---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am an ocean lover and fish watcher and…"
description: "\"I am an ocean lover and fish watcher and had studied marine biology and even taught marine sciences before I got into animation.\" — Stephen Hillenburg"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/stephen-hillenburg-10039_animation_i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and_1323428.jpg"
---

#  I am an ocean lover and fish watcher and had studied…

![“I am an ocean lover and fish watcher and had studied marine biology and even taught marine sciences before I got into animation.” quote by Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/stephen-hillenburg-10039_animation_i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and_1323428.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/stephen-hillenburg-10039_animation_i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and_1323428.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/stephen-hillenburg-10039_animation_i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and_1323428.jpg)

> “I am an ocean lover and fish watcher and had studied marine biology and even taught marine sciences before I got into animation.”

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A background in marine science informs creative work, blending expertise with imagination.

**In simple terms:** Science can inspire art.

Key Takeaway

Leverage expertise in new fields.

Themes

creativity science career change

Mood

enthusiastic inspired

Type

career educational

When to use this quote

- teaching
- marine research
- animation production

Key Concepts

interdisciplinary education animation

Questions to Reflect On

- How can your knowledge enrich a hobby?
- What barriers exist when switching careers?

A Different Perspective

Transitioning fields may require new skills.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Animation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animation/) [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish/) [Marine biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marine-biology/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Ocean Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean-love/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/)

## Related quotes

> [I studied marine biology, even taught marine science before I got into animation, so I had an interest in that field and those animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-studied-marine-biology-even-taught-marine-science-before-i-got-into/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [Why don't I watch the ocean?My lover's gone.No earthly ships will ever bring him home againbring him home again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dido-armstrong/why-don-t-i-watch-the-ocean-my-lover-s-gone-no-earthly-ships-will/)

[Dido Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dido-armstrong/)

> [A sponge is a funny animal to center a show on. At first, I drew a few natural sponges - amorphous shapes, blobs -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/a-sponge-is-a-funny-animal-to-center-a-show-on-at-first-i-drew-a-few/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [A lot of things came out of my interest in marine biology, like the fact that there are scallops that fly in the air,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/a-lot-of-things-came-out-of-my-interest-in-marine-biology-like-the/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [I never imagined that I'd end up in animation, but marine biology and art collided, and here we are!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-never-imagined-that-i-d-end-up-in-animation-but-marine-biology-and/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [I studied natural resources planning and thought I could get a job at some marine park. But I was great at art and so-so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-studied-natural-resources-planning-and-thought-i-could-get-a-job-at/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [I just kind of figured that the marine biology would be a career, and the art would be something I did for my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-just-kind-of-figured-that-the-marine-biology-would-be-a-career-and/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [“The dissection started out smoothly enough. Several boys lifted the thawed carcass out of its container and put it on the lab table. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-williams/the-dissection-started-out-smoothly-enough-several-boys-lifted-the/)

[Wendy Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-williams/)

> [Populations of four of the seven total species of marine turtle are included in the most threatened group. It's embarrassing how little effort we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narin-raksmei-phd/populations-of-four-of-the-seven-total-species-of-marine-turtle-are/)

[Narin Raksmei PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narin-raksmei-phd/)

> [“What would you study, Percy?” “Dunno,” he admitted. “Marine science,” she suggested. “Oceanography?” “Surfing?” he asked. She laughed, and the sound sent a shock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/what-would-you-study-percy-dunno-he-admitted-marine-science-she/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [“One of the more useful things I learned as a midshipman at Maine Maritime Academy were the names of the seven masts of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/one-of-the-more-useful-things-i-learned-as-a-midshipman-at-maine/)

Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One

> [“The water off the northern coast of South America is typically choppy and is known to have relatively long wavelengths that are developed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-salty-saucy-maine/the-water-off-the-northern-coast-of-south-america-is-typically-choppy/)

[Captain Hank Bracker, "Salty &amp; Saucy Maine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-salty-saucy-maine/)

> [“Muller's passion for marine biology suffered a severe blow when a trip to the coast of Norway in the company of his students W.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-breidbach/muller-s-passion-for-marine-biology-suffered-a-severe-blow-when-a/)

Olaf Breidbach

> [Whether it's in an inner-city school or a rural community, I want those students to have a chance to take A.P. biology and A.P.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/whether-it-s-in-an-inner-city-school-or-a-rural-community-i-want/)

[Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/)

> [ There is another domain that we consider relevant and having good prospects - marine biology. For many years this region \[Russian Far East\] has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/there-is-another-domain-that-we-consider-relevant-and-having-good/)

[Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/)

