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

- William Dobell

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

- 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 jus…

- 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

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 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

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

- 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

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