--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never draw anything you can copy, never…" description: "\"Never draw anything you can copy, never copy anything you can trace, never trace anything you can cut out and paste up.\" — Wally Wood" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/wally-wood-71282_comic_never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-c_1689309.jpg" --- # Never draw anything you can copy, never copy anything you… ![“Never draw anything you can copy, never copy anything you can trace, never trace anything you can cut out and paste up.” quote by Wally Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/wally-wood-71282_comic_never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-c_1689309.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/wally-wood-71282_comic_never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-c_1689309.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/wally-wood-71282_comic_never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-c_1689309.jpg) > “Never draw anything you can copy, never copy anything you can trace, never trace anything you can cut out and paste up.” [Wally Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-wood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages originality by avoiding direct copying, urging artists to transform sources creatively. **In simple terms:** Create, don’t imitate. Key Takeaway Transform existing ideas. Themes creativity originality art technique inspiration Mood inspired practical Type educational creative When to use this quote - drawing - design - concept development Key Concepts innovation process visual storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor influences while staying original? - What techniques help you transform ideas? A Different Perspective Risk of stifling learning through imitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Copies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copies/) [Copy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copy/) [Copy Copy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copy-copy-687128/) [Copy Trace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copy-trace-1039143/) [Copying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copying/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Draw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draw/) [Draw Copy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draw-copy-1039142/) [Drawing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drawing/) [Draws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draws/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humorous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorous/) [Insert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insert/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Tracing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tracing/) ## Related quotes > [Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find your self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-copying-what-you-love-copy-copy-copy-copy-at-the-end-of-the-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Everytime you make a copy of the copy, you lose clarity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-e-nelson/everytime-you-make-a-copy-of-the-copy-you-lose-clarity/) [Alan E. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-e-nelson/) > [“People will copy what you do and how you do it, but they can never copy WHY you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-mercurio/people-will-copy-what-you-do-and-how-you-do-it-but-they-can-never/) [Zach Mercurio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-mercurio/) > [If you use a poor headline, it does not matter how hard you labor over your copy because your copy will not be read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/if-you-use-a-poor-headline-it-does-not-matter-how-hard-you-labor-over/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [With insomnia, nothing is real. Everything is far away. Everything is a copy of a copy of a copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/with-insomnia-nothing-is-real-everything-is-far-away-everything-is-a/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) > [An original artist is unable to copy. So he has only to copy in order to be original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/an-original-artist-is-unable-to-copy-so-he-has-only-to-copy-in-order/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Never copy yourself, always copy someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/never-copy-yourself-always-copy-someone-else/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yohji-yamamoto/start-copying-what-you-love-copy-copy-copy-copy-at-the-end-of-the/) [Yohji Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yohji-yamamoto/) > [Some in Europe take a plane, fly to Silicon Valley, visit and look and come back and say we need to do the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kaeser/some-in-europe-take-a-plane-fly-to-silicon-valley-visit-and-look-and/) [Joe Kaeser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kaeser/) > [Switch my hair,they gon' copy her.Switch my gear,they gon' copy her,Look at how they stare,just a copier.Roger that.Did you copy that?? COPY CAT!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/switch-my-hair-they-gon-copy-her-switch-my-gear-they-gon-copy-her/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [You should learn from your competitor, but never copy. Copy and you die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/you-should-learn-from-your-competitor-but-never-copy-copy-and-you-die/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [In reviewing my life, in tracing its course, I fill my cell with the pleasure of being what for want of a trifle I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-genet/in-reviewing-my-life-in-tracing-its-course-i-fill-my-cell-with-the/) [Jean Genet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-genet/) > [It would be most wholesome if for at least twenty years art historians were forbidden to refer to any derivations. If they were not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-arnheim/it-would-be-most-wholesome-if-for-at-least-twenty-years-art/) [Rudolf Arnheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-arnheim/) > [That which rises and sinks is made up of what it rises from. The finality of the universe is the God Arunachala. Meditating on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/that-which-rises-and-sinks-is-made-up-of-what-it-rises-from-the/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) ## More by Wally Wood > [I would INSIST this record is in NO WAY COLD influenced. Don't get me bent though, I have been a huge fan of Cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-wood/i-would-insist-this-record-is-in-no-way-cold-influenced-don-t-get-me/) [Wally Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-wood/) > [I worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week for years. Being a comic book artist is like sentencing yourself to life imprisonment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-wood/i-worked-12-hours-a-day-seven-days-a-week-for-years-being-a-comic/) [Wally Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-wood/) > [An editor is someone dedicated to destroying the work of a creator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-wood/an-editor-is-someone-dedicated-to-destroying-the-work-of-a-creator/) [Wally Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-wood/) [Explore all 4 Wally Wood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-wood/) ## More Comic quotes > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [I always loved as a kid reading 'Spider-Man,' and the 'Fantastic Four' would show up... it was all about that larger universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-reed/i-always-loved-as-a-kid-reading-spider-man-and-the-fantastic-four/) [Peyton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-reed/) > [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [I identify with Superman. I am adopted, I am an only child, and I love the idea that he comes from another world, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-singer/i-identify-with-superman-i-am-adopted-i-am-an-only-child-and-i-love/) [Bryan Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-singer/) > [Before World War II, I was living a very cloistered existence, as most cartoonists do. The work I was pouring out did not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-eisner/before-world-war-ii-i-was-living-a-very-cloistered-existence-as-most/) [Will Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-eisner/) > [If you look at Marvel Comics, there are very few Marvel characters I would like to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-ennis/if-you-look-at-marvel-comics-there-are-very-few-marvel-characters-i/) [Garth Ennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-ennis/) > [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. It's the spontaneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/the-big-problem-for-comic-art-is-you-don-t-want-to-overwork-it-if-a/) [Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/) > [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Batman doesn't have any superpowers. He's not superhuman. He's not super. So therefore he can't be a superhero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-silvey/batman-doesn-t-have-any-superpowers-he-s-not-superhuman-he-s-not/) [Craig Silvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-silvey/) > [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [I was really into the first 'Spider-Man' films with Tobey Maguire, so it's pretty cool how it all came full circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-batalon/i-was-really-into-the-first-spider-man-films-with-tobey-maguire-so-it/) [Jacob Batalon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-batalon/) > [Most men are secretly still mad at their mothers for throwing away their comic books. They would be valuable now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/most-men-are-secretly-still-mad-at-their-mothers-for-throwing-away/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [I'll only diet for a Marvel movie. I will give up bacon and waffles to be Storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-james/i-ll-only-diet-for-a-marvel-movie-i-will-give-up-bacon-and-waffles-to/) [Janelle James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-james/) > [You've seen the first issue and what happened in the last page. Some pretty awful stuff. I don't know why I seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-shalvey/you-ve-seen-the-first-issue-and-what-happened-in-the-last-page-some/) [Declan Shalvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-shalvey/) [Browse all 5,841 Comic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never draw anything you can copy, never copy anything you can trace, never trace anything you can cut out and paste up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wally Wood" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-wood/never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-copy-anything-you-can-trace/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-wood/never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-copy-anything-you-can-trace/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/wally-wood-71282_comic_never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-c_1689309.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/wally-wood-71282_comic_never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-c_1689309.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/wally-wood-71282_comic_never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-c_1689309.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never draw anything you can copy, never copy anything you can trace, never trace anything you can cut out…” — Wally Wood", "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": "Wally Wood", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-wood/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Never draw anything you can copy,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-wood/never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-copy-anything-you-can-trace/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-wood/never-draw-anything-you-can-copy-never-copy-anything-you-can-trace/#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 } } ] } ```