--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just slap something on it when you see a…" description: "\"Just slap something on it when you see a blank canvas staring at you with a sort of imbecility.\" — Vincent Van Gogh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/vincent-van-gogh-486_blank_just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a_2142325.jpg" --- # Just slap something on it when you see a blank canvas… ![“Just slap something on it when you see a blank canvas staring at you with a sort of imbecility.” quote by Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/vincent-van-gogh-486_blank_just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a_2142325.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/vincent-van-gogh-486_blank_just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a_2142325.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/vincent-van-gogh-486_blank_just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a_2142325.jpg) > “Just slap something on it when you see a blank canvas staring at you with a sort of imbecility.” [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embrace improvisation on a blank canvas; avoid overthinking. **In simple terms:** Create spontaneously when faced with emptiness. Key Takeaway Start creating without perfectionism. Themes creativity spontaneity art Mood inspired determined Type advice creative When to use this quote - painting - design - writing - problem solving Key Concepts expressionism process art Questions to Reflect On - What blocks your creative start? - How can you balance planning and improvisation? A Different Perspective Spontaneity may lead to unsatisfactory results. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Blank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blank/) [Blank canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blank-canvas/) [Canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canvas/) [Canvas Staring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canvas-staring-4466082/) [Imbecility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imbecility/) [Slap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slap/) [Slap Blank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slap-blank-4466083/) [Staring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staring/) [Staring at you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staring-at-you/) ## Related quotes > [Just dash something down if you see a blank canvas staring at you with a certain imbecility. You do not know how paralyzing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/just-dash-something-down-if-you-see-a-blank-canvas-staring-at-you/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Just slap anything on when you see a blank canvas staring you in the face like some imbecile. You don't know how paralyzing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/just-slap-anything-on-when-you-see-a-blank-canvas-staring-you-in-the/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Life itself, too, is forever turning an infinitely vacant, dispiriting blank side towards man on which nothing appears, any more than it does on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/life-itself-too-is-forever-turning-an-infinitely-vacant-dispiriting/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The canvas has an idiotic stare and mesmerises some painters so much that they turn into idiots themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-canvas-has-an-idiotic-stare-and-mesmerises-some-painters-so-much/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Many painters are afraid of the blank canvas, but the blank canvas is afraid of the truly passionate painter who dares-and who has once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/many-painters-are-afraid-of-the-blank-canvas-but-the-blank-canvas-is/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Normally, when you go to a beach, everybody is wearing bikinis, but on a film, you're the only one. There's like 60 people staring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-upton/normally-when-you-go-to-a-beach-everybody-is-wearing-bikinis-but-on-a/) [Kate Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-upton/) > [Never drink more than one cocktail before giving a talk. True, the drinks may relax you, but they may also slur your speech and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-bloomingdale/never-drink-more-than-one-cocktail-before-giving-a-talk-true-the/) [Teresa Bloomingdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-bloomingdale/) > [You don’t have to go looking for pictures. The material is generous. You go out and the pictures are staring at YOU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-friedlander/you-don-t-have-to-go-looking-for-pictures-the-material-is-generous/) [Lee Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-friedlander/) > [You can't give someone five hundred punches in a film anymore. You beat on them, and they continue to stand there staring at you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolph-lundgren/you-can-t-give-someone-five-hundred-punches-in-a-film-anymore-you/) [Dolph Lundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolph-lundgren/) > [Anytime you walk onto a stage or something where there's lots of people staring at you, you need to have something inspiring inside your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-bauer-van-straten/anytime-you-walk-onto-a-stage-or-something-where-there-s-lots-of/) [Kristin Bauer van Straten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-bauer-van-straten/) > [See them demons and them omens staring at you, mind control, they want your soul. If he don't see a dollar, somebody visiting Satan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-rock/see-them-demons-and-them-omens-staring-at-you-mind-control-they-want/) [Jay Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-rock/) > [It fascinates me that there is a variety of feeling about what I do. I'm not a premeditative photographer. I see a picture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-friedlander/it-fascinates-me-that-there-is-a-variety-of-feeling-about-what-i-do-i/) [Lee Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-friedlander/) > [It's a horrible economy but I'm trying to do my part. I just bought a new shower curtain it has all the presidents on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-attell/it-s-a-horrible-economy-but-i-m-trying-to-do-my-part-i-just-bought-a/) [Dave Attell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-attell/) > [“By setting oneself totally free of constraints, free of thoughts, free of this debilitating activity called work, free of efforts, elements hidden in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/by-setting-oneself-totally-free-of-constraints-free-of-thoughts-free/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [For the most part, improvising while cameras are rolling is very difficult. 