Quotes from David Hockney

The moment rules over everything.

I do do a lot of talking, because it saves me listening.

I've always wanted to be able to paint the dawn.

I paint what I like, when I like and where I like.

I generally only paint people I know, I'm not a flatterer really.

Yes, I did, I mean I painted er, in a kind of abstract expressionist way, because of course that was exciting.

I'm not going to stop painting just to take orders.

Easel painting means small painting.

Who's going to ask a painter to see a diploma? They'd say, 'Can I see your paintings?', wouldn't they?

I was 18 when I first visited London, I'm very provincial like that, but I must confess the moment I got to America I thought: This is the place. It was more open, with 24-hour cities and pubs and restaurants that didn't close.

A lot of people, given the chance, would blow up everything, and you and me.

Cubism was an attack on the perspective that had been known and used for 500 years. It was the first big, big change. It confused people: they said, 'Things don't look like that!'

All painters are interested in photography to a certain extent.

I think Picasso was, without doubt, the greatest portraitist of the 20th century, if not any other century.

But the moment you use an ordinary camera, you are not seeing the picture, remember, meaning, you had to remember what you've taken. Now you could see it of course, with a digital thing, but remember in 1982 you couldn't.

I'm interested in all kinds of pictures, however they are made, with cameras, with paint brushes, with computers, with anything.

California is always in my mind.

I think my father would have liked to have been an artist, actually. But I think he didn't quite have perhaps the drive or, I don't know, I mean he had a family to bring up I suppose.

I've finally figured out what's wrong with photography. It's a one-eyed man looking through a little 'ole. Now, how much reality can there be in that?

I think I'm greedy, but I'm not greedy for money - I think that can be a burden - I'm greedy for an exciting life.

People tend to forget that play is serious.

Cubism was an attack on the perspective that had been known and used for 500 years. It was the first big, big change. It confused people: they said, 'Things don't look like that!'

The moment you cheat for the sake of beauty, you know you're an artist.

Art has to move you and design does not, unless it's a good design for a bus.