--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have an idea, you have to move on…" description: "\"If you have an idea, you have to move on it, to make a gesture. Drawing is an immediate way of articulating that idea - of making a gesture that is bot..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jeff-koons-7195_artist_if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on_1978064.png" --- # If you have an idea, you have to move on it, to make a… ![“If you have an idea, you have to move on it, to make a gesture. Drawing is an immediate way of articulating that idea - of making a gesture that is both physical and intellectual.” quote by Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jeff-koons-7195_artist_if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on_1978064.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jeff-koons-7195_artist_if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on_1978064.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jeff-koons-7195_artist_if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on_1978064.png) > “If you have an idea, you have to move on it, to make a gesture. Drawing is an immediate way of articulating that idea - of making a gesture that is both physical and intellectual.” [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas require concrete action; drawing translates concept into a tangible, intellectual gesture. **In simple terms:** Act on ideas through drawing Key Takeaway Turn thoughts into visible gestures. Themes creativity action expression art process Mood inspired reflective Type practical philosophical When to use this quote - studio practice - design brainstorming - creative workshops Key Concepts Embodiment of ideas gesture theory visual thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does drawing shape your ideas? - Can other media replace this gesture? A Different Perspective Physical gestures may limit abstract nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Gesture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gesture/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) ## Related quotes > [“The first language humans had was gestures. There was nothing primitive about this language that flowed from people’s hands, nothing we say now that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/the-first-language-humans-had-was-gestures-there-was-nothing/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“It is only a gesture,” he said, turning back to Shadow. “But gestures mean everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-is-only-a-gesture-he-said-turning-back-to-shadow-but-gestures-mean/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Before they got vengeful, conservatives had some useful points to make about welfare. Government 'help' is too often guilt-assuaging gesture. It creates layers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/before-they-got-vengeful-conservatives-had-some-useful-points-to-make/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [“He extended a finger to her face, the simple gesture bringing into play the sleek muscles of his shoulders and arms. “You are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lange/he-extended-a-finger-to-her-face-the-simple-gesture-bringing-into/) [Chris Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lange/) > [The most shocking act, closely examined, is just a louder version of some habitual gesture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-choi/the-most-shocking-act-closely-examined-is-just-a-louder-version-of/) [Susan Choi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-choi/) > [There's something strange about a laptop, how you can make the tiniest gesture and make the biggest sound. I don't feel I've resolved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-meredith/there-s-something-strange-about-a-laptop-how-you-can-make-the-tiniest/) [Anna Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-meredith/) > [“She gives me the finger and turns back around. "Did you see that?" I flinch at the gesture. "That is completely illegal in here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/addison-moore/she-gives-me-the-finger-and-turns-back-around-did-you-see-that-i/) [Addison Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/addison-moore/) > [Then something unexpected happens. At least, I don't expect it because I don't think of District 12 as a place that cares about me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/then-something-unexpected-happens-at-least-i-don-t-expect-it-because/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [All my life I have struggled to make one authentic gesture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/all-my-life-i-have-struggled-to-make-one-authentic-gesture/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [Even the smallest gesture can make a huge difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-butler/even-the-smallest-gesture-can-make-a-huge-difference/) [Billy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-butler/) > [All art is an intensely vulnerable gesture, and it is made with no small amounts of risk, and fear. So, I have plenty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/all-art-is-an-intensely-vulnerable-gesture-and-it-is-made-with-no/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [“Thanks. I forgot how to flip off the English. I'll use the correct hand gesture next time." "My pleasure. Always happy to educate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/thanks-i-forgot-how-to-flip-off-the-english-i-ll-use-the-correct-hand/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“The desire to describe voice, gesture, skin color, is a desire to eat, take over, make into part of the pattern. I am happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-lockwood/the-desire-to-describe-voice-gesture-skin-color-is-a-desire-to-eat/) [Patricia Lockwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-lockwood/) > [Never raise your hand menacingly, but only in a friendly gesture!