Do you listen to music while you do art/draw?

[Croconaw]

This isn't really something I thought about until recently. I made an art piece today. I will eventually share it, most likely. I listen to music that goes with the vibe of the drawing, if that makes any sense. I'm not sure if some people need complete silence or if you stick to softer music like lo-fi. If you listen to music, what kind of background noise do you usually listen to?

 

[Kitsuragi]

my art of choice is writing, though i do draw/doodle on the occasion. when i write, i listen to lo-fi or ASMR so i don't get distracted by lyrics, but while i draw im listening to whatever keeps me hyped the longest so i don't have to worry about getting bored quick haha.

 

[VernalLapin]

Sometimes! When I do, I usually just listen to whatever I feel like, I don’t always pick it based on what I plan to draw but that’s interestng! Other times I like to listen to youtube videos. Internet mysteries are my favorite genre of listenable youtube videos. Many times though, I don’t listen to anything except the background noise of my environment.

 

[ribbitribbon]

i don’t always, but most of the time i listen to general music i like. if i’m particularly attached to what i’m drawing then i try to listen to music that fits their vibe.
i put god-ish and orthodoxia on repeat when i was drawing a villain i like lol

 

[Sheando]

Honestly, most of the art I draw is for TBT events. I'm not a great artist, but I really appreciate that the events allow me to create art in a low-stakes environment. I usually listen to music or a podcast while I'm creating my submissions, or I watch something with my partner. He's a biiig fan of movies and TV while I'm not much of a viewer, so I like to offer to watch things with him while I have something else to occupy me.

 

[QueenCobra]

I haven’t drawn in a while, BUT when I have I usually listen to my favorite music, and/or video essays on YouTube, about history, fashion, etc. Sometimes I’ll listen to long videos about YouTube drama, like the Illuminaughtii situation. (most recent I can recall.)

However, I am at heart a writer. When I write, I need music. Usually this is Blackmore’s Night or baroque music or other music I find inspiring. I can’t write to video essays— most people probably can’t.

 

[-Blue-]

Sometimes? I listen to music a lot of times when I do certain things. Like if I am exercising I listen to music. Also when I am doing chore work outside I listen to it as well. I have these construction earmuffs that also are a radio. I've actually started using them when I work on my one side job where I weed eat for 8+ hours. It's convenient just to keep going and not have to stop because the farmer/owner stops me. I just want to get it done so he can't get my attention if I can't hear him lol.

 

[Xara]

Sometimes! I’ll listen to music and sing along to it while I’m drawing if I’m in the mood to, or I’ll put a show on and half watch it/half listen to it, but sometimes I prefer to just draw in silence. I don’t always have the easiest time concentrating on stuff, and sometimes having music/a show on when I’m drawing will distract me rather than relax me, so I’ll opt to just work in silence during those times.

If I’m writing, then silence is a must for me. The lyrics from the songs I’m listening to or the words from the show I’m watching will come into my brain and replace the words that I want to write, so I don’t like to listen to/watch anything when I’m writing.

 

[Dim]

Yep! I love listening tunes while doing a number of things, including drawing! Great for relaxing or motivation!

 

[Bluelady]

The only time that I draw is during TBT events. During that time I usually just put "relaxing Nintendo music" on Youtube and pick any hours long mix that pops up. It helps me get in the mood, and listen to songs from series that I've never played before.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

I have a hard time focusing if I'm not listening to music while drawing/making art! So much easier to get in the zone, especially in the coloring stage. A lot of the time I will be picky about the songs I want to listen to which isn't very efficient but sometimes I can let it shuffle or play through an entire album or playlist/mix. There's this one mix on Youtube that I've been listening to over and over again for the past 11ish years; it's really great to listen to while making art but the downside is all the ads throughout the video now

 

[kiwikenobi]

Absolutely, I do! I always choose music that matches the mood of what I'm drawing, and usually the genre, too, like sci-fi or fantasy or whatever. Sometimes I'll also play ambience that matches what I'm drawing, weather sounds or nature sounds or city sounds or whatever would go with the picture. There are some really nice ambience videos online for almost any kind of setting.

