--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Artists forget than the first purpose of…" description: "\"Artists forget than the first purpose of a comic character is to convey emotion. Everything else, like realism, or other kinds of virtuosity, is an opt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bc/ted-naifeh-22949_art_artists-forget-than-the-first-purpose-of_2398383.jpg" --- # Artists forget than the first purpose of a comic character… ![“Artists forget than the first purpose of a comic character is to convey emotion. Everything else, like realism, or other kinds of virtuosity, is an optional extra. If you sacrifice expression for the sake of other concerns, you're putting the cart before the horse.” quote by Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bc/ted-naifeh-22949_art_artists-forget-than-the-first-purpose-of_2398383.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bc/ted-naifeh-22949_art_artists-forget-than-the-first-purpose-of_2398383.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bc/ted-naifeh-22949_art_artists-forget-than-the-first-purpose-of_2398383.jpg) > “Artists forget than the first purpose of a comic character is to convey emotion. Everything else, like realism, or other kinds of virtuosity, is an optional extra. If you sacrifice expression for the sake of other concerns, you're putting the cart before the horse.” [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A comic character’s primary role is to evoke feeling; technical skill is secondary. **In simple terms:** Emotion comes first, skill later. Key Takeaway Prioritize emotional impact. Themes storytelling art emotion character design Mood reflective inspirational Type artistic educational When to use this quote - graphic novels - character development - animation - illustration Key Concepts expressive intent visual narrative Questions to Reflect On - How can you convey emotion with minimal lines? - When does realism enhance or distract from feeling? A Different Perspective Technical mastery cannot replace emotional resonance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists/) [Artists Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists-forget-5423897/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [Cart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cart/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Convey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-convey-2601277/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comic Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-character-2555883/) [Concerns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerns/) [Convey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convey/) [Else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/else/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Extra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extra/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Kinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kinds/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-comic-5999170/) [Putting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putting/) [Realism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realism/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Sake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sake/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [The director's job is to know what emotional statement he wants a character to convey in his scene or his line, and to exercise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/the-director-s-job-is-to-know-what-emotional-statement-he-wants-a/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [My advice to new artists is to forget about all of this and take acting and dancing lessons and become a video star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/my-advice-to-new-artists-is-to-forget-about-all-of-this-and-take/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [A married philosopher is a comic character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/a-married-philosopher-is-a-comic-character/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Trish "Patsy" Walker is just one of my favorite characters and she was a big comic character in the '40s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/trish-patsy-walker-is-just-one-of-my-favorite-characters-and-she-was/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [My thumbprint is on every single thing that happens with Hellboy. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do professionally, letting someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mignola/my-thumbprint-is-on-every-single-thing-that-happens-with-hellboy-it/) [Mike Mignola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mignola/) > [You know you are really famous the day you discover you have become a comic character!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/you-know-you-are-really-famous-the-day-you-discover-you-have-become-a/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [There are lots of theories that the simpler a comic character is drawn the more relatable they become. People can imprint themselves onto the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-forsman/there-are-lots-of-theories-that-the-simpler-a-comic-character-is/) [Charles Forsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-forsman/) > [And what's interesting about him as a comic character is that the custard pie hardly ever ends up on his face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-atkinson/and-what-s-interesting-about-him-as-a-comic-character-is-that-the/) [Rowan Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-atkinson/) > [No matter how heinous someone's behaviour, if you make them a comic character, you can't expect people to hate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-morris/no-matter-how-heinous-someone-s-behaviour-if-you-make-them-a-comic/) [Chris Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-morris/) > [I have a comic character - my sister said that I'm the victim of every joke I tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bamford/i-have-a-comic-character-my-sister-said-that-i-m-the-victim-of-every/) [Maria