Art Quote by W. H. Auden
“A craftsman knows in advance what the finished result will be, while the artist knows only what it will be when he has finished it.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: "The Unknown Citizen" (collection), 1940
A craftsman plans the outcome, an artist discovers it only after creation.
In simple terms: Craftsmen plan, artists discover after finishing.
Key Takeaway
Embrace uncertainty in creative work.
Themes
creativity
process
uncertainty
craftsmanship
art
Mood
reflective
inspired
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- design projects
- painting
- writing
- product development
- music composition
Key Concepts
planning
emergent result
artistic intuition
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance planning with openness?
- When does control hinder creativity?
A Different Perspective
The artist may lack control over the final form, leading to risk.
![“Any true musician, true artist, knows that when they're in that point of total artistic creation, whether on stage or in the studio or writing or whatever, that's the closest moment [to creation]. And that's what keeps all these people addicted to getting back to that moment again.” quote by Richard Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5fa/richard-ashcroft-4594_art_any-true-musician-true-artist-knows-that_1705590.jpg)
![“Because Ivy [Wilkes] is just starting out as an artist, I wanted to focus on [Georgia] O'Keeffe's experiences when she was just starting out. I suspect there is a difference between being an unknown artist and being a celebrated artist. When nobody knows your work, nobody except you really cares…” quote by Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/79d/liza-campbell-17930_art_because-ivy-wilkes-is-just-starting-out_1037992.jpg)
