--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pictures have a lot more power than text…" description: "\"Pictures have a lot more power than text. Text is just a bunch of little symbols. You have to actually read it and imagine it, and even that can be cen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/robert-crumb-10597_actually_pictures-have-a-lot-more-power-than-text_1202314.jpg" --- # Pictures have a lot more power than text. Text is just a… ![“Pictures have a lot more power than text. Text is just a bunch of little symbols. You have to actually read it and imagine it, and even that can be censored. With pictures, it's a lot more immediate.” quote by Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/robert-crumb-10597_actually_pictures-have-a-lot-more-power-than-text_1202314.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/robert-crumb-10597_actually_pictures-have-a-lot-more-power-than-text_1202314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/robert-crumb-10597_actually_pictures-have-a-lot-more-power-than-text_1202314.jpg) > “Pictures have a lot more power than text. Text is just a bunch of little symbols. You have to actually read it and imagine it, and even that can be censored. With pictures, it's a lot more immediate.” [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Images convey meaning instantly, bypassing the cognitive load of decoding symbols, making them harder to control and more impactful. **In simple terms:** Pictures act faster than words. Key Takeaway Use strong visuals for immediate impact. Themes communication media perception Mood engaging provocative Type informative persuasive When to use this quote - advertising - education - political messaging - social media - storytelling Key Concepts visual cognition information density censorship Questions to Reflect On - How do images shape your assumptions? - When might a picture be more misleading than text? A Different Perspective Visuals can be misinterpreted without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) [Bunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bunch/) [Censored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censored/) [Censored Pictures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censored-pictures-3610842/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Immediate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immediate/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [More power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-power/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Pictures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pictures/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Text](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-text-1852095/) [Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read/) [Symbols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbols/) [Text](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/text/) [Text Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/text-just-293910/) [Text Text](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/text-text-2683752/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [The power of a text is different when it is read from when it is copied out. Only the copied text thus commands the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/the-power-of-a-text-is-different-when-it-is-read-from-when-it-is/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [The power of a text when it is read is different from the power it has when it is copied out. Only the copied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/the-power-of-a-text-when-it-is-read-is-different-from-the-power-it/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [the power of a text is not time-bound. The words go on doing their work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/the-power-of-a-text-is-not-time-bound-the-words-go-on-doing-their-work/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I think whether you are a judge on my court or whether you are a judge on a court of appeals or any court,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-think-whether-you-are-a-judge-on-my-court-or-whether-you-are-a/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Text is linear; it is black and white; it doesn't zoom around the page in 3-D; it isn't intelligent by itself; in fact, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-disessa/text-is-linear-it-is-black-and-white-it-doesn-t-zoom-around-the-page/) [Andrea diSessa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-disessa/) > [Drunk text me. text me when the music is loud and there are girls dancing around you and youre not quite coherent and youre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/drunk-text-me-text-me-when-the-music-is-loud-and-there-are-girls/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is no such thing as chance in a text. Any text is the result of a repertoire, on conscious and unconscious levels, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-angelo/there-is-no-such-thing-as-chance-in-a-text-any-text-is-the-result-of/) [Ivan Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-angelo/) > [I didnt text you just to exercise my fingers, I was expecting a reply back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/i-didnt-text-you-just-to-exercise-my-fingers-i-was-expecting-a-reply/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [If I text you, it means I miss you. If I don't text you, it just means I'm waiting for you to miss me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-text-you-it-means-i-miss-you-if-i-don-t-text-you-it-just-means-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If she texts you, text her back. Just because she's yours at the moment, doesn't mean she still will be in the future. Treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muniir-zero/if-she-texts-you-text-her-back-just-because-she-s-yours-at-the-moment/) [Muniir Zero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muniir-zero/) > [Just because I don't put up an indirect status up referring to how much I miss you or don't text you just to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malishia-m/just-because-i-don-t-put-up-an-indirect-status-up-referring-to-how/) [Malishia M](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malishia-m/) > [I think in reading a few sentences of text you can just tell the tone, and that's something I love in prose writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-mayberry/i-think-in-reading-a-few-sentences-of-text-you-can-just-tell-the-tone/) [Lauren Mayberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-mayberry/) > [When your parents ask you why you're smiling while reading a text and you're just like 'CAN'T I JUST BE HAPPY?!