# Artists and their habits.



## Jw (Jul 30, 2010)

Well, I've been kicking this idea around my head for a little while now. I have these little quirks that I do before drawing or any other ind of artwork for any long period of time. I like to stretch my arms, back and legs, listen to music for a few minutes, and put on a bandanna around my head before I work.  I like to do that because I feel like it sort of closes off myself from the world when I do that and gets me mellowed out.

I've talked with friends before about this topic. One said she likes to exercise beforehand to get some bloodflow to the brain. Another guy said he blasts the radio for a few minutes then turns it off-- he says it feels like it clears out your mind. Another friend of mine would meditate or something before she started to draw to get her thoughts collected. Another one of my friends smokes a... well, you get the idea. 

So, does anybody else have some weird quirk or habit that you have to address before you draw? And I know you got a reason behind it, too. doesn't have to be anything spectacular or funny, I'm just curious.


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## kraine (Jul 30, 2010)

I make art faces. That's about it. Like depending on what I'm drawing my face will contort slightly. Haha. I don't um.. prepare to draw, or wear anything special..


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## Jw (Jul 30, 2010)

kraine said:


> I make art faces. That's about it. Like depending on what I'm drawing my face will contort slightly. Haha. I don't um.. prepare to draw, or wear anything special..


 
I do that too. When I draw, I've had relatives and friends say" what's the matter" or "what the hell is so funny?" I'll also stick my tongue out randomly.

Some people don't have habits, including the people I've asked.  I guess I'm just a freak, haha.


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## Aden (Jul 30, 2010)

I put on the harshest, most distracting, dissonant music I have when I paint something.


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## Smelge (Jul 30, 2010)

Dependant on what I want to draw, I'll stick music on. Things like movie scores for general art, or louder, faster songs for actiony shit.

Before drawing anything, I like to use the tablet to play a few games of minesweeper to loosen up. Oh, and I can only draw after midnight. I cannot do it during the day, so my drawing hours are usually between midnight and 5am.


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## Arshes Nei (Jul 30, 2010)

I read books and get inspiration that way.


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## Jw (Jul 30, 2010)

Yeah, I figured listening to music would be pretty popular habit.

@Aden-- That's sort of funny because that music style doesn't seem to come through in your artwork-- it looks pretty calm and harmonious. 

@Smeldge-- yeah, it's weird-- the later I stay up, the more I feel like I want to draw something. During the day there's too much going on to concentrate.

@Arshes Nei: I read like that from time to time--  especially over stuff from different art movements and getting background on some of the paintings. Unfortunately I've got a bad habit of wanting to copy things too closely. So, I avoid inspiration via reading unless I'm needing to study anatomy or something that's more rudimentary.

Music's a cool way to get inspired in my opinion. When I'm listening I brainstorm little music videos that are usually unrelated from the song completely. So I use that to get new inspiration.


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## Aden (Jul 30, 2010)

jwmcd2 said:


> @Aden-- That's sort of funny because that music style doesn't seem to come through in your artwork-- it looks pretty calm and harmonious.


 
I guess I'm odd like that. The music provides the catharsis and the art is just able to flow.


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## Zydala (Jul 30, 2010)

I have a very funny habit of putting off art and doing anything and everything else there is to do - chores etc - before I'll settle down to create a picture. It's like... I can't have anything in the back of my mind while drawing or something. Too distracting.

And my girlfriend has a funny habit of popping up as soon as I start drawing to distract me 

Another habit I have is I can and will massively hoard any sort of art supply I'll think I'll need/like.  I loooove collecting different kinds of colored pencils papers, inks, pens, pencils, watercolors, palettes, you name it - I've probably already tried to convince myself it'd be a great buy and I'd use it. (I've had my eye on pan pastels lately... >_> <_<)

Of course I can't always though, or else I'd be broke


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## Arshes Nei (Jul 30, 2010)

Zydala said:


> Another habit I have is I can and will massively hoard any sort of art supply I'll think I'll need/like.  I loooove collecting different kinds of colored pencils papers, inks, pens, pencils, watercolors, palettes, you name it - I've probably already tried to convince myself it'd be a great buy and I'd use it. (I've had my eye on pan pastels lately... >_> <_<)
> (


 
I also have that bad habit. I even bought these: http://cool2school.com/mini-pencil-set.html


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## SwingandaMiss (Jul 30, 2010)

Arshes Nei said:


> I also have that bad habit. I even bought these: http://cool2school.com/mini-pencil-set.html


 
=.= I'm stuck with crayolas and sharpies, though I have some nice sets of Faber Castells and some microns for the occasional inking...


