Summary: Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, left a legacy that extends far beyond his artwork. His words offer profound insights into creativity, life, and the human spirit. This collection of quotes captures the essence of Picasso’s wisdom, categorized into ten distinct themes. Each section includes twelve quotes that reflect his perspective on various aspects of life and art. Whether you're seeking inspiration for your creative endeavors or life lessons, these quotes are timeless and universal in their appeal.
Art and Creativity Quotes
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."
"Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth."
"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls."
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
"Painting is just another way of keeping a diary."
"Art is the elimination of the unnecessary."
"I begin with an idea, and then it becomes something else."
"Everything you can imagine is real."
"The chief enemy of creativity is ‘good’ sense."
"Painting is a blind man's profession. He paints not what he sees, but what he feels."
"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist."
"To draw, you must close your eyes and sing."
Life Quotes
"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone."
"Action is the foundational key to all success."
"I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them."
"It takes a long time to become young."
"I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money."
"The older you get, the stronger the wind gets—and it's always in your face."
"Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not."
"Everything you think you can do, everything you believe, you can do."
"He can who thinks he can, and he can't who thinks he can't. This is an inexorable, indisputable law."
"Youth has no age."
"There are only two kinds of women: goddesses and doormats."
"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."
Imagination Quotes
"Everything you can imagine is real."
"My mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general; if you become a monk, you'll end up as the pope.' Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso."
"Imagination is everything."
"Painting isn't an aesthetic operation; it's a form of magic designed as mediator between this strange hostile world and us."
"What one does is what counts. Not what one had the intention of doing."
"To know what you're going to draw, you have to begin drawing."
"Art is the greatest lie that tells the truth."
"Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun."
"They'll sell you thousands of greens. Veronese green and emerald green and cadmium green and any sort of green you like; but that particular green, never."
"Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work."
"You don't make art, you find it."
"The artist is a receptacle for emotions come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web."
Wisdom Quotes
"Bad artists copy. Good artists steal."
"We don't grow older, we grow riper."
"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."
"It's your work in life that is the ultimate seduction."
"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
"You mustn't always believe what I say. Questions tempt you to tell lies, especially when there is no answer."
"There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality."
"Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? No."
"What do you think an artist is? An imbecile who has only eyes if he is a painter, or ears if he is a musician, or a lyre in every chamber of his heart if he is a poet, or even, if he is a boxer, just his muscles? Far from it. At the same time, he is also a political being, constantly aware of the heart-rendering, fiery, or happy events to which he responds in every way."
"Art is the best possible introduction to the culture of the world."
"Success is dangerous. One begins to copy oneself, and to copy oneself is more dangerous than to copy others. It leads to sterility."
"Art is not the application of a canon of beauty but what the instinct and the brain can conceive beyond any canon. When we love a woman we don't start measuring her limbs."
Art Interpretation Quotes
"Art is not the application of a canon of beauty but what the instinct and the brain can conceive beyond any canon."
"Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror, or the painter?"
"There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who, thanks to their art and intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun."
"To draw, you must close your eyes and sing."
"A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art."
"Every act of creation is first an act of destruction."
"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."
"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
"Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions."
"The people who make art their business are mostly impostors."
"There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality."
"The world today doesn’t make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do?"
Innovation Quotes
"Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not."
"Every act of creation is first an act of destruction."
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
"The chief enemy of creativity is ‘good’ sense."
"I do not seek. I find."
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
"It is your work in life that is the ultimate seduction."
"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
"Action is the foundational key to all success."
"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."
"I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else."
"Everything you can imagine is real."
Perspective Quotes
"What one does is what counts. Not what one had the intention of doing."
"Art is the best possible introduction to the culture of the world."
"To finish a work? To finish a picture? What nonsense! To finish it means to be through with it, to kill it, to rid it of its soul, to give it the final blow: the most unfortunate one for the painter as well as for the picture."
"There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept."
"What do you think an artist is? An imbecile who has only eyes if he is a painter, or ears if he is a musician, or a lyre in every chamber of his heart if he is a poet, or even, if he is a boxer, just his muscles? Far from it. At the same time, he is also a political being, constantly aware of the heart-rendering, fiery, or happy events to which he responds in every way."
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
"Painting is just another way of keeping a diary."
"Action is the foundational key to all success."
"If I paint a wild horse, you might not see the horse... but surely you will see the wildness!"
"To know what you're going to draw, you have to begin drawing."
"It is your work in life that is the ultimate seduction."
"Painting is a blind man's profession. He paints not what he sees, but what he feels, what he tells himself about what he has seen."
Passion Quotes
"Painting is just another way of keeping a diary."
"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls."
"Everything you can imagine is real."
"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."
"Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not."
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
"I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money."
"To know what you're going to draw, you have to begin drawing."
"Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? No."
"Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun."
"When I was a child my mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general; if you become a monk, you'll end up as the pope.' Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso."
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
Love Quotes
"There are only two kinds of women: goddesses and doormats."
"Love is the greatest refreshment in life."
"I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money."
"Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not."
"When I was a child my mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general; if you become a monk, you'll end up as the pope.' Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso."
"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls."
"Action is the foundational key to all success."
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
"Everything you can imagine is real."
"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
"Art is the best possible introduction to the culture of the world."
Existence Quotes
"The purpose of life is to give it away."
"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone."
"Action is the foundational key to all success."
"Everything you can imagine is real."
"I do not seek. I find."
"Art is the best possible introduction to the culture of the world."
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
"I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money."
"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
"To draw, you must close your eyes and sing."
"What one does is what counts. Not what one had the intention of doing."
Final words
Conclusion: Picasso’s quotes serve as a reminder of the boundless nature of human potential and creativity. His reflections are not just confined to the realm of art, but they transcend into the broader spectrum of life, encouraging us to see the world differently and embrace the unknown. Each of his words beckons us to challenge conventional thinking and ignite our passions. Whether you are an artist or someone looking for wisdom in daily life, Picasso's quotes provide an indispensable source of inspiration and profound understanding. Embrace these words and let them guide you towards your own creative and existential discoveries.
Explore over 100 captivating quotes by Pablo Picasso that ignite creativity and artistic inspiration. Perfect for artists and enthusiasts seeking motivation and insight from one of the greatest artists of all time.