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-your-parents-ask-you-why-you-re-smiling-while-reading-a-text-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can’t take back texts. If you come off all moody and melancholy in a text, it just sits there in your phone, reminding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/you-can-t-take-back-texts-if-you-come-off-all-moody-and-melancholy-in/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Waiting around all day, waiting for that one text, just saying hello. All because you want to make sure they are thinking about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-young/waiting-around-all-day-waiting-for-that-one-text-just-saying-hello/) [Chelsea Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-young/) ## More by Robert Crumb > [I would call myself a Gnostic. Which means, I'm interested in pursuing and understanding the spiritual nature of things. A Gnostic is somebody seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-would-call-myself-a-gnostic-which-means-i-m-interested-in-pursuing/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I draw the line at some things. Some things I won't do for any amount of money. Like for instance, there's a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-draw-the-line-at-some-things-some-things-i-won-t-do-for-any-amount/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I do covers for CDs and LPs of music that I like, reissues of old-time music, and then I'm inspired to make some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-do-covers-for-cds-and-lps-of-music-that-i-like-reissues-of-old-time/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I use the old Strathmore vellum surface paper, which is the best paper you can get in the Western world for ink line drawing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-use-the-old-strathmore-vellum-surface-paper-which-is-the-best-paper/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [Oh, yes. I knew I was weird by the time I was four. I knew I wasn't like other boys. I knew I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/oh-yes-i-knew-i-was-weird-by-the-time-i-was-four-i-knew-i-wasn-t-like/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [In my midteens I went through a brief stage of religious fanaticism, but it was very much about just saying prayers and stuff like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/in-my-midteens-i-went-through-a-brief-stage-of-religious-fanaticism/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [Most of my adult life I had this towering contempt for America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/most-of-my-adult-life-i-had-this-towering-contempt-for-america/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I still can't spend a lot of money on records at collector prices. There's something in me that just won't allow me to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-still-can-t-spend-a-lot-of-money-on-records-at-collector-prices/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I'm just a negative person, a deeply negative person. I see the worst aspects of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-m-just-a-negative-person-a-deeply-negative-person-i-see-the-worst/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I use photos a lot for drawing people and personalities, but they're almost never photos that I've taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-use-photos-a-lot-for-drawing-people-and-personalities-but-they-re/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [You don’t have journalists over there anymore, what they have is public relations people. That’s what they have over in America now. Two-hundred and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/you-don-t-have-journalists-over-there-anymore-what-they-have-is/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [If you're trying to work the art game, if you're like Andy Warhol or something, then you're in with cake-eaters of society. You want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/if-you-re-trying-to-work-the-art-game-if-you-re-like-andy-warhol-or/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [They were just snapshots, nothing special, nothing particularly artistic. They were used for utility purposes. (On photographs of mundane streetscapes he had Stanley Something-or-other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/they-were-just-snapshots-nothing-special-nothing-particularly/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I always had a sketchbook with me when I was young. I was hiding behind it, basically, hiding behind drawing because I couldn't cope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-always-had-a-sketchbook-with-me-when-i-was-young-i-was-hiding/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I couldn't find any good pictures in magazines of ordinary modern street corners in America, so I persuaded this guy I knew in Sacramento…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-couldn-t-find-any-good-pictures-in-magazines-of-ordinary-modern/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) [Explore all 64 Robert Crumb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) ## More Actually quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Failure actually makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/failure-actually-makes-you-strong/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. 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Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [I actually do sing sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morten-harket/i-actually-do-sing-sometimes/) [Morten Harket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morten-harket/) > [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. 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