William Blake on Art and Painting

" Invention depends altogether, upon execution or organization; as that is right or wrong so is the invention perfect or imperfect. Whoever is set to undermine the execution of art is set to destroy art. Michael Angelo's art depends on Michael Angelo's execution altogether."

" Knowledge of the ideal beauty is not be acquired. It is born with us. Innate ideas are in every man, born with him; they are truly himself. The man who says that we have no innate ideas must be a fool & knave, having no con-science or innate science."

" The difference between a bad artist and a good one is: The bad artist seems to copy a great deal. The good one really does copy a great deal."

" To generalize is to be an idiot. To particularize is alone distinction of merit."

" Colouring does not depend on where the colours are put, but on where the lights and darks are put, and all depends on form or outline. On where that is put; where that is wrong, the colour can never be right; and it is always wrong in Titian and Correggio, Rubens and Rembrandt."

Source
Goldwater, R & Treves, M. 1976. Artists on Art, From the 14th to the 20th Century . John Murray.

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