--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You should look at certain walls stained…" description: "\"You should look at certain walls stained with damp, or at stones of uneven color. If you have to invent some backgrounds you will be able to see in the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f9/leonardo-da-vinci-330_able_you-should-look-at-certain-walls-stained_2133714.jpg" --- # You should look at certain walls stained with damp, or at… ![“You should look at certain walls stained with damp, or at stones of uneven color. If you have to invent some backgrounds you will be able to see in these the likeness of divine landscapes, adorned with mountains, ruins, rocks, woods, great plains, hills and valleys in great variety; and…” quote by Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f9/leonardo-da-vinci-330_able_you-should-look-at-certain-walls-stained_2133714.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f9/leonardo-da-vinci-330_able_you-should-look-at-certain-walls-stained_2133714.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f9/leonardo-da-vinci-330_able_you-should-look-at-certain-walls-stained_2133714.jpg) > “You should look at certain walls stained with damp, or at stones of uneven color. If you have to invent some backgrounds you will be able to see in these the likeness of divine landscapes, adorned with mountains, ruins, rocks, woods, great plains, hills and valleys in great variety; and expressions of faces and clothes and an infinity of things which you will be able to reduce to their complete and proper forms. In such walls the same thing happens as in the sound of bells, in whose stroke you may find every named word which you can imagine.” [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. Observing natural textures and colors helps the artist imagine and render divine, varied landscapes and forms. **In simple terms:** Nature inspires detailed, imaginative art. Key Takeaway Study textures, then imagine broader scenes. Themes observation imagination detail Mood inspired thoughtful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - landscape painting - architectural design - concept art - educational illustration Key Concepts Renaissance art visual perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you translate observed details into imaginative compositions? - What textures spark your creative ideas? A Different Perspective May limit imagination if over‑reliant on literal observation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bells/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Hills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hills/) [Hills and valleys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hills-and-valleys/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Infinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinity/) [Landscape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landscape/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woods/) ## Related quotes > [“Look at walls splashed with a number of stains, or stones of various mixed colours. If you have to invent some scene, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/look-at-walls-splashed-with-a-number-of-stains-or-stones-of-various/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [I am reminded, now, of Leonardo's advice to painters: You should fix your eyes, he says, on certain walls stained with damp. You will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-carson/i-am-reminded-now-of-leonardo-s-advice-to-painters-you-should-fix/) [Ciaran Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-carson/) > [In Sparta, paintings have been taken out of certain walls by cutting through the bricks, then have been placed in wooden frames, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/in-sparta-paintings-have-been-taken-out-of-certain-walls-by-cutting/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Landscape planners will have the opportunity to make sculptured roofscapes, so that cities appear to be verdant hills and valleys. Streets will become shady…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-turner/landscape-planners-will-have-the-opportunity-to-make-sculptured/) [Tom Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-turner/) > [There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing. Have you cried for that boy today?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-hansberry/there-is-always-something-left-to-love-and-if-you-ain-t-learned-that/) [Lorraine Hansberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-hansberry/) > [Along this crazy journey of life, there are hills and valleys. Everyone experiences them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/along-this-crazy-journey-of-life-there-are-hills-and-valleys-everyone/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/the-hilltop-hour-would-not-be-half-so-wonderful-if-there-were-no-dark/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“I used to think that life was hills and valleys-you go through a dark time, then to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-adeniyi/i-used-to-think-that-life-was-hills-and-valleys-you-go-through-a-dark/) [Elizabeth Adeniyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-adeniyi/) > [“...a flight to Philly, then took the train west through hills and valleys where people sat mourning the loss of steel and wondering what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/a-flight-to-philly-then-took-the-train-west-through-hills-and-valleys/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [Because words were hills and valleys you traveled, so lovely sometimes that they hurt your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/because-words-were-hills-and-valleys-you-traveled-so-lovely-sometimes/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Life has all sorts of hills and valleys, and sometimes you don't end up doing what you had your heart set out on, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-buzzi/life-has-all-sorts-of-hills-and-valleys-and-sometimes-you-don-t-end/) [Ruth Buzzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-buzzi/) > [I once drove a pair of horses from New York to Vicksburg, and to this day I can almost map out that country as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collis-potter-huntington/i-once-drove-a-pair-of-horses-from-new-york-to-vicksburg-and-to-this/) [Collis Potter Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collis-potter-huntington/) > [Marriage is a journey. It's hills and valleys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-amurri/marriage-is-a-journey-it-s-hills-and-valleys/) [Eva Amurri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-amurri/) > [I feel the flatline of my existence disrupting, forming heartbeat hills and valleys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-marion/i-feel-the-flatline-of-my-existence-disrupting-forming-heartbeat/) [Isaac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-marion/) > [Science and art may invent splendid modes of illuminating the apartments of the opulent; but these are all poor and worthless compared with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/science-and-art-may-invent-splendid-modes-of-illuminating-the/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) ## 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 Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You should look at certain walls stained with damp, or at stones of uneven color. 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