--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The artist must know how far to go too far." description: "\"The artist must know how far to go too far.\" — Jean Cocteau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/jean-cocteau-1181_art_the-artist-must-know-how-far-to-go-too-f_2384638.jpg" --- # The artist must know how far to go too far. ![“The artist must know how far to go too far.” quote by Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/jean-cocteau-1181_art_the-artist-must-know-how-far-to-go-too-f_2384638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/jean-cocteau-1181_art_the-artist-must-know-how-far-to-go-too-f_2384638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/jean-cocteau-1181_art_the-artist-must-know-how-far-to-go-too-f_2384638.jpg) > “The artist must know how far to go too far.” [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing creative ambition with restraint prevents excess and maintains impact. **In simple terms:** Know when to stop pushing ideas. Key Takeaway Find the sweet spot between daring and overreach. Themes creativity balance discipline Mood reflective determined Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - design projects - writing drafts - musical composition - visual art - marketing campaigns Key Concepts artistic limits self‑regulation Questions to Reflect On - When have you over‑extended a project? - How do you decide the optimal level of innovation? A Different Perspective Pushing too far can alienate audiences or dilute message. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artist Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist-know/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-far-879706/) [Know how](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-how/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Too far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-far/) ## Related quotes > [“We know far more than we were ever taught.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/we-know-far-more-than-we-were-ever-taught/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [What we know is far less important than what we use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-eikenberry/what-we-know-is-far-less-important-than-what-we-use/) [Kevin Eikenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-eikenberry/) > [You can't know how far you can go, unless you try to go too far...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aqariya-news-magazine/you-can-t-know-how-far-you-can-go-unless-you-try-to-go-too-far/) [Aqariya News Magazine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aqariya-news-magazine/) > [“I don't know how far it got, but it looked pretty flightworthy from where I was standing,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-merrick/i-don-t-know-how-far-it-got-but-it-looked-pretty-flightworthy-from/) [Steve Merrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-merrick/) > [“With such a small brain, I don't know how you made it this far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-shan/with-such-a-small-brain-i-don-t-know-how-you-made-it-this-far/) [Darren shan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-shan/) > [If a woman never lets herself go, how will she ever know how far she might have got?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/if-a-woman-never-lets-herself-go-how-will-she-ever-know-how-far-she/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Hit me up in 20 yrs!!! Let me know how far being fake got you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hit-me-up-in-20-yrs-let-me-know-how-far-being-fake-got-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you take another step, and another, you will be surprised to know how far you can go from the point you thought was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhatsprincess/if-you-take-another-step-and-another-you-will-be-surprised-to-know/) [ZhatsPrincess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhatsprincess/) > [You never know how far you can go unless you run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-never-know-how-far-you-can-go-unless-you-run/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're not brave enough to take the first step, then you'll never know how far you can go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-not-brave-enough-to-take-the-first-step-then-you-ll-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even though I know how very far apart we are, it helps to think we might be wishing underneath the same bright star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/even-though-i-know-how-very-far-apart-we-are-it-helps-to-think-we/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [When you are absolutely, positively sure you know all there is to know about anything, you're as far from the truth as you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-hull/when-you-are-absolutely-positively-sure-you-know-all-there-is-to-know/) [Bobby Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-hull/) > [“Whoever risks, shall know how far they can reach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-risks-shall-know-how-far-they-can-reach/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Sometimes the only way to know how far you'd come was to return to where you once had been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/sometimes-the-only-way-to-know-how-far-you-d-come-was-to-return-to/) [J.R. 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It is you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-the-public-criticizes-in-you-cultivate-it-is-you/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Here I am trying to live, or rather, I am trying to teach the death within me how to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/here-i-am-trying-to-live-or-rather-i-am-trying-to-teach-the-death/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) [Explore all 255 Jean Cocteau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) ## 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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