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-von-la-roche/never-raise-your-hand-menacingly-but-only-in-a-friendly-gesture/) Sophie von La Roche > [The gesture of taking the watch from the pocket and looking at the time is very elegant for a man, but if I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mille/the-gesture-of-taking-the-watch-from-the-pocket-and-looking-at-the/) [Richard Mille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mille/) ## More by Jeff Koons > [A lot of times, my work is looked at very much on the surface. It's very easy to just want to put something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/a-lot-of-times-my-work-is-looked-at-very-much-on-the-surface-it-s/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [I'm interested in power. I'm interested in the kind of polarities and equilibriums that take place within sexuality and philosophy and sociology. So in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-m-interested-in-power-i-m-interested-in-the-kind-of-polarities-and/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [I thought I would call myself a pig before the viewer could, so they could only think more of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-thought-i-would-call-myself-a-pig-before-the-viewer-could-so-they/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [I would prefer a normal-sized breast, or a small breast or whatever, and that it be natural, than to understand that it was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-would-prefer-a-normal-sized-breast-or-a-small-breast-or-whatever/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [I believe in advertisement and media completely. My art and my personal life are based in it. I think that the art world would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-believe-in-advertisement-and-media-completely-my-art-and-my/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [I believe in sensuality. I believe in sex. I believe in the survival of the species. I like aspects of things that are ethereal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-believe-in-sensuality-i-believe-in-sex-i-believe-in-the-survival-of/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [Even in making objects, as soon as you start to get the feeling that some form of craft is coming into place, you realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/even-in-making-objects-as-soon-as-you-start-to-get-the-feeling-that/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [Art is something that happens inside us. We look at things in the world, and we become excited by them. We understand our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/art-is-something-that-happens-inside-us-we-look-at-things-in-the/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [It's wonderful to make a lot of money, to be able to take care of my family, to have the facilities I have and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/it-s-wonderful-to-make-a-lot-of-money-to-be-able-to-take-care-of-my/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [I'm really not a person who consumes a lot. I don't have a sports car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-m-really-not-a-person-who-consumes-a-lot-i-don-t-have-a-sports-car/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [I love the gallery, the arena of representation. It's a commercial world, and morality is based generally around economics, and that's taking place in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-love-the-gallery-the-arena-of-representation-it-s-a-commercial/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [Abstraction and luxury are the guard dogs of the upper class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/abstraction-and-luxury-are-the-guard-dogs-of-the-upper-class/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [It's not about finding relevance or perfection or imperfection in objects, but it's that you can accept yourself and then go out and accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/it-s-not-about-finding-relevance-or-perfection-or-imperfection-in/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [I try to be a truthful artist and I try to show a level of courage. I enjoy that. I'm a messenger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-try-to-be-a-truthful-artist-and-i-try-to-show-a-level-of-courage-i/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [People have different ideas, emotional ideas, of what certain words mean, and they think of irony as something that's more associated with being cynical-it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/people-have-different-ideas-emotional-ideas-of-what-certain-words/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) [Explore all 93 Jeff Koons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) ## 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": "If you have an idea, you have to move on it, to make a gesture. Drawing is an immediate way of articulating that idea - of making a gesture that is both physical and intellectual.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeff Koons" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on-it-to-make-a-gesture-drawing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on-it-to-make-a-gesture-drawing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jeff-koons-7195_artist_if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on_1978064.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jeff-koons-7195_artist_if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on_1978064.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jeff-koons-7195_artist_if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on_1978064.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you have an idea, you have to move on it, to make a gesture. Drawing is an immediate way of articulating…” — Jeff Koons", "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": "Jeff Koons", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you have an idea, you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on-it-to-make-a-gesture-drawing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/if-you-have-an-idea-you-have-to-move-on-it-to-make-a-gesture-drawing/#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 } } ] } ```