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When an artist leaves his work to amuse people, he loses his time and their respect. If people are to be amused by artists, it must be by employing them in their legitimate occupation.
William Morris Hunt
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William Morris Hunt
Age: 55 †
Born: 1824
Born: March 31
Died: 1879
Died: September 8
Artist
Drawer
Graphic Artist
Lithographer
Painter
Sculptor
Brattleboro
Vermont
W. M. Hunt
William M. Hunt
William Hunt
wm morris hunt
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More quotes by William Morris Hunt
It's no easy matter to paint a background. I venture to say that the old painters had more difficulty with their grounds than with their figures. You know the story of Vandyke brought to Rubens with this recommendation: 'He already knows how to paint a background.' 'That is more than I can do!' was the reply.
William Morris Hunt
I don't like persuaded sitters. I never could paint a cat if the cat had any scruples, religious, superstitious, or otherwise, about sitting.
William Morris Hunt
Let me give you a few simple rules for learning to draw. First, see of what shape the whole thing is. Next, put in the line that marks the movement of the whole. Don't have more than one movement in a figure you can't patch parts together. Simple lines then simple values. Establish the fact of the whole. Is it square, oblong, cube, or what is it?
William Morris Hunt
It's impossible to make a picture without values. Values are the basis. If they are not, tell me what is the basis.
William Morris Hunt
Nature is economical. She puts her lights and darks only where she needs them.
William Morris Hunt
Beauty is that little something that fills the whole world, and is contained neither in a single straight nose, a long eyelash, nor a blue mountain. Some see it in a leg of mutton, others in a compound fracture and to expect others to accept one's own definition of it is as absurd as to expect all humanity to use the same toilet-brush.
William Morris Hunt
The mission of art is to represent nature not to imitate her.
William Morris Hunt
I tell you it's no joke to paint a portrait. I wonder that I am not more timid when I begin. I feel almost certain that I can do it. It seems very simple. I don't think of the time that is sure to come when I almost despair, when the whole thing seems hopeless.
William Morris Hunt
There is force and vitality in a first sketch from life which the after-work rarely has... In your sketches keep the first vivid impression! Add no details that shall weaken it! Look first for the big things! 1st. Proportions! 2nd. Values - or masses of light and shade. 3rd. Details that will not spoil the beginnings!
William Morris Hunt
Art teaches you the philosophy of life, and if you can't learn it from art, you can't learn it at all. It shows you that there is no perfection. There is light, and there is shadow. Everything is in half tint.
William Morris Hunt
Painting is the only universal language. All nature is creation's picture book. Painting alone can describe every thing which can be seen, and suggest every emotion which can be felt. Art reaches back into the babyhood of time, and is man's only lasting monument.
William Morris Hunt
There's lots of fun in this world, after all. And if there isn't, there is in the next. And we're going there, sure.
William Morris Hunt
Don't put needless expense into painting a head! Don't try to match tints! Rose and pearly colours blend into each other so that no one can unite them if painted separately. Keep the impression of your subject as one thing!
William Morris Hunt
Believe that time is going to help you do what you want.
William Morris Hunt
You can't do a fine thing without having seen fine examples.
William Morris Hunt
Most of us live for the critic, and he lives on us. He doesn't sacrifice himself. He gets so much a line for writing a criticism. If the birds should read the newspapers, they would all take to changing their notes. The parrots would exchange with the nightingales, and what a farce it would be!
William Morris Hunt
How are things visible? Can you see an egg against a white background? Not by drawing a line around it can you make it evident.
William Morris Hunt
Give up the idea of 'color' for awhile! Consider masses - values, only... One dark and one light place in every picture.
William Morris Hunt
Elaboration is not beauty, and sand-paper never finished a piece of bad work.
William Morris Hunt
You can always draw as well as you know how to. I flatter myself that I feel more than I express on canvas but I know that is not so.
William Morris Hunt
