--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Painting from life was incredibly…" description: "\"Painting from life was incredibly important for me because it allowed me to train my eyes to see everything that is there. But I realized early on that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/lynette-yiadom-boakye-54191_artist_painting-from-life-was-incredibly-import_2631435.jpg" --- # Painting from life was incredibly important for me because… ![“Painting from life was incredibly important for me because it allowed me to train my eyes to see everything that is there. But I realized early on that painting from life wasn't something that I was all that invested in. I was always more interested in the painting than I was the people. For me…” quote by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/lynette-yiadom-boakye-54191_artist_painting-from-life-was-incredibly-import_2631435.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/lynette-yiadom-boakye-54191_artist_painting-from-life-was-incredibly-import_2631435.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/lynette-yiadom-boakye-54191_artist_painting-from-life-was-incredibly-import_2631435.jpg) > “Painting from life was incredibly important for me because it allowed me to train my eyes to see everything that is there. But I realized early on that painting from life wasn't something that I was all that invested in. I was always more interested in the painting than I was the people. For me, removing that as a compulsion offered me a lot more freedom to actually paint and think about color, form, movement, and light.” [Lynette Yiadom-Boakye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynette-yiadom-boakye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Training the eye by painting from life builds observational skill, but focusing on the subject rather than the act frees creative expression of color, form, and light. **In simple terms:** Seeing details improves skill; focusing on subject frees creativity. Key Takeaway Observe first, then create. Themes art observation creativity Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - painting classes - studio practice - art education - personal growth Key Concepts visual perception artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How does observation shape your art? - When did you feel freer to experiment? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on technique can stifle intuition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [I realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-realized/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Interested Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested-painting-382217/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Paint Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint-think-324022/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Painting Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting-life-825918/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Removing Compulsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/removing-compulsion-2193925/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) ## Related quotes > [When I paint, I never think of selling. People simply fail to understand that we paint in order to experiment and to develop ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edvard-munch/when-i-paint-i-never-think-of-selling-people-simply-fail-to/) [Edvard Munch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edvard-munch/) > [I consider myself lucky to have had wonderful teachers. They expose you to a lot and basically teach you how to paint. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brice-marden/i-consider-myself-lucky-to-have-had-wonderful-teachers-they-expose/) [Brice Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brice-marden/) > [I paint what I think, not what I see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/i-paint-what-i-think-not-what-i-see/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I'm like anyone else. I'm sure people who write, paint or whatever. They think whatever they just did is their best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/i-m-like-anyone-else-i-m-sure-people-who-write-paint-or-whatever-they/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [One of the main reasons I paint is because I think nature is so wonderful. I want to try to get my feelings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-hughes/one-of-the-main-reasons-i-paint-is-because-i-think-nature-is-so/) [E. J. Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-hughes/) > [Music is just one of the tools a director has with which to paint and I think it's one of the most effective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/music-is-just-one-of-the-tools-a-director-has-with-which-to-paint-and/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [“Have you ever stared at a painting so long that the colors blur and you can’t tell what you’re looking at anymore? There’s no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/have-you-ever-stared-at-a-painting-so-long-that-the-colors-blur-and/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I'm not particularly interested in painting, per se. I'm interested in a painting that has that mysterious life to it. Anything that doesn't partake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/i-m-not-particularly-interested-in-painting-per-se-i-m-interested-in/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [I'm interested in painting the most beautifully compelling pictures and images and metaphors and stories and explanations possible that will put Jesus in language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/i-m-interested-in-painting-the-most-beautifully-compelling-pictures/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [What can be said about a man who is interested in nothing but his painting? It's a pity if a man can only interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/what-can-be-said-about-a-man-who-is-interested-in-nothing-but-his/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [One learns about painting by looking at and imitating other painters. I can't stress enough how important it is, if you are interested at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/one-learns-about-painting-by-looking-at-and-imitating-other-painters/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [I'm never interested in the painting being a mirror to culture. I think that's really boring. What I'm interested in is painting as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-schutz/i-m-never-interested-in-the-painting-being-a-mirror-to-culture-i/) [Dana Schutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-schutz/) > [What interested me in film was the image-making aspect of it. So, I went to school in cinematography. I was really convinced that image…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babette-mangolte/what-interested-me-in-film-was-the-image-making-aspect-of-it-so-i/) [Babette Mangolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babette-mangolte/) > [When I was 12 years old, I went to Natchitoches, La.; it was summer vacation with my family. We visited a plantation, Melrose. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/when-i-was-12-years-old-i-went-to-natchitoches-la-it-was-summer/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [I'm not interested in painting; I'm not interested in making a picture. Then what the hell am I interested in? I must be interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-guston/i-m-not-interested-in-painting-i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-picture/) [Philip Guston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-guston/) ## More by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye > [When people ask about the aspect of race in the work, they are looking for very simple or easy answers. Part of it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynette-yiadom-boakye/when-people-ask-about-the-aspect-of-race-in-the-work-they-are-looking/) [Lynette Yiadom-Boakye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynette-yiadom-boakye/) > [It's hard to pin down what the politics would be, in a way. For me the politics are very visual and felt, thought, seen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynette-yiadom-boakye/it-s-hard-to-pin-down-what-the-politics-would-be-in-a-way-for-me-the/) [Lynette Yiadom-Boakye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynette-yiadom-boakye/) > [People are tempted to politicize the fact that I paint black figures, and the complexity of this is an essential part of the work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynette-yiadom-boakye/people-are-tempted-to-politicize-the-fact-that-i-paint-black-figures/) [Lynette Yiadom-Boakye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynette-yiadom-boakye/) > [The timelessness is completely important. It's partly about removing things that would become in some way nostalgic. There aren't really any markers of time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynette-yiadom-boakye/the-timelessness-is-completely-important-it-s-partly-about-removing/) [Lynette Yiadom-Boakye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynette-yiadom-boakye/) > [I always say the work is not a celebration as such, because that's sometimes just as weird and excluding and perverse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynette-yiadom-boakye/i-always-say-the-work-is-not-a-celebration-as-such-because-that-s/) [Lynette Yiadom-Boakye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynette-yiadom-boakye/) [Explore all 6 Lynette Yiadom-Boakye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynette-yiadom-boakye/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "Painting from life was incredibly important for me because it allowed me to train my eyes to see everything that is there. But I realized early on that painting from life wasn't something that I was all that invested in. I was always more interested in the painting than I was the people. 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