99% of people you should never ask to do that, because they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/for-the-most-part-improvising-while-cameras-are-rolling-is-very/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) ## More by Vincent Van Gogh > [What am I in most people's eyes? A nonentity or an eccentric and disagreeable man... I should want my work to show what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-am-i-in-most-people-s-eyes-a-nonentity-or-an-eccentric-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-heart-of-man-is-very-much-like-the-sea-it-has-its-storms-it-has/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“I take great care of myself by carefully shutting myself away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-take-great-care-of-myself-by-carefully-shutting-myself-away/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [There certainly is an affinity between a person and his work, but it is not easy to define what this affinity is, and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/there-certainly-is-an-affinity-between-a-person-and-his-work-but-it/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I confess I do not know why, but looking at the stars always makes me dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-confess-i-do-not-know-why-but-looking-at-the-stars-always-makes-me/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah, Manet has come very, very close to it and Courbet - the marrying of form and colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-manet-has-come-very-very-close-to-it-and-courbet-the-marrying-of/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [We must not judge God from this world. It's just a study that didn't come off. It's only a master who could make such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/we-must-not-judge-god-from-this-world-it-s-just-a-study-that-didn-t/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/our-goals-can-only-be-reached-through-a-vehicle-of-a-plan-in-which-we/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [One can never study nature too much and too hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/one-can-never-study-nature-too-much-and-too-hard/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [But by fighting the difficulties in which one finds oneself, an inner strength develops from within our heart, which improves in life's fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/but-by-fighting-the-difficulties-in-which-one-finds-oneself-an-inner/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah! My dear friend painting is to us what the music of Berlioz and Wagner was before us - a consolatory art for sore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-my-dear-friend-painting-is-to-us-what-the-music-of-berlioz-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Painting demands an intelligent model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/painting-demands-an-intelligent-model/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [That this awareness of my own fallibility will prevent me from making many mistakes doesn't alter the fact that I'm bound to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/that-this-awareness-of-my-own-fallibility-will-prevent-me-from-making/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [What is drawing? It is working oneself through an invisible iron wall that seems to stand between what one feels and what one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-is-drawing-it-is-working-oneself-through-an-invisible-iron-wall/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [You will say that everyone has seen landscapes and figures from childhood on. The question is: Has everybody also been reflexive as a child?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/you-will-say-that-everyone-has-seen-landscapes-and-figures-from/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) [Explore all 508 Vincent Van Gogh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "Just slap something on it when you see a blank canvas staring at you with a sort of imbecility.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vincent Van Gogh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a-blank-canvas-staring-at-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a-blank-canvas-staring-at-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/vincent-van-gogh-486_blank_just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a_2142325.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/vincent-van-gogh-486_blank_just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a_2142325.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/vincent-van-gogh-486_blank_just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a_2142325.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Just slap something on it when you see a blank canvas staring at you with a sort of imbecility.” — Vincent Van Gogh", "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": "Vincent Van Gogh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Just slap something on it when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a-blank-canvas-staring-at-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/just-slap-something-on-it-when-you-see-a-blank-canvas-staring-at-you/#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 } } ] } ```