--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Usually I begin things through a drawing…" description: "\"Usually I begin things through a drawing, so a lot of things are worked out in the drawing. But even then, I still allow for and want to make changes. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/roy-lichtenstein-8803_artist_usually-i-begin-things-through-a-drawing_2813420.png" --- # Usually I begin things through a drawing, so a lot of… ![“Usually I begin things through a drawing, so a lot of things are worked out in the drawing. But even then, I still allow for and want to make changes. I kind of do the drawing with the painting in mind, but it's very hard to guess at a size or a color and the colors around it and what it will…” quote by Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/roy-lichtenstein-8803_artist_usually-i-begin-things-through-a-drawing_2813420.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/roy-lichtenstein-8803_artist_usually-i-begin-things-through-a-drawing_2813420.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/roy-lichtenstein-8803_artist_usually-i-begin-things-through-a-drawing_2813420.png) > “Usually I begin things through a drawing, so a lot of things are worked out in the drawing. But even then, I still allow for and want to make changes. I kind of do the drawing with the painting in mind, but it's very hard to guess at a size or a color and the colors around it and what it will really look like. It's only a guess at the beginning, and then I try to refine it.” [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Begin with sketches, but stay flexible to refine the final work. **In simple terms:** Start with a plan, adapt as needed. Key Takeaway Iterate and improve designs. Themes creativity process flexibility Mood reflective practical Type artistic methodological When to use this quote - product design - architectural planning - visual arts - software development Key Concepts artistic iteration design thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance planning and improvisation? - When is it best to abandon the original sketch? A Different Perspective Over‑planning can stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Drawing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drawing/) [Drawing Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drawing-painting-272690/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Drawing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-drawing-3537380/) [Making changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-changes/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Painting Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting-mind-3411169/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Worked Drawing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked-drawing-3537379/) ## Related quotes > [I kind of do the drawing with the painting in mind, but it's very hard to guess at a size or a color and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/i-kind-of-do-the-drawing-with-the-painting-in-mind-but-it-s-very-hard/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [But usually I begin things through a drawing, so a lot of things are worked out in the drawing. But even then, I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/but-usually-i-begin-things-through-a-drawing-so-a-lot-of-things-are/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [Poetry ... is the music and painting of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-orwell/poetry-is-the-music-and-painting-of-the-mind/) [Sonia Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-orwell/) > [If you've worked over all of your drawing, it should finish itself - often when you least expect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-smith/if-you-ve-worked-over-all-of-your-drawing-it-should-finish-itself/) [Stan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-smith/) > [I made a drawing for a book I'm working . It's a little drawing of a girl who's ashamed and upset and hides in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-rae-perkins/i-made-a-drawing-for-a-book-i-m-working-it-s-a-little-drawing-of-a/) [Lynne Rae Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-rae-perkins/) > [If you are intent on drawing or painting on your prints, you must first learn to draw and paint at least as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-jay/if-you-are-intent-on-drawing-or-painting-on-your-prints-you-must/) [Bill Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-jay/) > [It's weird making a drawing of painting. I start to realize that charcoal is this incredibly fragile material. I'm making images of paintings out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-longo/it-s-weird-making-a-drawing-of-painting-i-start-to-realize-that/) [Robert Longo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-longo/) > [My painting for Drawing and Painting 3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aly-johnson/my-painting-for-drawing-and-painting-3/) [Aly Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aly-johnson/) > [I have always enjoyed drawing and painting but I don't always find the time to do much these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-gallacher/i-have-always-enjoyed-drawing-and-painting-but-i-don-t-always-find/) [Kirsty Gallacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-gallacher/) > [I liked drawing and painting, because the only failure would be to listen to the doubters who wanted me to stop drawing and painting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-childish/i-liked-drawing-and-painting-because-the-only-failure-would-be-to/) [Billy Childish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-childish/) > [From being a young kid I was always drawing and painting, usually stuff like private parts or bloody images but always with a comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-six/from-being-a-young-kid-i-was-always-drawing-and-painting-usually/) [Tom Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-six/) > [Not even pencil or charcoal is needed. Drawing can also be done with a brush. But drawing is a must, if not, no painting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-soldi/not-even-pencil-or-charcoal-is-needed-drawing-can-also-be-done-with-a/) [Raul Soldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-soldi/) > [Drawing or painting allows the artist to know himself as a whole person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-c-zinker/drawing-or-painting-allows-the-artist-to-know-himself-as-a-whole/) [Joseph C Zinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-c-zinker/) > [My first artistic love was drawing and painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wood-harris/my-first-artistic-love-was-drawing-and-painting/) [Wood Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wood-harris/) > [It is the bareness of drawing that I like. The act of drawing is what locates, suggests, discovers. At times it seems enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-guston/it-is-the-bareness-of-drawing-that-i-like-the-act-of-drawing-is-what/) [Philip Guston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-guston/) ## More by Roy Lichtenstein > [I think art was the one thing my high school didn't give. And I think that was probably one reason why I was interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/i-think-art-was-the-one-thing-my-high-school-didn-t-give-and-i-think/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [In America the biggest is the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/in-america-the-biggest-is-the-best/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [Pollock really invented something. No one painted like him - or de Kooning or Still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/pollock-really-invented-something-no-one-painted-like-him-or-de/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [Pop Art looks out into the world. It doesn't look like a painting of something, it looks like the thing itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/pop-art-looks-out-into-the-world-it-doesn-t-look-like-a-painting-of/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [I think you go nuts when you get older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/i-think-you-go-nuts-when-you-get-older/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [There must be something about art... almost all cultures have done art. It's a refining of the senses, which are there to keep us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/there-must-be-something-about-art-almost-all-cultures-have-done-art/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [But when I worked on a painting I would do it from a drawing but I would put certain things I was fairly sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/but-when-i-worked-on-a-painting-i-would-do-it-from-a-drawing-but-i/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [When I started to do these Pop paintings seriously, I used all these other paintings - the abstract ones - as mats. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/when-i-started-to-do-these-pop-paintings-seriously-i-used-all-these/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [Im not really sure what social message my art carries, if any. And I dont really want it to carry one. Im not interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/im-not-really-sure-what-social-message-my-art-carries-if-any-and-i/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [I'm not really sure what social message my art carries, if any. And I don't really want it to carry one. I'm not interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/i-m-not-really-sure-what-social-message-my-art-carries-if-any-and-i/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [My direction is very anti-contemplative. If you thought I was for commercial products, you'd think there was no irony. The irony isn't meant to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/my-direction-is-very-anti-contemplative-if-you-thought-i-was-for/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [What interests me is to paint the kind of antisensitivity that impregnates modern civilization. I think art since Cezanne has become extremely romantic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/what-interests-me-is-to-paint-the-kind-of-antisensitivity-that/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [I think that most people think painters are kind of ridiculous, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/i-think-that-most-people-think-painters-are-kind-of-ridiculous-you/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [Everybody has called Pop Art 'American' painting, but it's actually industrial painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/everybody-has-called-pop-art-american-painting-but-it-s-actually/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [Actually, I love the Abstract Expressionists - or I like the ones I like, anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/actually-i-love-the-abstract-expressionists-or-i-like-the-ones-i-like/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) [Explore all 77 Roy Lichtenstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) ## 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": "Usually I begin things through a drawing, so a lot of things are worked out in the drawing. But even then, I still allow for and want to make changes. I kind of do the drawing with the painting in mind, but it's very hard to guess at a size or a color and the colors around it and what it will really look like. 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