--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A poet needs a pen, a painter a brush…" description: "\"A poet needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a director an army.\" — Orson Welles" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/orson-welles-1628_army_a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and_821577.jpg" --- # A poet needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a director an… ![“A poet needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a director an army.” quote by Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/orson-welles-1628_army_a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and_821577.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/orson-welles-1628_army_a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and_821577.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/orson-welles-1628_army_a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and_821577.jpg) > “A poet needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a director an army.” [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists require tools and resources appropriate to their medium; a director needs a large team like an army. **In simple terms:** Each art form needs its own essential tools. Key Takeaway Provide proper resources for creators. Themes art creativity resources collaboration Mood analytical inspirational Type creative professional When to use this quote - film set - theatre production - studio recording Key Concepts production visual arts literature film Questions to Reflect On - What resources are essential for your craft? - How does collaboration shape artistic vision? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on resources can stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [A writer needs a pen, an artist needs a brush, but a filmmaker needs an army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-writer-needs-a-pen-an-artist-needs-a-brush-but-a-filmmaker-needs-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To write, one only needs a pen. Of course, by pen I mean enclosure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mcgowan/to-write-one-only-needs-a-pen-of-course-by-pen-i-mean-enclosure/) [Heather McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mcgowan/) > [When we digital artists talk about painting on the computer, that is exactly what we do. The paints we use are pixels, the brush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-lambert/when-we-digital-artists-talk-about-painting-on-the-computer-that-is/) [Donald Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-lambert/) > [I don't consider myself to be a painter. I think of myself as someone who has used the medium of painting in an attempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/i-don-t-consider-myself-to-be-a-painter-i-think-of-myself-as-someone/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [Is encouragement what the poet needs? Open question. Maybe he needs discouragement. In fact, quite a few of them need more discouragement, the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fitzgerald/is-encouragement-what-the-poet-needs-open-question-maybe-he-needs/) [Robert Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fitzgerald/) > [A poet needs to keep his wilderness alive inside him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kunitz/a-poet-needs-to-keep-his-wilderness-alive-inside-him/) [Stanley Kunitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kunitz/) > [The poet needs a ground in popular tradition on which he may work, and which, again, may restrain his art within the due temperance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-poet-needs-a-ground-in-popular-tradition-on-which-he-may-work-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The workplace needs the poet's gift. But the poet also needs to be educated about the workplace. You're not just coming in to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-whyte/the-workplace-needs-the-poet-s-gift-but-the-poet-also-needs-to-be/) [David Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-whyte/) > [My first advice would be to read, read, read, which sounds interesting coming in a digital age, but it's so much easier to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/my-first-advice-would-be-to-read-read-read-which-sounds-interesting/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [Why are poets so apt to choose their mates, not for any similarity of poetic endowment, but for qualities which might make the happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/why-are-poets-so-apt-to-choose-their-mates-not-for-any-similarity-of/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [A poet needs to keep his wilderness alive inside him. To remain a poet after forty requires an awareness of your darkest Africa, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kunitz/a-poet-needs-to-keep-his-wilderness-alive-inside-him-to-remain-a-poet/) [Stanley Kunitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kunitz/) > [I need you like the roses need the rain. Like the poet needs the pain. I just can't live without you. My body and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-need-you-like-the-roses-need-the-rain-like-the-poet-needs-the-pain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ I've been very lucky with the people I've met over the years. Way back in the early '70s I went to \[Phil\] Seuling's conventions… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-royer/i-ve-been-very-lucky-with-the-people-i-ve-met-over-the-years-way-back/) [Mike Royer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-royer/) > [The artivist (artist +activist) uses her artistic talents to fight and struggle against injustice and oppression – by any medium necessary. The artivist merges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-k-asante-2/the-artivist-artist-activist-uses-her-artistic-talents-to-fight-and/) [M. K. Asante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-k-asante-2/) > [You may think you don't have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/you-may-think-you-don-t-have-talents-but-that-is-a-false-assumption/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) ## More by Orson Welles > [The two things you cannot do effectively on stage are pray and copulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/the-two-things-you-cannot-do-effectively-on-stage-are-pray-and/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [There are a thousand ways of playing a good classic. If it were effective, I would play Hamlet on a trapeze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/there-are-a-thousand-ways-of-playing-a-good-classic-if-it-were/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [I am essentially a hack, a commercial person. If I had a hobby, I would immediately make money on it or abandon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/i-am-essentially-a-hack-a-commercial-person-if-i-had-a-hobby-i-would/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [The essential is to excite the spectators. If that means playing Hamlet on a flying trapeze or in an aquarium, you do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/the-essential-is-to-excite-the-spectators-if-that-means-playing/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [There are three intolerable things in life - cold coffee, lukewarm champagne, and overexcited women...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/there-are-three-intolerable-things-in-life-cold-coffee-lukewarm/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [I'm extremely surprised to learn that a story, which has become familiar to children through the medium of comic strips and many succeeding novels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/i-m-extremely-surprised-to-learn-that-a-story-which-has-become/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [I hate women, hate them generally, not in particular but in an abstract way. I hate them because one never really learns anything about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/i-hate-women-hate-them-generally-not-in-particular-but-in-an-abstract/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [When television came along, I'd already done more than 10 years of radio work and I thought everyone would want me. I sat around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/when-television-came-along-i-d-already-done-more-than-10-years-of/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [Look at the real prodigies, and I look like nothing compared to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/look-at-the-real-prodigies-and-i-look-like-nothing-compared-to-them/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [The laws and the stage, both are a form of exhibitionism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/the-laws-and-the-stage-both-are-a-form-of-exhibitionism/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [In the theater there are 1,500 cameras rolling at the same time - in the cinema, only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/in-the-theater-there-are-1-500-cameras-rolling-at-the-same-time-in/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [In Italy, for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/in-italy-for-30-years-under-the-borgias-they-had-warfare-terror/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [I would rather be on the set than doing anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/i-would-rather-be-on-the-set-than-doing-anything/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [I prefer people who rock the boat to people who jump out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/i-prefer-people-who-rock-the-boat-to-people-who-jump-out/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [If I don't like somebody's looks, I don't like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/if-i-don-t-like-somebody-s-looks-i-don-t-like-them/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) [Explore all 218 Orson Welles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have real strong feelings about our troops and support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-real-strong-feelings-about-our-troops-and-support-them/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A poet needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a director an army.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Orson Welles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and-a-director-an-army/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Army" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and-a-director-an-army/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/orson-welles-1628_army_a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and_821577.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/orson-welles-1628_army_a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and_821577.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/orson-welles-1628_army_a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and_821577.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A poet needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a director an army.” — Orson Welles", "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": "Orson Welles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A poet needs a pen, a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and-a-director-an-army/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/a-poet-needs-a-pen-a-painter-a-brush-and-a-director-an-army/#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 } } ] } ```