--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wasn't a very good illustrator so I…" description: "\"I wasn't a very good illustrator so I became a designer.\" — Paula Scher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/paula-scher-7840_designer_i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-be_1440742.png" --- # I wasn't a very good illustrator so I became a designer. ![“I wasn't a very good illustrator so I became a designer.” quote by Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/paula-scher-7840_designer_i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-be_1440742.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/paula-scher-7840_designer_i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-be_1440742.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/paula-scher-7840_designer_i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-be_1440742.png) > “I wasn't a very good illustrator so I became a designer.” [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Turning a perceived weakness in illustration into a strength in design, highlighting adaptability. **In simple terms:** Use your limits to find new paths. Key Takeaway Leverage weaknesses into strengths. Themes adaptability creativity career pivots self‑acceptance Mood reflective encouraging Type career inspirational When to use this quote - graphic design - career change - skill development - self‑branding Key Concepts Design thinking career development Questions to Reflect On - What skill can you repurpose? - How can limits inspire innovation? A Different Perspective Success may still require formal training in new fields. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Designer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designer/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Good Illustrator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-illustrator-1280548/) [Illustrator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illustrator/) [Illustrator Designer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illustrator-designer-5154783/) [Illustrators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illustrators/) [Very good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-good/) [Wasn Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasn-good-279690/) ## Related quotes > [Illustrations have as much to say as the text. The trick is to say the same thing, but in a different way. It's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/illustrations-have-as-much-to-say-as-the-text-the-trick-is-to-say-the/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-grandpre/when-i-illustrate-a-cover-or-a-book-i-draw-upon-what-the-author-tells/) [Mary GrandPre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-grandpre/) > [I love illustrating for other writers because I am given stories I never would have thought of, and my work as an illustrator is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/i-love-illustrating-for-other-writers-because-i-am-given-stories-i/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [An illustrator in my own mind - and this is not a truth of any kind - is someone who so falls in love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/an-illustrator-in-my-own-mind-and-this-is-not-a-truth-of-any-kind-is/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [It's really thrilling to work with an illustrator - your vision expands with the addition of someone else's artwork/artistic vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthea-harvey/it-s-really-thrilling-to-work-with-an-illustrator-your-vision-expands/) [Matthea Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthea-harvey/) > [I've been very lucky. I've had three separate careers: freelance illustrator, then set designer, puppetteer and animator, and now fine artist. I just bluffed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/i-ve-been-very-lucky-i-ve-had-three-separate-careers-freelance/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [I wound up studying art and design, got a job at Lonely Planet Publications as a designer, cartographer and illustrator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/i-wound-up-studying-art-and-design-got-a-job-at-lonely-planet/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [The illustrator is essentially a reporter: his subjects come from the outside, lit by a flash. A subject comes to the classical artist from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/the-illustrator-is-essentially-a-reporter-his-subjects-come-from-the/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [I have learned patience, for sure. Pre-publication is a long waiting game, especially for authors of picture books. We write the manuscript, sign the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-e-watson/i-have-learned-patience-for-sure-pre-publication-is-a-long-waiting/) [Renee Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-e-watson/) > [Even tiny children looking at a picture book are using their imaginations, gleaning clues from the images to understand what is happening, and perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/even-tiny-children-looking-at-a-picture-book-are-using-their/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [Artists are not helper monkeys; they’re not in it to visualize 'your' story, because it stopped being 'your' story the moment you engaged in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/artists-are-not-helper-monkeys-they-re-not-in-it-to-visualize-your/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [Kendrick Lamar taught me that life experience is an important part of being a good illustrator. When you're illustrating a story, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-ricch/kendrick-lamar-taught-me-that-life-experience-is-an-important-part-of/) [Roddy Ricch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-ricch/) > [Planning is design. As a designer what I tend to do, and what's different from being a painter, is that I interact with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/planning-is-design-as-a-designer-what-i-tend-to-do-and-what-s/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [Brandon McCaw was in the Music Business for 5,000 years in his life time and he was in 5,000,000,000 movies all together in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mccaw/brandon-mccaw-was-in-the-music-business-for-5-000-years-in-his-life/) [Brandon McCaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mccaw/) > [I wanted to become an illustrator as a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/i-wanted-to-become-an-illustrator-as-a-child/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) ## More by Paula Scher > [Your work gets destroyed by dumb people and it gets enhanced by smart people and it really doesn't have anything to do with marketing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/your-work-gets-destroyed-by-dumb-people-and-it-gets-enhanced-by-smart/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [What makes me say "wow" is usually something I haven't encountered, in a new way... something I haven't encountered before or something I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/what-makes-me-say-wow-is-usually-something-i-haven-t-encountered-in-a/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [I find that I'm at my least creative point when I am doing something that I've done in repetition and I know