpg" --- # I don't work from drawings. I don't make sketches and… ![“I don't work from drawings. I don't make sketches and drawings and color sketches into a final painting.” quote by Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/jackson-pollock-8264_artist_i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make_3150908.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/jackson-pollock-8264_artist_i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make_3150908.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/jackson-pollock-8264_artist_i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make_3150908.jpg) > “I don't work from drawings. I don't make sketches and drawings and color sketches into a final painting.” [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes spontaneous creation over pre‑planned sketches, valuing direct, instinctive painting. **In simple terms:** He paints directly, without prior sketches. Key Takeaway Embrace immediacy in creation. Themes creativity process spontaneity Mood energetic focused Type artistic process When to use this quote - studio work - live performance - art education - creative brainstorming Key Concepts abstract expressionism intuition Questions to Reflect On - How does immediacy affect your work? - Can spontaneity coexist with structure? A Different Perspective May limit precision or planning for complex compositions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) ## Related quotes > [I don't work from drawings and colour sketches into a final painting. Painting, I think, today - the more immediate, the more direct -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-don-t-work-from-drawings-and-colour-sketches-into-a-final-painting/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [We tell them that we believe it will be beautiful because that is our specialty, we only create joy and beauty. We have never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/we-tell-them-that-we-believe-it-will-be-beautiful-because-that-is-our/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [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/) > [ I used to think \[Shoji\] Hamada never drew, until there was a book by Bernard \[Leach\] published about his work \[Hamada: Potter, Tokyo; New… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mackenzie/i-used-to-think-shoji-hamada-never-drew-until-there-was-a-book-by/) [Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mackenzie/) > [I have a very dear friend, a great painter, called me up very upset, the work wasn’t going well… He asked me to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/i-have-a-very-dear-friend-a-great-painter-called-me-up-very-upset-the/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [With experience it seems to be possible to control the flow of paint, to a great extent, and I don't use - I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/with-experience-it-seems-to-be-possible-to-control-the-flow-of-paint/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [Cold calculation, random spots of color, mathematically exact construction (clearly shown or concealed), drawing that is now silent and now strident . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-puccini/cold-calculation-random-spots-of-color-mathematically-exact/) [Giacomo Puccini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-puccini/) > [Keep a bad drawing until by study you have found out why it is bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/keep-a-bad-drawing-until-by-study-you-have-found-out-why-it-is-bad/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. It's the spontaneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/the-big-problem-for-comic-art-is-you-don-t-want-to-overwork-it-if-a/) [Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/) > [God holds each of us by a string. When we sin, we cut the string. But God ties it up again, making a knot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/god-holds-each-of-us-by-a-string-when-we-sin-we-cut-the-string-but/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [It is the common defect of modern art study. Too many students do not know why they draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/it-is-the-common-defect-of-modern-art-study-too-many-students-do-not/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) > [My drawing not that goog but alwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slowly-fading/my-drawing-not-that-goog-but-alwell/) Slowly\_fading > [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/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Jackson Pollock > [If people would just look at the paintings, I don't think they would have any trouble enjoying them. It's like looking at a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/if-people-would-just-look-at-the-paintings-i-don-t-think-they-would/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [The modern artist... is working and expressing an inner world - in other words - expressing the energy, the motion, and other inner forces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/the-modern-artist-is-working-and-expressing-an-inner-world-in-other/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [He drove his kind of realism at me so hard I bounced right into nonobjective painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/he-drove-his-kind-of-realism-at-me-so-hard-i-bounced-right-into/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [When I'm painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It's only after a get acquainted period that I see what I've been about.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/when-i-m-painting-i-m-not-aware-of-what-i-m-doing-it-s-only-after-a/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-have-no-fear-of-making-changes-destroying-the-image-etc-because-the/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [I can control the flow of paint: there is no accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-can-control-the-flow-of-paint-there-is-no-accident/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [The modern artist is living in a mechanical age and we have a mechanical means of representing objects in nature such as the camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/the-modern-artist-is-living-in-a-mechanical-age-and-we-have-a/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [As to what I would like to be, it is difficult to say. An artist of some kind. If nothing else I shall always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/as-to-what-i-would-like-to-be-it-is-difficult-to-say-an-artist-of/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/it-is-only-when-i-lose-contact-with-the-painting-that-the-result-is-a/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [The strangeness will wear off and I think we will discover the deeper meanings in modern art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/the-strangeness-will-wear-off-and-i-think-we-will-discover-the-deeper/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [Every good painter paints what he is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/every-good-painter-paints-what-he-is/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [Modern art to me is nothing more than the expression of contemporary aims of the age that we're living in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/modern-art-to-me-is-nothing-more-than-the-expression-of-contemporary/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [I don't paint nature. I am nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-don-t-paint-nature-i-am-nature/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [With experience it seems to be possible to control the flow of paint, to a great extent, and I don't use - I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/with-experience-it-seems-to-be-possible-to-control-the-flow-of-paint/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [When I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/when-i-am-in-my-painting-i-m-not-aware-of-what-i-m-doing/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) [Explore all 82 Jackson Pollock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) ## 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": "I don't work from drawings. I don't make sketches and drawings and color sketches into a final painting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jackson Pollock" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make-sketches-and-drawings-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make-sketches-and-drawings-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/jackson-pollock-8264_artist_i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make_3150908.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/jackson-pollock-8264_artist_i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make_3150908.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/jackson-pollock-8264_artist_i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make_3150908.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't work from drawings. I don't make sketches and drawings and color sketches into a final painting.” — Jackson Pollock", "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": "Jackson Pollock", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't work from drawings. I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make-sketches-and-drawings-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-don-t-work-from-drawings-i-don-t-make-sketches-and-drawings-and/#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 } } ] } ```