--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A blank canvas is so abstract that only…" description: "\"“A blank canvas is so abstract that only imagination can fill it. But wait! Don't hang it on the wall like that. It's upside down.”\" — Jarod Kintz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jarod-kintz-2_artist_a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only_2334279.jpg" --- # A blank canvas is so abstract that only imagination can… ![“A blank canvas is so abstract that only imagination can fill it. But wait! Don't hang it on the wall like that. It's upside down.” quote by Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jarod-kintz-2_artist_a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only_2334279.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jarod-kintz-2_artist_a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only_2334279.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jarod-kintz-2_artist_a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only_2334279.jpg) > ““A blank canvas is so abstract that only imagination can fill it. But wait! Don't hang it on the wall like that. It's upside down.”” [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A blank canvas is so abstract that only imagination can fill it, but displaying it upside down challenges conventional perception. **In simple terms:** Imagination fills emptiness; perspective matters. Key Takeaway Embrace creative freedom and question norms. Themes creativity perception art Mood curious playful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - studio work - gallery setup - design brainstorming - teaching art Key Concepts abstract art visual thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does changing perspective alter meaning? - What limits your imagination? A Different Perspective Viewing art upside down may confuse viewers rather than inspire. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Blank canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blank-canvas/) [Canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canvas/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) ## Related quotes > [For me, the canvas is an abstract interpretation of a wall. It's a piece of art with its own history, one that alludes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-parla/for-me-the-canvas-is-an-abstract-interpretation-of-a-wall-it-s-a/) [Jose Parla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-parla/) > [Science fiction is a way that I can go into the abstract, go into the imagination, and audiences are still willing to go along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/science-fiction-is-a-way-that-i-can-go-into-the-abstract-go-into-the/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [You wind up creating from silence, like painting a picture on a blank canvas that could bring tears to somebody's eyes. As songwriters, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-atkins/you-wind-up-creating-from-silence-like-painting-a-picture-on-a-blank/) [Rodney Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-atkins/) > [Theres a blank canvas in front of you. You are the artist of your life, and you are free to paint any picture that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishu/theres-a-blank-canvas-in-front-of-you-you-are-the-artist-of-your-life/) [Nishu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishu/) > [I'm constantly thinking about design, shapes, patterns and colors, so I just want to be more of a blank canvas. But there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabal-gurung/i-m-constantly-thinking-about-design-shapes-patterns-and-colors-so-i/) [Prabal Gurung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabal-gurung/) > [The white T-shirt is like a blank canvas - eternally versatile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-enninful/the-white-t-shirt-is-like-a-blank-canvas-eternally-versatile/) [Edward Enninful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-enninful/) > [What makes people and companies and artistic directors and choreographers interested in working with dancers is the ability to kind of let go of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/what-makes-people-and-companies-and-artistic-directors-and/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [For me, acting is about the art of it and it's about being on a film set and doing your thing, painting a blank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/for-me-acting-is-about-the-art-of-it-and-it-s-about-being-on-a-film/) [Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/) > [An actor is an actor is an actor. The less personality an actor has off stage the better. A blank canvas on which to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-lowe/an-actor-is-an-actor-is-an-actor-the-less-personality-an-actor-has/) Arthur Lowe > [The mild creaminess of cottage cheese makes it a perfect blank canvas for almost any flavor combination, savory or sweet. Since it's so soft,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-saffitz/the-mild-creaminess-of-cottage-cheese-makes-it-a-perfect-blank-canvas/) [Claire Saffitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-saffitz/) > [The canvas has an idiotic stare and mesmerises some painters so much that they turn into idiots themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-canvas-has-an-idiotic-stare-and-mesmerises-some-painters-so-much/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I try to kind of come at everything as a blank canvas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-elordi/i-try-to-kind-of-come-at-everything-as-a-blank-canvas/) [Jacob Elordi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-elordi/) > [An artist does his most difficult work when he steps back from the blank canvas and thinks about what he is going to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/an-artist-does-his-most-difficult-work-when-he-steps-back-from-the/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [“I'm... a blank canvas. There's nothing here to love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/i-m-a-blank-canvas-there-s-nothing-here-to-love/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [I don't go into the studio with the idea of 'saying' something. What I do is face the blank canvas and put a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diebenkorn/i-don-t-go-into-the-studio-with-the-idea-of-saying-something-what-i/) [Richard Diebenkorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diebenkorn/) ## More by Jarod Kintz > [“I notice when you’re gone. Or do I? How can I observe something that isn’t there?