The steps we take in creating art is diffent for each of us. I have a friend who can only work in quiet surroundings with classical music softly playing in the background. I usually have a Coke (or beer in the evenings) at hand, plug in the headphones and listen to rock and roll (anything from the 50's to Whitesnake and ZZ Top) in both French and English - loudly. What kind of environment do you all work in? What gets your creativity flowing? Amulet

Uh... I'm a Calico,Hienze 57..hope I spelled callico correctly..

For me its something to drink, usually coke, something to snack on, either lollies or bikkies and music of choice for the last little while is the sound track to Queen of the Damned. I also like Karma by Delerium, Book of Secrets by Loreena McKennit, and various other mixed compilations I can sing to without thinking about the words. With Headphones on so I can listen really loud, and sing really tunelessly so I dont hear myself LOL Oh and I like to turn the main light off and turn my reading halogen light around to it backlights me, i can see my shadow on the bedroom wall while im boogying to the music while im rendering :) Almost always prefer to work at night to get something creative done, im a 'moderate owl' not by choice but by lifestyle, if I had a choice I would be an 'extreme owl'

Sounds like me - I prefer to work at night as well. Helps me think.

I do my best work after midnight-- I sit with the lights off, the tv in the background with no sound, listening to (mostly) Tangerine Dream with headphones, and my cat is usually sitting in front of my monitor either wanting to be fed or petted.

So the common elements that may be emerging are:

--Semi-lit environment
--Evening or night
--Music (with headphones)
--Solitude

Same here. Peace, quiet, mood music, and no interruptions. I like to work at night, too.

...smiles... same here too. I love the night, lights are always dim and music is going. My daughter is asleep :) I even see some commonalities in music. I tend to listen to Delirium, Enigma, Loreena McKennit, Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream, Led Zepplin..... well, you get the idea. :) I also burn incense.

I like the night to.. I get a rush when 1:00am rolls around with nothing but work to do...I use ge florescent sky light. or I hybernate..and switch to getting up around 5:00am All stretched out with tha song birds singing..."if I didn't have florescent light, I would hybernate/rotate.."

I normally start when the children are in bed and my wife and I start our hobby work. That's normally in the evening. Sometimes I finish my images in the morning, but seldom. Other times: when I'm alone at home. That sometimes happens in the weekends. Music is not necessary, neither silence, only a good mood. Aggressions keep me away from doing good work.

I have worked when I've had a bad, stressful day. Perhaps it's just that I'm focusing my attention on something else, or the magic of the fractals, but it does help me relax.

Hi to all fractaliser friends :) For the creation of my pict i don't drink but in the past I smoke a lot (I stop since 2 years :) and not only cigarette :) For the music I heard essentially Chill Out trance techno ambient music of Spirit Zone record (Gabriel le mar,electric universe, patchwork, astralasia, etc...) for the fractal creation. For Vue d'exprit and poser I heard Hard core punk rock music (bad religion, ramones,bouncing souls etc...), two opposite music for two different style. The night is sure the better moment to creation, with some incens (santal wood or lotus) burning near me. A soft light and lets go :)

Dreampaint, it's Sandalwood here too, or patchoulie :)

I like a combo - 2 drops Sandalwood and 2 drop Ylang Ylang

Amber and Aphrodisiac is good tioo, try it :))