The One Thing I Can’t Paint Without

Today, I pull back the curtain to give you a glimpse into my creative process. Here’s the first and most important thing you need to know, the one thing I can’t paint without …  Background noise! I absolutely hate silence when I’m painting. But, my background noise has to be one of 3 things: my dance/hip-hop stations on Pandora, a Harry Potter movie, or The Office/Parks and Recc/Friends on Netflix. Why dance or hip hop? They have a fun, upbeat rhythm to paint to; the consistent beat helps keep me focused and motivated. Also, whenever I come up for air from my canvas, I need something to DANCE to! 

Surely why I put Harry Potter on needs no explanation - but just in case ... Not only do I love the movies themselves, but having it on in the background also reminds me of the immense creativity and imagination a human mind can tap into. As artist, it helps to be reminded of what you are capable of as long as you trust in yourself and keep yourself open to the endless artistic possibilities that come with a mind that has accepted the benefits of an unrestricted imagination. 

Which brings me to the comedic geniuses that created the amazing shows I love to watch over and over again - the always funny The Office, the optimistic and humorous Parks and Recc, and the nostalgically wonderful Friends. So why do I like them as background noise for painting? Honestly, it’s pretty simple - sometimes I just don’t feel like listening to music. So I put on shows that I know like the back of my hand and can follow along with while keeping my eyes on my canvas! 

Overall, on extremely detailed work that requires a lot of concentration, I tend to use music to keep me motivated and focused. However, with some of my less detailed, faster paced paintings or background work, I like to listen to one of my favorite shows to keep my mood light and add a little humor to some of the more tedious aspects of painting! 

Until next time, my fellow champions. 

Victoria Champion