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Quote by William Morris Hunt

“Elaboration is not beauty, and sand-paper never finished a piece of bad work.”

Author

William Morris Hunt was a 19th-century American painter and art educator. Known for his delicate depictions of natural landscapes and profound understanding of light and color, Hunt was born on March 31, 1824, and died on September 8, 1879. more

“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.”

Knows I Can Matter Stories Easy Can Do Know How Figures Difficulty Paint Backgrounds Painter Venture Recommendations Rubens

Book:William Morris Hunt on painting and drawing

Source: William Morris Hunt on painting and drawing

“Imagination comes in after we have experience.”

Imagination

Author:William Morris Hunt

“Compare constantly, lines and angles... Hold looking-glass before your model and your drawing. Take a second's glance only, and see if the impression be the same. If it be not, ask, 'What is the difference?”

Ifs Asks Differences Lines Models Glasses Drawing Impression Compare Angle Glances

Book:William Morris Hunt on painting and drawing

Source: William Morris Hunt on painting and drawing

“You are to draw not reality, but the appearance of reality!”

Reality Draws Appearance Realism

Book:William Morris Hunt on painting and drawing

Source: William Morris Hunt on painting and drawing

“Strive for simplicity! Don't have the face a checkerboard of tints! Use such colors as nature uses, but not try to keep them distinct! Your work may be called monotonous, but one tone is better than many which do not harmonize.”

Trying May Use Faces Color Strive Simplicity Tone Monotonous Checkerboard

Author: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!”

Firsts Looks Bigs Light Values Force Strength Mass Add Details Impression Proportion Shade Big Things Vitality Vivid Spoil

Author:William Morris Hunt

“A Christian marriage is [not] one with no problems or even a marriage with fewer problems. (It may well mean more problems.) But it does mean a life in which two people are able to accept each other and love each other in the midst of problems and fears. It means a marriage in which selfish people can accept selfish people without constantly trying to change them -- and even accept themselves, because they realize personally that they have been accepted by Christ.”

Quote by William Morris Hunt

Author

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