--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not imitate one another's style. If…" description: "\"Do not imitate one another's style. If you do, so far as your art is concerned you will be called a grandson, rather than the son of Nature.\" — Leonard..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/559/leonardo-da-vinci-330_art_do-not-imitate-one-another-s-style-if-yo_2582880.jpg" --- # Do not imitate one another's style. If you do, so far as… ![“Do not imitate one another's style. If you do, so far as your art is concerned you will be called a grandson, rather than the son of Nature.” quote by Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/559/leonardo-da-vinci-330_art_do-not-imitate-one-another-s-style-if-yo_2582880.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/559/leonardo-da-vinci-330_art_do-not-imitate-one-another-s-style-if-yo_2582880.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/559/leonardo-da-vinci-330_art_do-not-imitate-one-another-s-style-if-yo_2582880.jpg) > “Do not imitate one another's style. If you do, so far as your art is concerned you will be called a grandson, rather than the son of Nature.” [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imitating others leads to derivative work; true art should arise from nature, not copying. **In simple terms:** Avoid copying; create original work. Key Takeaway Seek originality, not imitation. Themes originality authenticity artistic integrity Mood thoughtful inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - art schools - design studios - personal projects Key Concepts nature inspiration creative independence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance influence and originality? - What defines a 'son of Nature' in art? A Different Perspective Some influence is inevitable and can be instructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-concerned-1146211/) [Art is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-is/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Called Grandson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-grandson-1792930/) [Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/) [Grandson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandson/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imitate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitate/) [Imitate Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitate-style-1792928/) [Imitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitation/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) ## Related quotes > [It is not the how of painting but the why. To imitate a style would be a little like teaching a tone of voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/it-is-not-the-how-of-painting-but-the-why-to-imitate-a-style-would-be/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [A lot of people think that if they imitate the style of someone very successful then they would get more opportunities, which is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonita-gandhi/a-lot-of-people-think-that-if-they-imitate-the-style-of-someone-very/) [Jonita Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonita-gandhi/) > [I see other black women imitate my style, which is no style at all, but just letting our hair be itself. They call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-makeba/i-see-other-black-women-imitate-my-style-which-is-no-style-at-all-but/) [Miriam Makeba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-makeba/) > [Style is the physiognomy of the mind. It is more infallible than that of the body. To imitate the style of another is said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/style-is-the-physiognomy-of-the-mind-it-is-more-infallible-than-that/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [As much as I live I shall not imitate them or hate myself for being different to them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/as-much-as-i-live-i-shall-not-imitate-them-or-hate-myself-for-being/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [You may imitate, but never counterfeit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/you-may-imitate-but-never-counterfeit/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“Be yourself because an original is worth more than just a copy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/be-yourself-because-an-original-is-worth-more-than-just-a-copy/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [One must not imitate the sun, one must make oneself into a sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-dufy/one-must-not-imitate-the-sun-one-must-make-oneself-into-a-sun/) [Raoul Dufy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-dufy/) > [“The only known technique to an imitator is to steal and rephrase, then with a mischievous smile, he said, "i did it", without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-only-known-technique-to-an-imitator-is-to-steal-and-rephrase-then/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Nobody imitate of someone, maybe there's such a problem of everyone, and they also try to find a solution and it called just imitation...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manroop-suthar/nobody-imitate-of-someone-maybe-there-s-such-a-problem-of-everyone/) [Manroop suthar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manroop-suthar/) > [If you imitate the forms of a single artist through constant practice, your intelligence would have to be crude indeed for you not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cennino-cennini/if-you-imitate-the-forms-of-a-single-artist-through-constant-practice/) [Cennino Cennini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cennino-cennini/) > [When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-people-are-free-to-do-as-they-please-they-usually-imitate-each/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Don't imitate: imitation creates falsity, pseudo-ness, inauthenticity. Just feel your own way and don't bother about what others say. It is nobody else's business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-imitate-imitation-creates-falsity-pseudo-ness-inauthenticity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In literature imitations do not imitate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-literature-imitations-do-not-imitate/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“You go into extinction by being obsessed about becoming something else and then travelling in the wrong car while your real self keeps waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-go-into-extinction-by-being-obsessed-about-becoming-something/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Leonardo da Vinci > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/a-painter-should-begin-every-canvas-with-a-wash-of-black-because-all/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Nothing can be love or hated unless it is first known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/nothing-can-be-love-or-hated-unless-it-is-first-known/) [Leonardo Da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [An arch consists of two weaknesses which, leaning one against the other, make a strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/an-arch-consists-of-two-weaknesses-which-leaning-one-against-the/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [But to me all sciences seem vain and full of error that are not born of experience, mother of all certainty, and do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/but-to-me-all-sciences-seem-vain-and-full-of-error-that-are-not-born/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“Time stays long enough for those who use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/time-stays-long-enough-for-those-who-use-it/) [Leonardo Da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [It is ordained that to the ambitious, who derive no satisfaction from the gifts of life and the beauty of the world, life shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/it-is-ordained-that-to-the-ambitious-who-derive-no-satisfaction-from/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Be a mirror, absorb everything around you and still remain the same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/be-a-mirror-absorb-everything-around-you-and-still-remain-the-same/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Your brain is much better than you think; just use it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/your-brain-is-much-better-than-you-think-just-use-it/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Necessity is a guardian in Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/necessity-is-a-guardian-in-nature/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/human-subtlety-will-never-devise-an-invention-more-beautiful-more/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/people-reveal-themselves-completely-only-when-they-are-thrown-out-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [To be a winner you must want to win but must know of the chance of losing and must not fear of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/to-be-a-winner-you-must-want-to-win-but-must-know-of-the-chance-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Nature is so delightful and abundant in its variations that among trees of the same kind there would not be found one which nearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/nature-is-so-delightful-and-abundant-in-its-variations-that-among/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Wisdom is the daughter of experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/wisdom-is-the-daughter-of-experience/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) [Explore all 664 Leonardo da Vinci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) ## 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. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [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/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. 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