Anamacha

So what do y'all do to 'get in the mood?' No, no, the creative mood, silly! When you're starting to work with Photoshop (or Illustrator, whatever other creative tool), how do you set up your environment?

In other words, do you turn down the lights? What music do you put on? (I guess this last is the most important aspect of the question for me, as I am very musically inclined).

My current loves are the album Horizontal by Moodswings (the band that ex-Pretenders drummer James Hood founded ... I can tell you more if you're interested), and classical music. I also light a red candle at my desk to let my subconscious know that I want to be in a mood to create! 8}



thanks!

Anam

Stroker

I don't get in a creative mood.
Inspiration just plain strikes. Shazaam!

When I do sit down to PS for whatever, it's usually with a big fat cup of coffee and blessed silence. (If you ever have any kids, you'll appreciate silence so much more.)

Although, sometimes I do put a tape in and let it run. I do keep the volume down, though. Usually Salt n Peppa, King Tee, Ministry, Primus, Dead Milkmen, Run DMC, LL Cool J, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Tom and the Heartbreakers, KMFDM, Ray Stevens, Samantha Fox, or whatever.

lilwicked805

Well since I am in front of my computers 18 + hours a day, coffee and mt dew are my mood setters. I turn soap operas on or put a dvd in for the cat so she will allow me some work space on my desk and off I go! I am on one end of the house and she is on the other watching tv so it works out well!

jpfitness

setting the creative mood............. let me think,
well actually as I look around I realise that I can't actually set any mood.... I work in a chaos environment ;\ I have computers all around me waiting to be picked up or waiting to be fixed, no music because hubby needs to hear the computers beep as this tells him what is wrong with it, chunky has her movies on but sound down low (it is an open plan type of house), customers walking in all the time and the phone ringing [confused] ...... I am constantly interrupted to make coffee or get food or drinks for chunky or do a computer quote for someone.......... so it can get a little hectic around here :{

but having said that......... I start all of my web designs on graph paper, for this I curl up on the lounge with my graphic pencil set, paper, and head phones......... the music? either Massive attack or Portishead but then it depends on what I am creating [righton]
sfm

hedsteve

so you need help getting in the mood to procreate?

well right now the lights in my room are as dim as the get (the lightbulbs died and I need to change them)... but a good dose of coffee gets me thinking pretty quick and doodling can be quite effective in getting ideas... looking at other peoples work also seems to be good for getting ideas... then its just a matter of focusing on what I'm doing and getting it done...

wbiss

Good question, Anam... [stuned]

[confused] Oddly, not something that I think about... but when asked to think about it, I must say that I really don't have to "set the stage", per se. I find that I can work (when the mood/moment/inspiration strikes) under all kinds of seemingly impossible circumstances.

Sometimes, I'll be watching TV, but I find that I'm paying particularly close attention to the commercials (as opposed to the program) for 'inspiration'... just looking at how certain effects are done and thinking to myself "hey I can create that in PS! or how could I recreate that in PS?". And other times, I'll be flipping through a magazine with the same sort of thoughts running through my head. And then it's off to PS I go without a thought to my environment, mood or ambience. When moments like that happen, I try to seize them (circumstances permitting) and sort of tune out the outside world...

But yes, generally speaking, I tend to enjoy some background music or at least "noise" when I'm working. Then, as I become more focused, the music usually ends up being 'white noise' for me inasmuch as I never really hear it, but it seems to, somehow, soothe my creative side. [innocent]

Anamacha

interesting ideas, y'all ... I like them. Keep 'em flowing, eh?

I would usually wait for inspiration to strike, but it would seem that those days are over for me. Inspiration continues to strike from time to time, but it's usually about something that I'm NOT working on at the moment. It's usually for some new whacked-out idea that will be realised at some time in the future. [saywhat] Right at this moment I can think of 4-5 ideas in my head that will take some complex relization with Photoshop.

That said ... my computer (with PS) is in our bedroom (yeah, very college-esque) and we do have a three and a half year old daughter (very cute, pics posted in the "A visit with the Larmands" thread) So I can appreciate the value of silence. Silence isn't always what I want, though, so I'll try to put something nice on the stereo ... but at the same time I end up hitting the fast forward button a LOT.

Anyway, keep the ideas flowing ... every little bit helps



Anam

Bacardi

Inspiration is like entertaining a shy girl: the more you push, the less result you get. Just let it happen, and don't live on the edge. Be aware and alert. It's a universe, not a border or a map. Don't take ideas for inspiration: inspiration is what happens when you're on the road, not when you're planning instead of doing.

I have an old clock, probably eighteenth century. It makes a lot of noise but I love the regular tick...tack... and some bells every fifteen minutes because a/ it keeps me alert that time flees quickly, and b/ it's pace is very calm and steady.

When I play music (the most beautiful music is pure silence), it has to work together with what I do. Beethoven's quartets are very well constructed, and are good in the building phase. Mozart gives goood ideas and is perfect for sketching. Schubert increases the flow, and Liszt adds passion. Debussy creates an atmosphere and Ravel adds perfection.

But apart from that, when everything is flowing, I play Persian Classical music. Kayhan Kalhor, Alizadeh, Parisa, Sima Bina, Horna Niknam,Shajarian,...unsurpassed in creating moods.

As I always have the double sight, inspiration is always there: I only have to tune in. (twofold always! May God us keep from single vision and newton's sleep)

Anamacha

thanks for the lengthy reply, Erik. Most interesting.

well, then, let me ask another question, the answer to which may be somewhat obvious: How does one restore contact with one's muse, the same one that one has been OUT of contact with for so long? I'm beginning to believe the old adage that I paraphrase: "Art is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration." This used to not be the case for me, but lately it seems like I have to work very hard at it, as opposed to how easily the creativity came before.

Continuing ideas?



Anam

Bacardi

Well,...a Muse is a woman. A very womanly woman. She wants you to be fascinated by her, forgetting all the rest. Believe me: your Muse is madly (!!!!!) in love with you, and She will stay so forever and three days. Only most artists forget this, and that shower of blessings and Cosmic Love remains unrequited.

What to do? Be yourself, never sell your talent for some small or even big money, stay pure and win her heart back. I'm serious: do what you would do for the dreamlover of several lifetimes. See Her as a real woman (which She is!, only not physickal).

And listen to "Hey Jude" by the Beatles. ("remember to let her into your heart/then you can start/to make it better...)

Don't take the wallet that covers the heart for the heart itself...