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## Jw (Jul 30, 2010)

Aden said:


> I guess I'm odd like that. The music provides the catharsis and the art is just able to flow.


 
Well, I guess it's whatever brings out the best in you. The music I draw to  is Alternative, Classic, or Grunge rock. 



Zydala said:


> I have a very funny habit of putting off art and doing anything and everything else there is to do - chores etc - before I'll settle down to create a picture. It's like... I can't have anything in the back of my mind while drawing or something. Too distracting.
> 
> And my girlfriend has a funny habit of popping up as soon as I start drawing to distract me
> 
> ...


 
Oh yeah, I might have something like ADD, because if I hear anything else going on, I want to quit drawing and investigate. That's why I have my music up loud-- I won't hear anything and therefore won't have to leave. Of course, I get phone calls and texts left and right when I'm drawing, so when I check my phone I get a buttload of angry people thinking I'm dead or something.

I am bad about going into a local art supply store and look through the drawing supplies and drool over the stuff I can't afford to get. I've got way too many "H" hardness pencils-- they last forever because of how hard they are compared to B pencils. Still, I go buy some every time I kill other pencils thinking "I'll need this eventually". 

I've bought Conte Crayons saying "yeah, that's a good deal"-- I haven't used them but maybe once. Same with some Prismacolor stuff. I know I'm wasteful in that area, so I try to stick with stuff like General's brand for my basics (pencils, compressed charcoal, sharpeners, erasers, etc). That way I can afford it better. 

I'll tell you the honest truth, though: If I found a bunch of sketchbooks in neutral colors like beige and gray for a good price, I would likely buy every one I could get my hands on.


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## maria-mar (Jul 30, 2010)

kraine said:


> I make art faces. That's about it. Like depending on what I'm drawing my face will contort slightly. Haha. I don't um.. prepare to draw, or wear anything special..



That. If the character is smilling i usually smile too. It's something you don't think about, you just... find yourself doing xD


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## Dsurion (Jul 30, 2010)

When i draw difficult poses (where its a little difficult to do the arm/hand properly) i usually move my hand to do be in that position, even if i`m not looking, i kind of know how my hand is positioned and have the "3D" image in my head.

I usually have a "latest downloaded songs" to hear, for example a long time ago i usually listened to Sonata Artica or Nightwish (power metal mostly), then i switched to Queen, and now its the songs from Brutal Legend (heavy metal).
Usually get inspired from random lyrics of the songs (or even some when i understand them wrong, for example a song called "One shot at Glory", i laughed because the first time i heard "one shot at Larry" while listening to it).

I mostly draw at night, not that i have much to do in the day (i has small vacations now), but im a lazy person, and i love to sleep (usually takes me 3 hours to finally fell asleep, i usually think of everything while in bed, from new things to draw, parts for my comic, etc.).


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## Taralack (Jul 30, 2010)

kraine said:


> I make art faces. That's about it. Like depending on what I'm drawing my face will contort slightly. Haha. I don't um.. prepare to draw, or wear anything special..


 
Me too. 

As for music, I just put on whatever. My range of tastes in music is pretty large, I'm listening to the SC2 soundtrack now, but I have stuff like obscure jrock, techno and some regular english songs too. 

If I'm feeling particularly uninspired, I look through my folder of images and see if anything jumps out at me.


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## FireFeathers (Jul 31, 2010)

Art-faces, and I twirl my pencil in my fingers constantly. Err, spin it around, that sort.  Draw a line, spin the pencil, draw a little more, spin the pencil, etc. I also listen to good music just to paint; if I need to concentrate, I use the headphones and blast the music, drown out everything else.  If I get stuck, i go for a long walk and listen to more music and think of animation scenes.