Bamford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bamford/) > [My name is Michael Pennington, and I am not a comic character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-vegas/my-name-is-michael-pennington-and-i-am-not-a-comic-character/) [Johnny Vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-vegas/) > [If I had my druthers, I would be a brain in a jar, with a burlap skirt around the cart I'm on - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mckinnon/if-i-had-my-druthers-i-would-be-a-brain-in-a-jar-with-a-burlap-skirt/) [Kate McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mckinnon/) > [I like the fact that I'm from the South and that I have this rich history behind me. I come from a family of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-willis-holt/i-like-the-fact-that-i-m-from-the-south-and-that-i-have-this-rich/) [Kimberly Willis Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-willis-holt/) > [I'm a guy that never really wants to put the cart before the horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-lawrence/i-m-a-guy-that-never-really-wants-to-put-the-cart-before-the-horse/) [Trevor Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-lawrence/) > [There's no backward and no forward, no day other than this. You fill your cart as you go, and that's that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burnham-schwartz/there-s-no-backward-and-no-forward-no-day-other-than-this-you-fill/) [John Burnham Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burnham-schwartz/) ## More by Ted Naifeh > [“Courtney didn't like babies at the best of times. As far as she was concerned, anything that existed solely to emit drool, vomit, ghastly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/courtney-didn-t-like-babies-at-the-best-of-times-as-far-as-she-was/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [I think about 'The Simpsons,' which has been going on for 25 years. Homer is still in his late 30's. Lisa is 8, Bart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/i-think-about-the-simpsons-which-has-been-going-on-for-25-years-homer/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [A story really isn't truly a story until it reaches its climax and conclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/a-story-really-isn-t-truly-a-story-until-it-reaches-its-climax-and/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > ['Courtney' is a more punk-rock kids' book. It has this precious veneer that Courtney's terrible behavior trashes. And it's basically about how miserable it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/courtney-is-a-more-punk-rock-kids-book-it-has-this-precious-veneer/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [I think one of the reasons Stephen King's stories work so well is that he places his stories in spooky old New England, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/i-think-one-of-the-reasons-stephen-king-s-stories-work-so-well-is/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [There's something about girls and unicorns that's deep and meaningful. Something about childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/there-s-something-about-girls-and-unicorns-that-s-deep-and-meaningful/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [I think there's too much saturated color in comics, thanks to digital color techniques.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/i-think-there-s-too-much-saturated-color-in-comics-thanks-to-digital/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [The living werewolves have genuine needs and desires, which, though they may oppose ours, are valid. Even if they want to eat humans, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/the-living-werewolves-have-genuine-needs-and-desires-which-though/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [Color comes very easy to me. And watercolors have a particular tendency to stay grounded, unlike digital color. I find that digital color wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/color-comes-very-easy-to-me-and-watercolors-have-a-particular/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [I dug up some old John Buscema 'Conan' comics. Man, when Alfredo Alcala was inking, that was some of the most beautiful black and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/i-dug-up-some-old-john-buscema-conan-comics-man-when-alfredo-alcala/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [I think theres too much saturated color in comics, thanks to digital color techniques.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/i-think-theres-too-much-saturated-color-in-comics-thanks-to-digital/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [Some of the best art in the world is collaborative, a mix of voices that are stronger together than separate. Take the Beatles, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/some-of-the-best-art-in-the-world-is-collaborative-a-mix-of-voices/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [I love gothic monsters, but I like to root them more firmly in the traditional folklore from which they sprang. Or at least, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/i-love-gothic-monsters-but-i-like-to-root-them-more-firmly-in-the/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [Us comics guys tend to get really good at the things we draw a lot. I'm good at creepy old forests, Victorian houses, underground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/us-comics-guys-tend-to-get-really-good-at-the-things-we-draw-a-lot-i/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) > [When people think girl adventurers, they tend to think of a spunky, plucky tom-boy with a chip on her shoulder. I'm not saying that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-naifeh/when-people-think-girl-adventurers-they-tend-to-think-of-a-spunky/) [Ted Naifeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) [Explore all 26 Ted Naifeh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-naifeh/) ## 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": "Artists forget than the first purpose of a comic character is to convey emotion. 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