35 Quotes by Charles Webster Hawthorne

Be humble about it. Paint the color tones as they come against each other, and make them sing, vibrate. Don’t ask me to look at those self-satisfied, pretty things.

Put off finish as it takes a lifetime – wait until later to try to finish things – make a lot of starts.

The value of a canvas depends almost entirely on your mental attitude, not on your moral attitude; depends on what kind of a man you are, the way you observe.

Avoid distant views, paint objects close up. If the foreground is well done the distance will take care of itself.

To see things simply is the hardest thing in the world.

Paint with freedom. It gives you more mastery of the nature of paint.

In his attempt to develop the beauty he sees, the artist develops himself.

Realize the value of putting down your first impression quickly.

Get into the habit of doing what you see, not what you know. Human reason cannot foresee the accidents of out-of-doors.