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Oh painter! You cannot be a good one if you are not the universal master of representing by your art every kind of form produced by nature. And this you will not know how to do if you do not see them, and retain them in your being. Hence as you go through the fields, turn your attention to the various objects, and, in turn, look now at this thing and now that, collecting a store of diverse facts selected and chosen from those of less value. But do not do like some painters who, when they are wearied with exciting their fancy dismiss their work from their thoughts and take exercise in walking for relaxation, but still keep fatigue in their mind which, though they see various objects around them, do not apprehend them; but, even when they meet friends or relations and are saluted by them, take no more cognizance of them than if they had met so much empty air.
Any master who should venture to boast that he could remember all the forms and effects of nature would certainly appear to me to be graced with extreme ignorance, inasmuch as these effects are infinite and our memory is not extensive enough to retain them.
Thus I say to you whom nature prompts to pursue this art, if you wish to have a sound knowledge of the forms of objects begin with the details of them, and do not go on to the next step till you have the first well fixed in memory and in practice. And if you do otherwise you will throw away your time, or certainly greatly prolong your studies. And remember to acquire diligence rather than rapidity.
– Da Vinci, On Being an Artist
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