D o you listen to music while you draw?

[pfloyd]

Just wondering (and im kinda bored). I always do, i usually listen to pink floyd or other artist similare to them. They are too good, it blows my mind. :pump:

[stuartjems]

Music is a good source of inspiration, picking out lyrics from songs has help form many ideas for lots of people!
Personally I like to listen to any type of music while drawing, just as long as it dulls the background noise and allows me to concentrate.

[PxelSlayer]

Yup, yup, YUP! :rocker:

Currently my playlist looks like it was made for someone with multiple personalities, though (From Bjork to Goldfrapp, Jamiroquai, Daft Punk, Tink Things, Basement Jaxx, Pans Labyrinth OST, Best classical music ever! hits, Chemical Brothers etc...) :geekg:

[Krato]

hm, i probably shouldnt listen to music but drawing studies is pretty boring without it.

[Jacob Kobryn]

Not this thread AGAIN!!!

[DeadlyFreeze]

Real artist only enjoy listening to the voices in their head.... mocking them.

NO YOU SHUT UP.

[Daniel Andrews]

Jon foster and Carl Dobsky crit our portfolio's on Live stream for 12+ hours. Wicked!

[Farvus]

When I do quick sketches, thumbnails or speedpaintings - Yes.

If I do complicated stuff - No (or at least low volume). I prefer voices in my head.

This below is from "The Animators Survival Kit" book. I'm not into animation but I took this advice to heart. It helped for some stuff I draw.

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[PieterV]

I love that book, there are few instructional books where I was actually excited to read the writing :D

I listen to music, sometimes, sometimes not. Just depends if I'm in the mood for music or not.

[LORD M]

After my friend showed me that page from "The Animators Survival Kit" book I realised why I shouldn't listen to music while working, and I havent since then.

[KonnA]

Always.

[drd]

Even if that were the case, I couldn't simply draw in total silence. I have to have some sort of noise going, whether its classical, thrash metal, nu-jazz, beardy folk, punk rock...

As long as its something.

[Whitevillage]

I listen to music when I need to work on to something close to a deadline. It helps me working on it without stressing too much.

The advice of not listening when drawing is however very good advice. I get the impression that when I work with music on, I'm just drawing and that's it. Making my work perhaps not as good as it should be?

Unfortunately, I don't have places in my house where it's absolutely silent and getting distracted from other people or the traffic outside... :/

[LuckyDevil]

I agree with that book, but only for animation. It requires you to focus on what the hell your doing at all times so the music has to either go with what your animating or no music at all while drawing.

But for drawing illustrations, or just concepts in general i do listen to music to get me pumped or just have some background theme music playing.

Plus music blocks out all outside noises that other wise would really annoy you.

[cl0aked]

Hm, interesting advice though it's hard to negate the calming benefits of Wim Mertens and Philip Glass (and other minimalist music composers).

[Farvus]

This advice convinced me because there are days when I get really pumped by loud energetic music and drawings after that end up much more messy. If you want visual representation then here is example for what I'm talking about. :P

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[nauvice]

I've read animator's survival kit and I can see his point, sometimes I dont listen to music, most of the time I do, either to block out other outside noises, or to get myself in the right mood for what Im drawing (like if I wanted to depict a sad situation but I ate too much sugar that day, i'd listen to mellow music to calm me down) or most of the time it actually is to concentrate on my work, because without music, I just start thinking about distracting life situations that affect my motivation to work. (like an event I really cant wait to go to, or a person I really wish to kick and yell at.)

[Raoul Duke]

I prefer subtle music when I draw. Not easy listening, but nothing too aggressive either.
The metal and shit is good for warming up though.
Definitely avoid distracting lyrics. Because you'll think about the lyrics and not your work.

I have two separate playlists for drawing, Rawkus and Focus.

[NickyBeats]

Pandora radio station is a gift from god, and he would be pissed if i didnt use it when i was drawing. plus id probably end up getting like "love shack" stuck in my head and eventually go insane.

[Kfeeras]

I prefer to listen to one song over and over again, that way its not that distracting. Loopwise.

Or listen to songs and albums you know well.

[crossmirage]

Depends really, but I often need to have music of my own to drown the crappy pop that other people blast on their speakers. I really don't want UMBRELLA ELLA ELLA ELLA to get stuck in my head.

My playlist consists of metal. lots of metal.

[darkwolf29a]

I'm going with Pixlslayer's answer...Because I listen to some of the same stuff... I know...I need my "I Love Me" coat!! But, it's okay...because the voices tell me so. LOL

[ChristmasBunneh]

Either way isn't good. I usually start with music, not too loud, I need to hear my own thoughts but at some point I get annoyed by it. I turn it off and carry on but eventually the silence starts getting to me and I switch it back on again etc. However I get the best results with non-lyrical stuff or where lyrics aren't really important. A steady repetitive flow is good too so I choose something breakbeat-y, dubstep, triphop or similar while generally I listen to different music (when I listen music for music)

[GriNGo]

I also read that Animation book, and I found the advice kind of silly to be honest. I really can't do ANYTHING without music right now... it's like an essential creative element in whatever I am doing. The beats also help keep me from killing myself with boredom and repetitivness.

[Jovian M]

Sometimes. But then it turns into me switching songs all of the time, or changing artists or playlists or whatever... so I just put on a movie I've seen a ton of times so I can just listen to voices and not bother really paying attention to it.

[NanoBlack]

I listen to a range of music when i draw- mostly Linkin Park, Unreal Tournament 3 OST, BioShock OST, and a whole lotta random stuff from everyone else. Mika, Korn, Missy Higgans, Rammstein. WHAT A MIX!!!

It just helps to draw you away from the rest of the house and into your own little happy bubble. Otherwise I feel distracted by... life, i suppose. But the music has to be relatively low, only background noise, otherwise it becomes too obstructive and i end up angrily turning it off.

YAY GO ME!

[Darjan Jurincic]

i do listen to music before i start drawing.
i usually compile a playlist on youtube and hit "play" but as soon as i actually start drawing i fall into some kind of zen phase and i can`t hear shit. all of my senses go numb and the only 3 things active are my right hand, my eyes and my brain.
all of a sudden i realize the playlist ended a loooong time ago.
and im happy...

[egerie]

I've also stopped listening to music while animating. Except when I do a posing first pass for some manly stuff like fighting, then a powerful soundtrack is enjoyable. Otherwise, absolutely NO MUSIC especially when doing timing.
For drawing or illustration, I listen to music only if there's ambient noise around and need to drown it. Like in college, I'd put a slow classics CD to avoid the chatter of fellow students but would ignore the music once I'm in "the zone".