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I paint life as I would like it to be.

Norman Rockwell

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Norman Rockwell
Age: 84 †
Born: 1894
Born: February 3
Died: 1978
Died: November 8
Artist
Illustrator
Painter
Photographer
Writer
New York City
New York
Norman Perceval Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell
Rockwell
Paint
Would
Life
Like

More quotes by Norman Rockwell

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Some people have been kind enough to call me a fine artist. I've always called myself an illustrator. I'm not sure what the difference is. All I know is that whatever type of work I do, I try to give it my very best. Art has been my life.
Norman Rockwell
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I'm tired, but proud.
Norman Rockwell
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I unconsciously decided that, even if it wasn't an ideal world, it should be. So I painted only the ideal aspects of it - pictures in which there are no drunken slatterns or self-centered mothers... only foxy grandpas who played baseball with the kids and boys who fished from logs and got up circuses in the backyard.
Norman Rockwell
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I work from fatigue to fatigue at my age there's only so much daylight left.
Norman Rockwell
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The remarks about my reaching the age of Social Security and coming to the end of the road, they jolted me. And that was good. Because I sure as hell had no intention of just sitting around for the rest of my life. So I'd whip out the paints and really go to it.
Norman Rockwell
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Eisenhower had about the most expressive face I ever painted, I guess. Just like an actor's. Very mobile. When he talked, he used all the facial muscles. And he had a great, wide mouth that I liked. When he smiled, it was just like the sun came out.
Norman Rockwell
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I learned to draw everything except glamorous women. No matter how much I tried to make them look sexy, they always ended up looking silly... or like somebody's mother.
Norman Rockwell
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Commonplaces never become tiresome. It is we who become tired when we cease to be curious and appreciative.
Norman Rockwell
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You must first spend some time getting your model to relax. Then you'll get a natural expression.
Norman Rockwell
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Travel is like a tonic to me. It's more than just getting away from the studio for a brief rest. I need it to recharge my batteries.
Norman Rockwell
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I keep the pornographic stuff in a bus station locker.
Norman Rockwell
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I used to sit in the studio with a copy of the (Saturday Evening) Post laid across my knees ... And then I'd conjure up a picture of myself as a famous illustrator and gloat over it, putting myself in various happy situations, surrounded by admiring females, deferred to by office flunkies at the magazines, wined and dined by the editor.
Norman Rockwell
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The view of life I communicate in my pictures excludes the sordid and ugly. I paint life as I would like it to be.
Norman Rockwell
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No man with a conscience can just bat out illustrations. He's got to put all his talent and feeling into them!
Norman Rockwell
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The secret to so many artists living so long is that every painting is a new adventure. So, you see, they're always looking ahead to something new and exciting. The secret is not to look back.
Norman Rockwell
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The '20s ended in an era of extravagance, sort of like the one we're in now. There was a big crash, but then the country picked itself up again, and we had some great years. Those were the days when American believed in itself. I was happy and proud to be painting it.
Norman Rockwell
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I'm not going to be caught around here for any fool celebration. To hell with birthdays!
Norman Rockwell
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I talk as I sketch, too, in order to keep their minds off what I'm doing so I'll get the most natural expression I can from them. Also, the talking helps to size up the subject's personality, so I can figure out better how to portray him.
Norman Rockwell
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The Balopticon [a machine that projects photos on canvas to trace the lines] is an evil, inartistic, habit-forming, lazy and vicious machine! It also is a useful, time-saving, practical and helpful one. I use one often-and am thoroughly ashamed of it. I hide it whenever I hear people coming.
Norman Rockwell
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Everyone in those days expected that art students were wild, licentious characters. We didn't know how to be, but we sure were anxious to learn.
Norman Rockwell