 

[LittleMissPanda]

I'm listening to music constantly (mainly video game music, but I listen to songs too, with lyrics) and even right now as I'm writing this post I'm listening to some of my favorite music. It's a massive part of my everyday life. I play at least 20-50 different things on YouTube every single day, no joke. Music just goes together beautifully with so many aspects in life: music that currently fits my mood/aesthetic, music that matches perfectly with whatever I'm drawing at that moment, music that matches the irl weather, music that matches the scenery outside the car window or music that goes well with whatever game I'm currently playing.

Some chill, some melancholic, nostalgic, lively and inspired by nature, while some are straight up bops and bangers

I especially love it when I listen to a certain track/song, I can visualize myself stepping into that world. For example, when I listen to a forest theme from a game, I can literally feel like I'm in the forest. It puts me in the mood to go outside and walk. I enjoy imagery that immediately, naturally becomes associated in my mind as that particular thing's "theme song" so to say.

 

[Hunter_Gr33n]

I recently made a playlist of music to listen to when I write and draw, and--like LittleMissPanda--I'm listening to music as I'm typing this post.

 

[TN4U]

Whenever I make faux album art from Photopia snapshots, I'll put on music related to what I'm making. For instance, I put on White Stripes when I made a cover that resembles their De Stijl album - early Thin Lizzy when I made art resembling their eponymous debut - pre-Stevie Nicks Fleetwood Mac when I did most of the Brucewood Mac stuff - and so on. Listening to these songs while I'm making this type of art really inspires me to keep going and see what else I can replicate.

I'm trying to think what else I like that I can make. The Beatles' final studio album Let It Be sounds easy, so that may be next. I already made something similar to that album's art, but I'll take fresh pictures and actually have it resemble the original art more. I previously mentioned a Brucewood Mac album that I haven't made art for yet - Brucewood Two - and I gotta figure out which art I can realistically replicate that's from a five-piece band. Let It Be obviously won't work for that as it's four members. Maybe something from The Rolling Stones? I don't know yet. I may just end up doing something that only features Bruce and Roscoe because of the name.

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

Sometimes! I enjoy listening to music when I color, draw, write, and do Origami! I donn't always as sometimes the silence is quite nice and relaxing! I recently started doing Origami and Mandala coloring books more often, they are a great way to unwind after a long day or just to get creative!

When I want to I LOVE listening to my Fifth Harmony CD's and they always put me in a good mood. I even got a custom made one a while ago with my favorite songs.

 

[nyx~]

Yup! I almost always listen to music with my headphones when I draw, mainly because I get distracted by outside noise otherwise. As for song choice, it's usually my anime playlist or just whatever I feel like listening to that day!

 

[rosefairy]

Yes, I usually have something or other playing in the background while I work on my art! I prefer music, but I'll also listen to podcasts or videos. It's a sign that I'm really in the zone if my playlist stops and my concentration doesn't break because of it. Total silence bothers me while I'm working on anything, but it has happened where I've fallen into my own world while drawing and don't even notice it. As for the mood / genre... it doesn't always have to match the project I'm working on. Like sometimes I feel inspired to draw cute things while listening to spooky music, haha. Still, occasionally it gives me an extra boost of inspiration to find something that matches!

I also listen to music while writing, though I'm a bit more particular about what I listen to. Songs with vocals can be a bit distracting, so I tend to listen to a lot of video game osts and ambient noise.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I always have something on for background noise whenever I’m home and I’ll do things while I have random YouTube videos playing in the background.

 

[nightglow]

I do. It helps me stay focused. I usually just put on live lo fi from youtube. I like the live stuff because its cool that there are people across the globe listening to the same thing as me at that time. Some of them even have commands you can input into the chat at simulate a cafe which I find cute.