--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was planning on being a starving artist." description: "\"I was planning on being a starving artist.\" — Stephen Hillenburg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/stephen-hillenburg-10039_art_i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artis_1883578.jpg" --- # I was planning on being a starving artist. ![“I was planning on being a starving artist.” quote by Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/stephen-hillenburg-10039_art_i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artis_1883578.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/stephen-hillenburg-10039_art_i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artis_1883578.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/stephen-hillenburg-10039_art_i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artis_1883578.jpg) > “I was planning on being a starving artist.” [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. He humorously acknowledges the stereotype of artists living in poverty while pursuing passion. **In simple terms:** Artists often joke about being poor while creating art. Key Takeaway Embrace passion, but plan financially. Themes artist poverty humor Mood lighthearted reflective Type anecdotal motivational When to use this quote - freelance work - art commissions - budgeting - career planning Key Concepts creative struggle financial reality Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance artistic integrity with financial stability? - What risks does romanticizing poverty pose? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay genuine financial hardship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Planning Starving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning-starving-2675892/) [Starving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starving/) [Starving artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starving-artist/) ## Related quotes > [I was a starving artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-jayne/i-was-a-starving-artist/) [Erika Jayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-jayne/) > [When you're a starving artist, you make do. It didn't matter that I didn't know where my rent was coming from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-saracho/when-you-re-a-starving-artist-you-make-do-it-didn-t-matter-that-i/) [Tanya Saracho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-saracho/) > [It's really hard to find materials. Also, prices of metal have gone completely through the roof, insanely expensive. And if you go to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/z-ev/it-s-really-hard-to-find-materials-also-prices-of-metal-have-gone/) [Z'EV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/z-ev/) > [A starving artist has only so many brush stokes before he fades away...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/a-starving-artist-has-only-so-many-brush-stokes-before-he-fades-away/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [Somehow, the French got this idea of the starving artist. Very romantic, except it's not so romantic for the starving artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/somehow-the-french-got-this-idea-of-the-starving-artist-very-romantic/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [Starving artist' is acceptable at age 20, suspect at age 40, and problematical at age 60.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/starving-artist-is-acceptable-at-age-20-suspect-at-age-40-and/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [I didn't really go the starving-artist route. I kind of went and did massive, commercial things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/i-didn-t-really-go-the-starving-artist-route-i-kind-of-went-and-did/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [“If you see me sitting at a dining room table with a clean plate and bowl in front of me, you’ll know it’s because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-you-see-me-sitting-at-a-dining-room-table-with-a-clean-plate-and/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [In college I took an acting class as a joke. It sounded like something fun and easy at the time. I had originally wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graziadei/in-college-i-took-an-acting-class-as-a-joke-it-sounded-like-something/) [Michael Graziadei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graziadei/) > [In my early days, I was about 145 pounds. I was really a starving artist; the poster child for starving artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/creed-bratton/in-my-early-days-i-was-about-145-pounds-i-was-really-a-starving/) [Creed Bratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/creed-bratton/) > [I'm an entrepreneur, a businessman. 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My producers had success outside of the Daniel Caesar brand, so they invested money, time and resources.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/i-m-transitioning-from-being-a-starving-artist-my-producers-had/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) ## 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 Art quotes > [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/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [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/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“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/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [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 only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [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/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was planning on being a starving artist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Hillenburg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artist/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artist/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/stephen-hillenburg-10039_art_i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artis_1883578.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/stephen-hillenburg-10039_art_i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artis_1883578.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/stephen-hillenburg-10039_art_i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artis_1883578.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was planning on being a starving artist.” — 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 was planning on being a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artist/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-was-planning-on-being-a-starving-artist/#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 } } ] } ```