--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever I can, I paint the powerful and…" description: "\"Whenever I can, I paint the powerful and obvious things in my subject first.\" — Richard Schmid" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/richard-schmid-19535_artist_whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and_2348736.jpg" --- # Whenever I can, I paint the powerful and obvious things in… ![“Whenever I can, I paint the powerful and obvious things in my subject first.” quote by Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/richard-schmid-19535_artist_whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and_2348736.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/richard-schmid-19535_artist_whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and_2348736.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/richard-schmid-19535_artist_whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and_2348736.jpg) > “Whenever I can, I paint the powerful and obvious things in my subject first.” [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Start with the most striking elements to guide the viewer’s eye. **In simple terms:** Paint the obvious first. Key Takeaway Lead with strong focal points. Themes art composition visual hierarchy Mood instructive creative Type instructional practical When to use this quote - studio work - art classes - illustration projects Key Concepts design principles perception focus Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance obvious and subtle? - What makes a focal point compelling? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on obvious can limit subtlety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) [Obvious things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious-things/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Paint Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint-powerful-5710317/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Powerful Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful-obvious-3668030/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) ## Related quotes > [The unexpected connection is more powerful than one that is obvious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-unexpected-connection-is-more-powerful-than-one-that-is-obvious/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [If a movie makes it really big, they do the obvious thing, right? They make an amusement park ride out of it. ... The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-regan/if-a-movie-makes-it-really-big-they-do-the-obvious-thing-right-they/) [Brian Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-regan/) > [The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-world-is-full-of-obvious-things-which-nobody-by-any-chance-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's the obvious thing to say but artists want to be able to tell all kinds of stories and tear down every kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-slater/it-s-the-obvious-thing-to-say-but-artists-want-to-be-able-to-tell-all/) [Christian Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-slater/) > [Be nice to each other. Not a lot, but seems like the most obvious thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-jacobson/be-nice-to-each-other-not-a-lot-but-seems-like-the-most-obvious-thing/) [Lenny Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-jacobson/) > [The one obvious thing is that the devices are so good now that you can also see their limitations extremely well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tod-machover/the-one-obvious-thing-is-that-the-devices-are-so-good-now-that-you/) [Tod Machover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tod-machover/) > [The problem with improvisation is, of course, that everyone just slips into their comfort zone and does sort of the easy thing to do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-problem-with-improvisation-is-of-course-that-everyone-just-slips/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [What is the relationship of the obvious things that we see around us to the things that we believe we understand within ourselves? This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-alan-wolf/what-is-the-relationship-of-the-obvious-things-that-we-see-around-us/) [Fred Alan Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-alan-wolf/) > [Everybody's got something to tell you. And most people have told me to do the obvious thing as far as my career goes. Which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/everybody-s-got-something-to-tell-you-and-most-people-have-told-me-to/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [Obvious things like The Deer Hunter. After that happened, the scripts got better. Opportunities happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/obvious-things-like-the-deer-hunter-after-that-happened-the-scripts/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [I guess it's kind of the obvious thing for me to do 'cuz it's what I grew up listening to. The songs growing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ezra/i-guess-it-s-kind-of-the-obvious-thing-for-me-to-do-cuz-it-s-what-i/) [George Ezra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ezra/) > [There are a few obvious consequences and perhaps one subtle possibility. One obvious thing is that, to stimulate the economy, President Obama has committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/there-are-a-few-obvious-consequences-and-perhaps-one-subtle/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [I had a life experience that most of my - that none of my friends had. I remember I became everybody's rabbi. Everybody who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/i-had-a-life-experience-that-most-of-my-that-none-of-my-friends-had-i/) [Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/) > [“Are you prepared to have quite obvious things explained to you, to ask futile questions, to give me chances of scoring off you, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-milne-2/are-you-prepared-to-have-quite-obvious-things-explained-to-you-to-ask/) [A.A. Milne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-milne-2/) > [The most important lesson I received from Conceptual art consisted in the recording of simple and obvious things, and viewing them under a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigi-ghirri/the-most-important-lesson-i-received-from-conceptual-art-consisted-in/) [Luigi Ghirri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigi-ghirri/) ## More by Richard Schmid > [If there is a conflict in your mind between what you know and what you are seeing, paint what you see because if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/if-there-is-a-conflict-in-your-mind-between-what-you-know-and-what/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [An incomplete sketch superbly executed is power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/an-incomplete-sketch-superbly-executed-is-power/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [Don't go overboard with exotic or complex ways to paint. Stick to simple solutions, unless there is a good reason to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/don-t-go-overboard-with-exotic-or-complex-ways-to-paint-stick-to/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [I see the things and people and events in my daily world as an endless succession of paintings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/i-see-the-things-and-people-and-events-in-my-daily-world-as-an/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [There are times when I have started a work with an end in mind, but then, for one reason or another, as my picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/there-are-times-when-i-have-started-a-work-with-an-end-in-mind-but/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [It often takes two to do a good painting - one to paint it, and another to rap the painter smartly with a hammer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/it-often-takes-two-to-do-a-good-painting-one-to-paint-it-and-another/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [Use lots of paint and don't worry, they will make more...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/use-lots-of-paint-and-don-t-worry-they-will-make-more/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [In a sense, every work you do is a self-portrait because your paintings always reveal more about you than about your subject. Your experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/in-a-sense-every-work-you-do-is-a-self-portrait-because-your/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [As painters...we must always remember that our precious poetic visions and spiritual insights will remain forever locked within us until we can boil them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/as-painters-we-must-always-remember-that-our-precious-poetic-visions/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [All great art originates from the innocent child within us expressing itself through the wisdom, experience and skill of an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/all-great-art-originates-from-the-innocent-child-within-us-expressing/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [Underlying all your choices, particularly subject matter and the way you represent it, should be your own personal scruples, the standards and rules that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/underlying-all-your-choices-particularly-subject-matter-and-the-way/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [You can stick with a few clear-cut values, which are stronger than a multitude of values and will obviously yield a stronger painting. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/you-can-stick-with-a-few-clear-cut-values-which-are-stronger-than-a/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [Somewhere within all of us is a wordless center, a part of us that hopes to be immortal in some way, a part that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/somewhere-within-all-of-us-is-a-wordless-center-a-part-of-us-that/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [Paint like a pig eats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/paint-like-a-pig-eats/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [How often have we all come to that crucial point in a painting where it is practically 'begging' us to stop before we ruin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/how-often-have-we-all-come-to-that-crucial-point-in-a-painting-where/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) [Explore all 32 Richard Schmid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) ## 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": "Whenever I can, I paint the powerful and obvious things in my subject first.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Schmid" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and-obvious-things-in-my-subject/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and-obvious-things-in-my-subject/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/richard-schmid-19535_artist_whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and_2348736.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/richard-schmid-19535_artist_whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and_2348736.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/richard-schmid-19535_artist_whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and_2348736.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whenever I can, I paint the powerful and obvious things in my subject first.” — Richard Schmid", "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": "Richard Schmid", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whenever I can, I paint the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and-obvious-things-in-my-subject/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/whenever-i-can-i-paint-the-powerful-and-obvious-things-in-my-subject/#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 } } ] } ```