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## Jw (Jul 31, 2010)

Dsurion said:


> When i draw difficult poses (where its a little difficult to do the arm/hand properly) i usually move my hand to do be in that position, even if i`m not looking, i kind of know how my hand is positioned and have the "3D" image in my head.



Once I was drawing a person pointing at the viewer with a judgmental face. I was holding up my right hand in pointing it at my nose. Evidently I was making the face, too, because someone said "that's not how you pick your nose, you know." 

On another note-- "Bohemian Rhapsody" has been inspiring me to draw something for the past couple weeks, I've just not got around to it.


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## Eske (Jul 31, 2010)

I draw sideways.    I write sideways, too. 

My paper usually ends up turned at a 90-degree angle to me.  It's very uncomfortable for me to write or draw with the paper directly in front of me, straight up and down.  This caused quite a dilemma when I first got my tablet; now I sort of curl around it to get my arm at the proper angle.  

For the rest, it seems like I share a lot of habits with quite a few others.  I can especially relate to FireFeather's habit of imagining animation sequences to music for inspiration. 

I also have difficulty focusing when there isn't music playing, so I almost always play music when I draw.  It usually has nothing to do with _what_ I'm drawing, though.  It's kind of funny, actually; it's not unusual to find me painting some cute and innocent scene, with death metal blaring in the background.


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## CarmineChimera (Aug 1, 2010)

I tend to get into character with what I'm drawing. I'll get on all fours and walk, I'll flex my fingers like a talon, I'll look at my face in a mirror while baring my teeth... I'm odd like that. I do this to think of how something would move or act, how its skin would twist or how its bones would slide under the skin.
If its a human character, if I have the clothes for it, say for example my persona Carmine, I'll dress as them and get into character for the situation they are in and do similar things like posing and looking at myself in a mirror if needed or just get into the character to get in their mood and act like they would act, like in a drama performance.
As for characters and works I do for other people, I do all that but only in my head, imagining a blank character that I mold like a piece of clay to what they desire and how I am going to sculpt/draw/etc. it for them or I just use whatever sheets they give me and go with that.


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## mapdark (Aug 1, 2010)

I put music on or I watch tv at the same time , for some reason it helps a lot.


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## Taralack (Aug 1, 2010)

mapdark said:


> I put music on or I watch tv at the same time , for some reason it helps a lot.


 
I do that too, when I'm writing or drawing for my comic. Only problem is that sometimes I get distracted by the show...


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## Citrakayah (Aug 2, 2010)

Well I'm by no means an awesome artist, but I normally pace around tapping various areas of my face with my stylus. Then I lose it and spend a long time trying to find it before I can start.


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## Angelus-Mortis (Aug 11, 2010)

This isn't something I do before I draw, but after I reach a certain point, I stop completely and do something else for at least 30 minutes. Then I come back to the drawing, and have a fresh perception of it again--it doesn't quite look the same as it did before because I'm no longer concentrating on parts of the drawing that I've been having trouble with or focusing on too much. It's now much easier to see the errors with them, if they exist.


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## Lycan90 (Aug 14, 2010)

I almost all the time first drink coffee then lay down and listen some music for a while.
After that I just sit up and start to draw still listening music.


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## TopazThunder (Aug 15, 2010)

Its interesting that music and mimicking the subject's facial features/moods seem to be very prevalent amongst artists, at least judging from all the responses here. The funny thing is I'm guilty of doing that on multiple occasions myself, lol.

It depends on my "level" of inspiration and the subject matter, but more often than not my little pre-art rituals include getting any and all of the materials I think I'll need for the picture, like my sketchbook, pencils, pens, even my colored pencils or markers, even if I know I won't be using them for that particular drawing session. I arrange them in a sort of neat little setup, like my pencils will go over _here_ and my sketchbook over _there_ and whatnot. Then I turn on some music that I'm either in the mood to listen to, or seems the most appropriate for the piece I'll be creating. I also psych myself up for the picture, i.e. get in character, think of cool scenarios involving the character (even if I won't be depicting it in the piece), and make gestures and facial expressions applicable to what I'll be drawing. That's about when I get down to the drawing at hand.

