What do you do while comicking?

[Mike Schlosky]

Okay, everybody. I really want to know what everyone likes to do while they write, draw, type, etc. Anything that goes on in the background while creating a comic. What music do you like to listen to? Is it loud? Do you watch TV? Do you talk on the phone? Or do you need complete silence and hermetically sealed environment? Under what conditions can you absolutely not create anything? What are your biggest distractions?

[Click-Track Heart]

When I write, I usually like to have a nice fat slice of quiet. Occasionally I'll listen to whatever pops up on my Zune, but I always have to skip any track with too much emphasis on words (mostly my few samplings of Hip-Hop.)

On the other hand though, I HAVE to be listening to something when I draw. Depending on what I'm working on, I'll hit up a specific playlist, but mostly I just hit the random button. Although, in more recent days, I've been listening to Audiobooks as I draw. Something about keeping my hands busy and my mind occupied helps me to focus better on the Audiobook and frees up my brain from that inner critic telling me that my art is poo.

And if I can't control the situation, or don't have my earbuds handy, I just keep my little notebook and sketchbook handy, to jot down any quick ideas or basic scripts or rough doodles that come to mind.

Of course, large social situations create a number of problems, but my biggest distraction comes from right here: poking or Stumbling around the internet. This place is an absolute black hole of time.

[Mike Schlosky]

I hear ya! I have to have complete silence to write dialogue, noise just doesn't work. Playlists are a great idea! I need to do that because I find myself skipping a lot of music that is too distracting when I'm drawing. The internet in general is a big hole for me. Whether its Twitter, email, my stats, or a great forum like this, I can't have the computer within arms reach while I'm drawing or I'll find something to turn 2 hours into 4 and still have no strip lol.

[Click-Track Heart]

I second the movie thing. My ritual in high school was to throw on The Fifth Element and just make the crap out of all sorts of arts. I think visual stimulation can be a great inspiration too. But, as you say Danny, it can't be a new flick, it has to be something I've watched dozens of times, otherwise it's almost as bad as the interweb.

[Byron "TR1Guy" Wilkins]

I rock out while doing most anything for the comic. The more upbeat it is (rockin' the speakers) the more I get done. I have no problem writing with music on as I can ignore the lyrics and just focus on the music. I find if I work in silence, the time drags and I don't get as much done.

Now I can't do that with any form of video going on as my eyes would not leave the screen. I produce videos for a living so I'm trained to watch for mistakes in programs (a talent my family hates as I notice boom mics or light reflections or even production people in shots).

So, the louder the rock the better. I'll even put on headphones late at night so I can continue to rock on...

[Dave LaPlante]

If I'm trying to create a strip from scratch I usually need things to be quiet. That way I can really get into what I'm doing. If I'm just drawing out a strip I already have scripted, I stack 45's on an old phono I have next to my drawing table. Mostly 60's and 70's pop and rock.

[Tim]

Usually I write while I commute, put on some headphones, turn on some tunes (usually 80s stuff). For the art... I am all about TV, I love to have that distraction, to look up gather a different focus, let my eyes rest, and then dig back in.

[cannedham]

Hi folks! I haven't really contributed but my NY Resolution is to become more active in the web comics community. That being said here's what I do when I web comic

I catch up on my pod casts. Music can get really distracting for me, I have something in the ball park of a month of music on my HD so there's a lot of great stuff in there and there is also a lot of CRAP, so I find my self hitting the next button a lot. But Pod Casts are great because it's something to listen to and it's an hour long track. I find my self listening to Web Comics Weekly, Comics Coast To Coast, Tall Tale Features, and SequeLab. Not only are they entertaining but they are inspirational. I do listen to TV as my work station puts my back to the TV. I can't really talk on the phone when I'm working and My biggest distraction is the interweb!

[Kevin P. Johnson]

I watch TV mostly or listen to music and play on the internet . . . sometimes all at the same time!

[Lifesawitch]

Yep yep yep.. quiet while writing.. usually hulu.com video queue playing in a tiny window in the corner of my screen while i am working on the comic. They have lots of old sitcoms (I currently have *Bewitched* and "Alfred Hitchock Presents" queued up), movies, and latest episodes of my favorite shows.

Canned Ham: I have often thought of downloading podcasts to MP3 player and listening to them in the car over the radio (I have a doohickey for this since my car is an older one w/o audio jack) or with the headphones while running errands.

[Neftali Rivera]

when I write or draw preliminary sketches, it doesn't matter what environment I'm in. I do it whenever inspiration strikes. When I draw, though, I like to be in my creative space (aka bedroom) maybe listening to music, maybe not. When I color, I like to talk. Yeah, weird, I know. I had not even thought about it until now, but somethimes my wife is studying and I keep having a monologue.

I guess creative people are all a little crazy... Oooops! with all due respect to all of you, of course...

www.midtoon.com

[Eric Lindgren]

Scripting can happen anywhere I am. I just find myself going over and over it again in my mind, sometimes varying the visualizations/dialogue a little bit until it is set in my mind. I DO NOT suggest doing this while driving though. I nearly missed a red light.

When drawing up my ideas I will usually have some music of one sort or another on. Usually classic rock. I have been having to listen to the radio lately, though as my CD player and tape player have died... sigh.

My cat usually camps out nearby and makes sure I am keeping at it, unless he needs to go out.

[Casey Williams]

When Im writing, i'll be at work. I need that ambient noise or be in the middle of some kind of thoughtless job to let my mind wander. While drawing, I like hard rock or comedy cds. I actualy like having the internet around while doing both incase i need a visual refrence or, in the case of writing, a joke about whats going on in the world.