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-notice-when-you-re-gone-or-do-i-how-can-i-observe-something-that/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I wouldn’t love you if you were the last Sodomite in Gomorrah.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-wouldn-t-love-you-if-you-were-the-last-sodomite-in-gomorrah/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“A blanket could be used to make sweet, sweet music with the love of your life. Hopefully that person is me, because I’ve been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-make-sweet-sweet-music-with-the-love-of/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“A brick could be used to slow down time. Sort of like a camel in a wheelchair pushed by a thirsty Arab. Hey, Khalid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-could-be-used-to-slow-down-time-sort-of-like-a-camel-in-a/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“We have a love so pure that it makes snow seem yellow. (Don’t eat it!)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/we-have-a-love-so-pure-that-it-makes-snow-seem-yellow-don-t-eat-it/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I hid Mrs. Frozenwater’s body in the ice cube trays in my freezer. Better to keep her there than let her memory thaw out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-hid-mrs-frozenwater-s-body-in-the-ice-cube-trays-in-my-freezer/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Two similar words might lead to two similar ideas. They might also lead to the basement, which I recently converted into a dungeon/torture chamber.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/two-similar-words-might-lead-to-two-similar-ideas-they-might-also/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Nothing is and isn’t; nothing is and isn’t—nothing itself is, and at the same time, nothing isn’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/nothing-is-and-isn-t-nothing-is-and-isn-t-nothing-itself-is-and-at/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Embossed letters represent the topography of typography.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/embossed-letters-represent-the-topography-of-typography/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“There’s only one piece of clothing I could eat fast, and that’s a scarf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/there-s-only-one-piece-of-clothing-i-could-eat-fast-and-that-s-a-scarf/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Dora J. Arod is to Jarod Ora, as yes is to yes. Yes is also the correct answer to “Will you marry me?” Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/dora-j-arod-is-to-jarod-ora-as-yes-is-to-yes-yes-is-also-the-correct/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“The best part about being kidnapped is being blindfolded and getting kicked into the trunk of a car. Boy, normally I have to beg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-best-part-about-being-kidnapped-is-being-blindfolded-and-getting/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Orafoura once told me that if I were a car, I’d be a Ferrari. One that was scratched smashed, rusted, and stolen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/orafoura-once-told-me-that-if-i-were-a-car-i-d-be-a-ferrari-one-that/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“What makes a good leader? I ask myself this every day, and then as I begin to list off characteristics I realize I’m describing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/what-makes-a-good-leader-i-ask-myself-this-every-day-and-then-as-i/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I’d like to file a missing person’s report—on my clone. It’s nearly 2012. He should have been here by now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-d-like-to-file-a-missing-person-s-report-on-my-clone-it-s-nearly/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) [Explore all 6,921 Jarod Kintz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## 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": "“A blank canvas is so abstract that only imagination can fill it. But wait! Don't hang it on the wall like that. It's upside down.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jarod Kintz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only-imagination-can-fill-it-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only-imagination-can-fill-it-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jarod-kintz-2_artist_a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only_2334279.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jarod-kintz-2_artist_a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only_2334279.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jarod-kintz-2_artist_a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only_2334279.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A blank canvas is so abstract that only imagination can fill it. But wait! Don't hang it on the wall like…” — Jarod Kintz", "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": "Jarod Kintz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A blank canvas is so abstract...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only-imagination-can-fill-it-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blank-canvas-is-so-abstract-that-only-imagination-can-fill-it-but/#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 } } ] } ```