## More by Stephen Hillenburg

> [When I pitched the show, I made this special seashell. You could pick it up and hear me singing, 'Spongeboy, Spongeboy!' I also made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/when-i-pitched-the-show-i-made-this-special-seashell-you-could-pick/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [I eventually thought of SpongeBob, but he needed a last name - SquarePants came to mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-eventually-thought-of-spongebob-but-he-needed-a-last-name/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [I was just looking at a packet that had SpongeBob thong underwear, so it goes farther than I would imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-was-just-looking-at-a-packet-that-had-spongebob-thong-underwear-so/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [Laurel and Hardy are among my strongest influences, and I think they're perfect examples of two naive, kid-like characters that are still funny today.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/laurel-and-hardy-are-among-my-strongest-influences-and-i-think-they/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [Anyone who knows me knows that I will continue to work on 'SpongeBob SquarePants' and my other passions for as long as I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/anyone-who-knows-me-knows-that-i-will-continue-to-work-on-spongebob/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [On TV, it is more efficient to use voice-over people because it is really hard to get celebrity voices to recur in a series.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/on-tv-it-is-more-efficient-to-use-voice-over-people-because-it-is/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [In the show, the whole point of the fast food - the fact that SpongeBob loves being part of the fast-food chain and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/in-the-show-the-whole-point-of-the-fast-food-the-fact-that-spongebob/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [I studied marine biology, even taught marine science before I got into animation, so I had an interest in that field and those animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-studied-marine-biology-even-taught-marine-science-before-i-got-into/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [When you set out to do a show about a sponge, you can't anticipate this kind of craze. We just try to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/when-you-set-out-to-do-a-show-about-a-sponge-you-can-t-anticipate/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [Everybody's got some fascination with undersea life, don't you think?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/everybody-s-got-some-fascination-with-undersea-life-don-t-you-think/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [The characters are likable. Even the villainous Plankton - he's still flawed, and you still root for him, in a way, and the style…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/the-characters-are-likable-even-the-villainous-plankton-he-s-still/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [I knew I wanted to create a character who was nerdy and kind of square, so when I drew a square sponge, everything came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-knew-i-wanted-to-create-a-character-who-was-nerdy-and-kind-of/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [I thought, well, what about a show that stars undersea creatures, and some of the ones you rarely see animated. So, from there, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-thought-well-what-about-a-show-that-stars-undersea-creatures-and/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [Most sponges in the ocean are sedentary: They attach themselves to a rock and sit and filter-feed the rest of their lives and reproduce,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/most-sponges-in-the-ocean-are-sedentary-they-attach-themselves-to-a/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

> [I was always interested in the ocean and also in art. I had to figure out how to put the two together, but painting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-was-always-interested-in-the-ocean-and-also-in-art-i-had-to-figure/)

[Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

[Explore all 68 Stephen Hillenburg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/)

## More Animation quotes

> [If I'm doing a voice-over session, like animation or something, and I'm doing three different voices, you've gotta separate them. You've gotta find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-adlon/if-i-m-doing-a-voice-over-session-like-animation-or-something-and-i-m/)

[Pamela Adlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-adlon/)

> [I was always into cartoons and animation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nonito-donaire/i-was-always-into-cartoons-and-animation/)

[Nonito Donaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nonito-donaire/)

> [What's unique about Disney Animation, many of the films have this perennial quality about them. They don't seem like old films, they still seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-minkoff/what-s-unique-about-disney-animation-many-of-the-films-have-this/)

[Rob Minkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-minkoff/)

> [I was always tinkering around with stuff but nothing serious at the time. I was doing animations and drawing like crazy, but I wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-vangaalen/i-was-always-tinkering-around-with-stuff-but-nothing-serious-at-the/)

Chad VanGaalen

> [In feature animation, cartoony or exaggerated animation is almost taboo. There is this precedent that if you do that kind of stuff people won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genndy-tartakovsky/in-feature-animation-cartoony-or-exaggerated-animation-is-almost/)

[Genndy Tartakovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genndy-tartakovsky/)

> [CGI has fully ruined car crashes. Because how can you be impressed with them now? When you watch them in the '70s, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/cgi-has-fully-ruined-car-crashes-because-how-can-you-be-impressed/)

[Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/)

> [To this day I over prepare. I draw storyboards for every scene - chicken scratches so crude that they amuse and horrify the crew.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stoltz/to-this-day-i-over-prepare-i-draw-storyboards-for-every-scene-chicken/)

[Eric Stoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stoltz/)

> [I was invited to join the MGM cartoon department. But if I'd started work in animation I'd have had to take a cut in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-was-invited-to-join-the-mgm-cartoon-department-but-if-i-d-started/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [I took a lot of influences from Studio Ghibli, which is the Japanese animation studio that made 'Spirited Away' and 'Castle in the Sky.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hewlett/i-took-a-lot-of-influences-from-studio-ghibli-which-is-the-japanese/)

[Jamie Hewlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hewlett/)

> [I've worked in animation for a long time. I started in Spain and I wanted to make feature films. That desire to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-garcia/i-ve-worked-in-animation-for-a-long-time-i-started-in-spain-and-i/)

[Raul Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-garcia/)

> [If you were to look at an old 'Betty Boop' cartoon or an 'Out of the Ink Well' animation, there are many things about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-seibert/if-you-were-to-look-at-an-old-betty-boop-cartoon-or-an-out-of-the-ink/)

[Fred Seibert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-seibert/)

> [Animation has always been about technology. You can't have animation without technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-wedge/animation-has-always-been-about-technology-you-can-t-have-animation/)

[Chris Wedge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-wedge/)

> [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/)

[Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/)

> [Tigress is my alternate personality, especially with children. I love animation because you get to do things you don't normally get to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/tigress-is-my-alternate-personality-especially-with-children-i-love/)

[Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/)

> [With live-action I think we'd have lost the universal appeal of the Persepolis story. With live-action, it would have turned into a story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/with-live-action-i-think-we-d-have-lost-the-universal-appeal-of-the/)

[Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/)

[Browse all 837 Animation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animation/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I am an ocean lover and fish watcher and had studied marine biology and even taught marine sciences before I got into animation.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stephen Hillenburg"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and-had-studied-marine-biology/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Animation"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and-had-studied-marine-biology/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/stephen-hillenburg-10039_animation_i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and_1323428.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/stephen-hillenburg-10039_animation_i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and_1323428.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/stephen-hillenburg-10039_animation_i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and_1323428.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I am an ocean lover and fish watcher and had studied marine biology and even taught marine sciences before I…” — Stephen Hillenburg",
                "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": "Stephen Hillenburg",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I am an ocean lover and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and-had-studied-marine-biology/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-am-an-ocean-lover-and-fish-watcher-and-had-studied-marine-biology/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
