--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The more successful paintings just fall…" description: "\"The more successful paintings just fall off the brush. The less successful ones take longer.\" — Toni Onley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/toni-onley-48540_artist_the-more-successful-paintings-just-fall_2536542.png" --- # The more successful paintings just fall off the brush. The… ![“The more successful paintings just fall off the brush. The less successful ones take longer.” quote by Toni Onley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/toni-onley-48540_artist_the-more-successful-paintings-just-fall_2536542.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/toni-onley-48540_artist_the-more-successful-paintings-just-fall_2536542.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/toni-onley-48540_artist_the-more-successful-paintings-just-fall_2536542.png) > “The more successful paintings just fall off the brush. The less successful ones take longer.” [Toni Onley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-onley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great paintings flow effortlessly; less successful ones require more effort and time. **In simple terms:** Good art seems effortless; harder work takes longer. Key Takeaway Embrace effort as part of the creative process. Themes art process effort creativity Mood reflective inspirational Type artistic educational When to use this quote - painting practice - creative workshops - skill training Key Concepts technique patience skill development Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate effort from talent? - When does effort become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Risk of romanticizing struggle over skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Paintings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paintings/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes it is best to burn paintings that just don't burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-luiz/sometimes-it-is-best-to-burn-paintings-that-just-don-t-burn/) [David Luiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-luiz/) > [The paintings are not just on flat walls - you have these enormous niches, bulges and protrusions, as well as stalactites and stalagmites. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/the-paintings-are-not-just-on-flat-walls-you-have-these-enormous/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [I have a fondness for making paintings that go beyond just having a conversation about art for art's sake or having a conversation about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-have-a-fondness-for-making-paintings-that-go-beyond-just-having-a/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Within the category of Kitsch we can thus distinguish between more and less successful paintings. Kitsch, too has its masterpieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karsten-harries/within-the-category-of-kitsch-we-can-thus-distinguish-between-more/) [Karsten Harries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karsten-harries/) > [I think there has to be an interesting transformative process between your perception of reality and making the paintings. If you are just trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rothenberg/i-think-there-has-to-be-an-interesting-transformative-process-between/) [Susan Rothenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rothenberg/) > [I need to see the original paintings just as little as I have to read the original manuscripts of books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-magritte/i-need-to-see-the-original-paintings-just-as-little-as-i-have-to-read/) [Rene Magritte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-magritte/) > [This morning I got up early and I was glazing the paintings and they just looked so beautiful. I had a private moment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caio-fonseca/this-morning-i-got-up-early-and-i-was-glazing-the-paintings-and-they/) [Caio Fonseca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caio-fonseca/) > [I have an idea of a set of colors and see what I have. A lot of things, the best, more magical things in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lurie/i-have-an-idea-of-a-set-of-colors-and-see-what-i-have-a-lot-of-things/) [John Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lurie/) > [Do not draw before you paint, it will restrict your brush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-onley/do-not-draw-before-you-paint-it-will-restrict-your-brush/) [Toni Onley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-onley/) > [The air we see in the paintings of the old masters is never the air we breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-degas/the-air-we-see-in-the-paintings-of-the-old-masters-is-never-the-air/) [Edgar Degas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-degas/) > [It is easy to have a lot of paintings or projects hanging around that are 'almost done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-kinkade/it-is-easy-to-have-a-lot-of-paintings-or-projects-hanging-around-that/) [Thomas Kinkade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-kinkade/) > [In a way, my paintings are like my children. They have many possibilities in life. You tell them, 'I believe that you're good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-bisky/in-a-way-my-paintings-are-like-my-children-they-have-many/) [Norbert Bisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-bisky/) > [I want the paintings to take me or the viewer out somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-schnabel/i-want-the-paintings-to-take-me-or-the-viewer-out-somewhere-else/) [Julian Schnabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-schnabel/) > [I saw Frank Frazetta's art, and it seared on my memory. I love his paintings. They're so amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-momoa/i-saw-frank-frazetta-s-art-and-it-seared-on-my-memory-i-love-his/) [Jason Momoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-momoa/) > [“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/) ## More by Toni Onley > [Do not draw before you paint, it will restrict your brush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-onley/do-not-draw-before-you-paint-it-will-restrict-your-brush/) [Toni Onley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-onley/) > [The good watercolors take a lifetime - plus a half an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-onley/the-good-watercolors-take-a-lifetime-plus-a-half-an-hour/) [Toni Onley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-onley/) > [People generally are more interested in my work when they get to know me. Serious collectors like to get not just a painting but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-onley/people-generally-are-more-interested-in-my-work-when-they-get-to-know/) [Toni Onley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-onley/) > [I drop in from the sky disturbing the silence only momentarily, then leaving the ancient land once more to converse with the sky. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-onley/i-drop-in-from-the-sky-disturbing-the-silence-only-momentarily-then/) [Toni Onley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-onley/) > [I'd rather go out in a decent crack-up than in a hospital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-onley/i-d-rather-go-out-in-a-decent-crack-up-than-in-a-hospital/) [Toni Onley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-onley/) > [Let's find visual excitement in what nature has to offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-onley/let-s-find-visual-excitement-in-what-nature-has-to-offer/) [Toni Onley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-onley/) > [You're trying to make your painting too complicated. Paintings get complicated all by themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-onley/you-re-trying-to-make-your-painting-too-complicated-paintings-get/) [Toni Onley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-onley/) [Explore all 8 Toni Onley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-onley/) ## 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 > [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": "The more successful paintings just fall off the brush. 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