Usually when I get into that routine before I draw, I tend to be the most inspired and produce the best possible results out of my art and supplies. I get snacks and/or drinks occasionally before and during drawing, but I'm really careful about what it is, lest I get things like grease smudges or spills on my pictures. I also talk to myself and to the picture when I'm drawing, which is hilarious when there's someone else in the house, lol.


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## Jw (Aug 15, 2010)

TopazThunder said:


> Its interesting that music and mimicking the subject's facial features/moods seem to be very prevalent amongst artists, at least judging from all the responses here. The funny thing is I'm guilty of doing that on multiple occasions myself, lol.
> 
> It depends on my "level" of inspiration and the subject matter, but more often than not my little pre-art rituals include getting any and all of the materials I think I'll need for the picture, like my sketchbook, pencils, pens, even my colored pencils or markers, even if I know I won't be using them for that particular drawing session. I arrange them in a sort of neat little setup, like my pencils will go over _here_ and my sketchbook over _there_ and whatnot. Then I turn on some music that I'm either in the mood to listen to, or seems the most appropriate for the piece I'll be creating. I also psych myself up for the picture, i.e. get in character, think of cool scenarios involving the character (even if I won't be depicting it in the piece), and make gestures and facial expressions applicable to what I'll be drawing. That's about when I get down to the drawing at hand.
> 
> Usually when I get into that routine before I draw, I tend to be the most inspired and produce the best possible results out of my art and supplies. I get snacks and/or drinks occasionally before and during drawing, but I'm really careful about what it is, lest I get things like grease smudges or spills on my pictures. I also talk to myself and to the picture when I'm drawing, which is hilarious when there's someone else in the house, lol.


 
So, you have something like a "Mis en place" like I do-- I make a little nest of stuff whenever I'm drawing. I've got erasers, pencils, charcoals, (other) sketchpads of various paper types, and a snack if I'm lucky enough to have a full spread. In public, I cut back to a few things, but I bust out a sketchpad and a bag of implements-- just one pencil won't cut it for me, haha.


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## TopazThunder (Aug 15, 2010)

jwmcd2 said:


> So, you have something like a "Mis en place" like I do-- I make a little nest of stuff whenever I'm drawing. I've got erasers, pencils, charcoals, (other) sketchpads of various paper types, and a snack if I'm lucky enough to have a full spread. In public, I cut back to a few things, but I bust out a sketchpad and a bag of implements-- just one pencil won't cut it for me, haha.



Yep, that's exactly how I am: an artist's nest, lol. The folks get irritated when I move around the house when I'm working on something, because then all my art supplies move with me. And unless I know 100% what I'm doing and what I'm using, I'll take out a lot of different supplies in the event that I may feel like using some other medium. I don't normally draw in public, but that's mainly because I don't like lugging around my normal sketchbook. Once I get a nice little moleskine sketchbook though, I'll probably be carrying that around with me everywhere.


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## savageorange (Aug 16, 2010)

Re: Time limitations:
I find that limiting myself to 30min sessions helps give me perspective and avoid burnout. I plan my time in 30min blocks when possible, anyway, and try to avoid allocating consecutive blocks to the same activity.
(a 30min block for each of N separate art works, consecutively, seems to be a lot less problematic than multiple consecutive blocks on the same art work, BTW.)

Aside from the music thing (sometimes I like music when I'm drawing, sometimes not. Depends on whether it seems to thematically match the artwork),  I find dancing long enough to warm up pretty helpful for my ability to concentrate/think about an artwork, when possible.


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## Aden (Aug 16, 2010)

savageorange said:


> Re: Time limitations:
> I find that limiting myself to 30min sessions helps give me perspective and avoid burnout.


 
that's
a really good idea actually


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## Minuet (Aug 16, 2010)

I don't really have any pre-drawing rituals, but I do have this tendency to hold my tablet pen in my mouth when I need to type or pick up something else, even though my tablet has a perfectly serviceable loop-holder for that.  (Then again, I do the same thing with guitar picks...)


