Painting and Music..together.

Debra Hurd-Artist

I am a big fan of music, all kinds of music except country music.  While I am painting, music plays a big part of my process for I cannot paint without music in my ears. Music does influence the painter believe it or not. I came to this conclusion when I took a class at my local art center where music and paint was taught together and how it would change the painting technique on the canvas. The class listened to classical music, and we noticed that our painting gestures were slower and more controlled, whereas when the music changed to more heavy metal, or pop music our painting gestures were faster and more loosely applied to the canvas. Interesting I must say!!

 I noticed in my own painting sessions that the music I am listening to influences my gestures when applying paint to my canvas. So, I listen to specific music in whatever painting I am creating or what I see the vision to be. I also noticed that the music controls my color applications to my painting. For instance, if I was listening to classic rock music like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, or Styx, I notice my colors are blues, greens, and yellows. My gestures are slower and more controlled for I am relaxed and have an easy feeling so, it comes through my paint brush.  If I was listening to more alternative music, or rock music like Nickelback, Seether, or GodSmack, my colors are brighter in color; my reds, blues, yellows , and even greens are NOT diluted (color is vibrant) and my texture is more applied.  I also noticed my hand gestures with my paint brush are more loose and expressive.  I like that!

On my research on music, I found that music and art really work together or are very similar. Look at the 7 elements of music:

Rhythm-idea of time relates to music

Melody-sequence of pitches

Harmony-melody into chords

Dynamics-relative loudness and quietness

Timbre-specific sound from instrument

Texture-musical lines in a song works with each other within the music

Form-all parts put together within the music

Did you notice??? They are very similar to the 7 elements of Art; texture, form, space, shape, color, value, and line.  Music has a way expressing someone’s emotion, anger, sadness, excitement, etc…so does painting! But, we do it silently. Painters express themselves through paint and brush strokes; music influences more of this expression. I know it does for me when painting and listening to music. I cannot do it one without the other. Tell me one of things that influence you while you are creating your art piece?