It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.
I may not be better than other people, but at least I’m different.
Originality is nothing but judicious imitation. The most original writers borrowed from one another. The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbours, kindle it at home, communicate it to others, and it becomes the prope.
It does not matter how badly you paint so long as you don’t paint badly like other people.