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## Ratte (Aug 16, 2010)

Music, idle noise, etc.  I need noise or I can't do anything.

Expression mimicry.  Not sure why.

I check my own body a lot to grasp some proportions and perspectives better.


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## Journey (Aug 17, 2010)

Most of the stuff I do happens while I'm drawing rather than before it. One I have to have something going on n the background. Sometimes it's music but most of the time it's tv or movies. I have sevearl movies I call my popcorn movies. I won't call any of them must see movies but they're ones that either I've seen a miliontimes or they just have simple plots that you don't have to think about to hard to fallow (otherwise I wouldn't be able to draw while watching.)

I have a tendancy to stick out my tounge while drawing I usualy don't realize I'm doing it until some one points it out. I also lean in closer to the paper. I don't have problums seeing it's just something that I do. I guess I some how got it into my head that the closer I am to my paper and pencil the more control I have over my stroke.

I also will pose me self for pics that I want to draw. Hands are my favoret cause they're easyer to see. But when I do this I need to learn to remember my surounding cause sometime can cause funny situations. i was drawing this guy giving some one else the bird and forgot I happend in the school caffateria. thankfuly a friend saw me and not a teacher. all they said was "no matter how long you do that the food isn't going to get any better."


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## Bir (Aug 17, 2010)

I tend to make the faces that my drawings are making.

XD 

And, about the tongue thing: 

In 7th grade, my homeroom teacher was making fun of some kid who always stuck her tongue out while she was drawing. He pointed out that I was the only kid addicted to drawing in class that didn't stick out my tongue. Bwuahhahaha. xD

But one time I was drawing a tiger with its mouth wide open, and the entire time I was apparently growling and baring my teeth. xD


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## Cloudy (Aug 17, 2010)

I also totally make faces when I draw, if I'm into the piece. Like, if it features one of my characters, and isn't just a random scribble I'm drawing for somebody. Considering I'm so fond of drawing macabre stuff and stylized insanity, I bet I make some pretty... wonderful faces XD I often catch myself grinning like some sort of maniac or grimacing with my teeth bared^^;;

If it's an intensely emotional piece, I like listening to music while I'm doing it. Typically music that sort of frenzied, or has a strong feel--Mama by My Chemical Romance, U.R.A. Fever by The Kills, and The Sound by Switchfoot are good examples. Unless I'm doing a really calm piece. But that doesn't happen particularly often.


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## Random User (Aug 18, 2010)

When I draw, I preferably wanna listen to heavy metal. Sometimes throughout the drawing I close my eyes to imagine how I want the drawing to look.


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## TopazThunder (Aug 19, 2010)

Cloudy said:


> I also totally make faces when I draw, if I'm into the piece. Like, if it features one of my characters, and isn't just a random scribble I'm drawing for somebody. Considering I'm so fond of drawing macabre stuff and stylized insanity, I bet I make some pretty... wonderful faces XD I often catch myself grinning like some sort of maniac or grimacing with my teeth bared^^;;



I...do that quite a lot, lol. Snarling and stuff. Weirds the hell out of my boyfriend and my folks, which makes it all the more amusing. I'm not even totally aware I'm doing it either.


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## Neonis (Aug 19, 2010)

I tend to always listen to music that goes with the character and think on how it would move. Although, apparently my face just looks vacant when I draw. Like, someone just poured a big bucket of stupid in my brain. :neutral:


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## Gillie (Aug 20, 2010)

When I'm sketching a picture I tend to listen to the same song on repeat until the sketch is done, then, if it is a smaller picture, I will do the same whilst adding colour.


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## Kangamutt (Aug 23, 2010)

For some reason, I get real thirsty when I draw. I almost always need something to drink while I'm working. Also, I notice a lot of you talking about listening to music. I can't do that. Music is way too distracting for me. So I usually put on my podcasts; for some reason, I can fully listen to talk shows, but not music when I draw.


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