Action Quote by Nigel Cooke
“The paintings don't exist outside themselves. There's no lead photograph off the internet or anything like that. It all comes from my mind and it's a bit like a little movie each time - how do I get the props, the setting, the time of day, the light, the action.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Art Talk, Nigel Cooke, 2022
The artist creates images solely from imagination, not from existing photographs, treating each piece like a personal film with self‑generated props and lighting.
In simple terms: Art is imagined, not copied.
Key Takeaway
Embrace imagination in creation.
Themes
creativity
imagination
artistic process
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
artistic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- painting
- film making
- storyboarding
- creative brainstorming
Key Concepts
visual art
mental imagery
conceptualization
Questions to Reflect On
- How does imagination shape your perception of art?
- What limits arise without visual references?
A Different Perspective
Works may lack reference realism, challenging audience connection.
![“Small thoughts grow into a picture. It may suggest an individual or it may suggest a place, but generally the painting's job is to work that [idea] into an abstract proposition that is completely removed from the starting point.” quote by Nigel Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b8/nigel-cooke-39620_abstract_small-thoughts-grow-into-a-picture-it-ma_1130734.jpg)
