Music While Painting

I’m curious what you like to listen to when you’re painting and drawing. Is there a certain kind of music that gets you into the zone? Can your left brain listen to books-on-tape while your right brain is doing art? Are there times you just prefer silence?

In the column at left is a blog-reader poll. I invite you to vote for the kinds of music that you listen to the most when you’re working.

In the comments, please recommend your favorite links for free podcasts, or share some funny stories about people listening to music in studios or sketch groups. I’m curious to know how music or talk radio interacts with your visual tasks. Do different parts of your creative process (preliminary sketching, blocking in, or finished painting) seem to call out for different kinds of music?