--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Picasso said “good artists copy but great…" description: "\"“Picasso said “good artists copy but great artists steal.”\" — Sean Patrick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/sean-patrick-6007_art_picasso-said-good-artists-copy-but-great_2060493.jpg" --- # Picasso said “good artists copy but great artists steal. ![“Picasso said “good artists copy but great artists steal.” quote by Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/sean-patrick-6007_art_picasso-said-good-artists-copy-but-great_2060493.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/sean-patrick-6007_art_picasso-said-good-artists-copy-but-great_2060493.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/sean-patrick-6007_art_picasso-said-good-artists-copy-but-great_2060493.jpg) > ““Picasso said “good artists copy but great artists steal.”” [Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Picasso’s quote suggests that copying is a learning step, while stealing involves transforming ideas into something original. **In simple terms:** Copying teaches; stealing creates originality. Key Takeaway Aim to transform ideas creatively. Themes creativity art inspiration learning Mood thought‑provoking creative Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - art workshops - creative writing - design projects Key Concepts artistic process originality intellectual property Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate inspiration from theft? - When does borrowing become innovation? A Different Perspective Stealing may raise ethical concerns about plagiarism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artists Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists-steal/) [Good art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-art/) [Great Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-artists/) ## Related quotes > [Good artists copy, great artists steal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/good-artists-copy-great-artists-steal/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Bad artists copy. Good artists steal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/bad-artists-copy-good-artists-steal/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“As Pablo Picasso (no slouch at theft himself) put it, “Good artists borrow. Great artists steal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-coyle/as-pablo-picasso-no-slouch-at-theft-himself-put-it-good-artists/) [Daniel Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-coyle/) > [Ultimately, it comes down to taste. It comes down to trying to expose yourself to the best things that humans have done and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/ultimately-it-comes-down-to-taste-it-comes-down-to-trying-to-expose/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“Picasso Good authors copy, great artists steal"-Picassco”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/picasso-good-authors-copy-great-artists-steal-picassco/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [I steal from every single movie ever made. I love it - if my work has anything it's that I'm taking this from this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-steal-from-every-single-movie-ever-made-i-love-it-if-my-work-has/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [Lesser artists borrow, great artists steal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-stravinsky/lesser-artists-borrow-great-artists-steal/) [Igor Stravinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-stravinsky/) > [The bad artists imitate, the great artists steal,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/the-bad-artists-imitate-the-great-artists-steal/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [Art is theft”) and Igor Stravinsky (“Lesser artists borrow, great artists steal”), I’ve always stolen from the people I admire – not plagiarized, mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/art-is-theft-and-igor-stravinsky-lesser-artists-borrow-great-artists/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“One and whole, together, the loss and repair belonging to each other," Picasso said. 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