all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/i-find-that-i-m-at-my-least-creative-point-when-i-am-doing-something/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [I think Apple is a wonderful example of spectacular marketing and I love having my iPod. There are the naysayers who say that "nyah,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/i-think-apple-is-a-wonderful-example-of-spectacular-marketing-and-i/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [I've become much more interested in architecture than I've ever been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/i-ve-become-much-more-interested-in-architecture-than-i-ve-ever-been/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [Some people are in stultifying environments where there are rigid rules and rituals and they need that to thrive, where other people are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/some-people-are-in-stultifying-environments-where-there-are-rigid/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [Planning is design. As a designer what I tend to do, and what's different from being a painter, is that I interact with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/planning-is-design-as-a-designer-what-i-tend-to-do-and-what-s/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [Great design is serious, not solemn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/great-design-is-serious-not-solemn/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [I love that the level of mediocrity rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/i-love-that-the-level-of-mediocrity-rises/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [Words have meaning, type has spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/words-have-meaning-type-has-spirit/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [Beige is the color of indecision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/beige-is-the-color-of-indecision/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [To me what really matters is that it shouldn't matter to you what day of the week it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/to-me-what-really-matters-is-that-it-shouldn-t-matter-to-you-what-day/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [If people that made products didn't market them and sell them we'd have no economy and nobody would be working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/if-people-that-made-products-didn-t-market-them-and-sell-them-we-d/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [Planning involves considering how other people may use something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/planning-involves-considering-how-other-people-may-use-something/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [I'm most proud of the fact that I get to keep growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/i-m-most-proud-of-the-fact-that-i-get-to-keep-growing/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) [Explore all 87 Paula Scher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) ## More Designer quotes > [I am very sad that some designers are still using real fur when the fake alternatives are so effective and so easily obtainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/i-am-very-sad-that-some-designers-are-still-using-real-fur-when-the/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [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/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Under Thatcher, who ruled us with an iron rod, great art was made. Amazing designers and musicians. Acid house was born. Very colourful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/under-thatcher-who-ruled-us-with-an-iron-rod-great-art-was-made/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [Users are not designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-nielsen/users-are-not-designers/) [Jakob Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-nielsen/) > [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. I have to admit that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/mac-allowed-me-to-have-complete-freedom-on-the-collaborations-from/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [As a designer, I believe in the power of fashion. It has the ability to not only change how you look but also how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-knowles/as-a-designer-i-believe-in-the-power-of-fashion-it-has-the-ability-to/) [Tina Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-knowles/) > [I love Christopher Bailey and Burberry, Mulberry for bags, and Hudson for jeans. I like a little bit of designer with a bit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-delevingne/i-love-christopher-bailey-and-burberry-mulberry-for-bags-and-hudson/) [Cara Delevingne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-delevingne/) > [I don't think generally speaking, there are a lot of innovators and inventors. Many of the designers take what exists already and update it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/i-don-t-think-generally-speaking-there-are-a-lot-of-innovators-and/) [Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/) > [As a designer, everything is always about aesthetics mixed in with functionality and having that visual appeal. But you learn fast as a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/as-a-designer-everything-is-always-about-aesthetics-mixed-in-with/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [The creatives, they want to connect with people. These artists, the clothing designers, they want to connect with people the same way that music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/the-creatives-they-want-to-connect-with-people-these-artists-the/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [If you want to live a meaningfully better life, you're going to have to make the dangerous choice to dissent. A life lived meaningfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/if-you-want-to-live-a-meaningfully-better-life-you-re-going-to-have/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) [Browse all 1,412 Designer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wasn't a very good illustrator so I became a designer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paula Scher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-became-a-designer/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Designer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-became-a-designer/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/paula-scher-7840_designer_i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-be_1440742.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/paula-scher-7840_designer_i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-be_1440742.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/paula-scher-7840_designer_i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-be_1440742.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wasn't a very good illustrator so I became a designer.” — Paula Scher", "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": "Paula Scher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I wasn't a very good illustrator...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-became-a-designer/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/i-wasn-t-a-very-good-illustrator-so-i-became-a-designer/#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 } } ] } ```