--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Watching Dad figure things out was like…" description: "\"“Watching Dad figure things out was like watching an artist paint a picture. He used to say an investigation was a lot like art, just a blank canvas an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/james-r-benn-43202_art_watching-dad-figure-things-out-was-like_1925850.jpg" --- # Watching Dad figure things out was like watching an artist… ![“Watching Dad figure things out was like watching an artist paint a picture. He used to say an investigation was a lot like art, just a blank canvas and a whole lot of different colors in little jars. All the clues were there, just like a painting was already in those little jars of paint. But you…” quote by James R. Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/james-r-benn-43202_art_watching-dad-figure-things-out-was-like_1925850.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/james-r-benn-43202_art_watching-dad-figure-things-out-was-like_1925850.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/james-r-benn-43202_art_watching-dad-figure-things-out-was-like_1925850.jpg) > ““Watching Dad figure things out was like watching an artist paint a picture. He used to say an investigation was a lot like art, just a blank canvas and a whole lot of different colors in little jars. All the clues were there, just like a painting was already in those little jars of paint. But you had to mix them together and put them on the canvas right, so it all made sense.”” [James R. Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-benn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding a problem is like creating art; you gather clues (colors) and combine them to reveal the whole picture. **In simple terms:** Problem solving is like painting. Key Takeaway Gather clues and synthesize them. Themes creativity analysis problem solving Mood reflective inspired Type analytical creative When to use this quote - research - investigation - creative projects - education Key Concepts metaphor systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide which clues to combine? - What prevents you from seeing the whole picture? A Different Perspective If clues are missing, the picture stays incomplete. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Blank canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blank-canvas/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) ## Related quotes > [Watching something being constructed, whether you're passing a building site or whether you're watching an artist at work, is fascinating, and I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-mason/watching-something-being-constructed-whether-you-re-passing-a/) [Nick Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-mason/) > [It's like painting the same blank canvas over and over and over and over and over. Once the concept is known, you don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/it-s-like-painting-the-same-blank-canvas-over-and-over-and-over-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“Be more than a father, be a dad. Be more than a figure, be an example.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/be-more-than-a-father-be-a-dad-be-more-than-a-figure-be-an-example/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“I think it would be funny to have one of those family decals showing a really skinny teenage girl barfing into a little chalk-outline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-rivenbark/i-think-it-would-be-funny-to-have-one-of-those-family-decals-showing/) [Celia Rivenbark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-rivenbark/) > [My youngest son's pre-school class was recently asked what their dads do for work. The responses were things like, my dad sells money, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hawk/my-youngest-son-s-pre-school-class-was-recently-asked-what-their-dads/) [Tony Hawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hawk/) > [I love the idea of renaissance. 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Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-benn/) [Explore all 9 James R. Benn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-benn/) ## More Art quotes > [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/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“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 > [The house has to serve comfort. 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