Explore popular quotes and sayings by an American artist Sergei Bongart.
Last updated on April 21, 2025.
Sergei Bongart (1918–1985) was an American painter. Bongart is admired for his richly colored and emotionally expressive landscapes, still lifes and portraits. He was best known as a colorist, working in exaggerated color, using dynamic but carefully controlled color relationships and extolling the virtues of approaching painting as "color first, subject last".
Watercolor is like life. Better get it right the first time--you don't get a second chance!
Always keep your best work.
Art is more than a product of your efforts - it should be about feeling, life, attitude, soul.
There is no one just like you, and there never will be anyone just like you, so there's no reason not to be original.
If you paint from 35mm Kodachrome, you end up with a 4x5 foot Kodachrome!
First draw dog, then fleas. First paint apple, then worm holes.
Never become an artist if you can't learn to draw.
The most horrible question students ask: 'How do you paint copper?' 'How do you paint flesh or glass?' You paint everything the same way: Right color, right value, in right spot. There are no prescriptions.
All students need to know about color is the basic color wheel and complimentary colors. There are many books on color theory; do not waste your time and money.
The less inhibited you are the better.
First trust your eyes... then check by rules. Many times something else is happening, and the rules will not apply.
Once you set out to copy another painter you can never be more than number two.
Contrast warm to cool. Make color sing, ring like a bell. Work from big to small.
Practice like good musician; draw every day.
Learn technique; have full command to the extent of not being conscious of how it is done. When craftsmanship has been developed, you are free to create... technique will give way to expression!
Train yourself: It is not by accident an artist becomes a good painter.
Most important... develop your technical ability. You are handicapped if you do not develop well enough to hold the subconscious process so as not to have problems of inexperienced painters.