Top 10 Quotes & Sayings by William Dobell

Explore popular quotes and sayings by an Australian artist William Dobell.

Last updated on December 18, 2024.

Sir William Dobell was an Australian portrait and landscape artist of the 20th century. Dobell won the Archibald Prize, Australia's premier award for portrait artists on three occasions. The Dobell Prize is named in his honour.

Australian - Artist | September 24, 1899 - May 13, 1970

Source: Wikipedia

The real artist is striving to depict his subject's character and to stress the caricature, but at least it is art which is alive.

William Dobell

I never wanted to be commissioned to paint portraits. I like to choose my own subject and make a character study from it.

William Dobell

So long as people expect paintings to be simply coloured photographs they get no individuality and, in the case of portraits, no characterisation.

William Dobell

Honing a thing down until you can still get through with economy, that's power.

William Dobell

A sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing.

William Dobell

Honing a thing down until you can still get through with economy, that's power. Learn your technique thoroughly, immerse yourself in it, and then just throw it all out the window, and express what you feel... and it will come through that you are a technician.

William Dobell

I am always worried whether I am doing my best work.

William Dobell

My best work is always done... when I'm experimenting. If I stop experimenting I feel it just becomes a drudgery.

William Dobell

I paint as I want to with no holds barred. I am more contented lately than I have been for a long time about my work. But not dangerously so.

William Dobell

my sitters get tired waiting for commissioned portraits. If they commission me they have to wait years sometimes because I discard so many.

William Dobell