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arpeggiomax87
Mar '20

Yesterday I made a shitty comic called "Driven Strange" and I wasn't happy on my early designs of the characters, so I wanted to try a physical tracing of the characters I made with paper and pencil, but then I realize something that was puzzling me during the attempt...

...I can't draw circles anymore. Or any shapes while trying to practice last night. Like I mean they were crude toddler-esq shapes.

I have been spoiled on Paint Tool SAI's stabilizer for the past two and a half months. Because of that I cant even write my name without shaking like a jackass.

Does anyone else experience something like this? Is it a common thing to happen with people who are used to traditional art and switches to digital art?

I really hope that it's not going to handicap me in the future because I've been drawing for 20-something years and this thing taking over my traditional style might become a problem. But then again I don't have as much trouble on digital like I used to.

Again, I appreciate how the stabilizer fixed my rough corners n' such... despite still coming out bad imo.

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    Mar '20

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Cavechan
Mar '20

I think shakiness is pretty common. I remember a manga artist mentioning it once a long time ago, but I don't remember who. I have shakiness as well and the problem definitely solved when I started using digital instead of traditional.

Have you always had shakiness and never realized it maybe?

IndigoShirtProd
Mar '20

Personally, when I started drawing digitally, I did experience an adjustment period and even when I switched back to traditional. However, It was never as harsh as you're describing. I think it was mainly because I still draw pretty consistently both ways so it was never hard to switch back and forth. I have a pretty stable hand so I don't really get shakiness. How high is the correction/stabilization on your drawing program? And if it isn't that high, maybe you should take a break from digital and do some traditional art to rebuild up that muscle memory.

arpeggiomax87
Mar '20
Cavechan

I have had a lot of problems in the past with my drawing, mostly being shallow, but the shakiness was like one of the occasional problems that would mess me up but not as heavily influential over what I made. I had more problems with drenching my arm with sweat on the paper (which, from where I am, is usually hot as ballsacks) than the shakiness factor.

lwflouisa
Mar '20

How are you holding your drawing implement by any chance?

I used to have more shakiness when holding it like you would write with a pencil. But had more success when I started holding it more sideways like a knife grip, and using the rounded edge to draw, rather than by using the point.

frgmnt
Mar '20

But what if you tried to change the way you hold the pencil and it only made your drawing ability drop from 3/10 to -10000/10? :thinking: I simply cannot achieve a steady grip of the pencil holding it differently from the way I'm accustomed to (which, yes, is the writing grip that is often considered wrong). (but then again, I generally have terrible manual skills, for someone who's trying to art...)

Anyway, I relate to this deeply... And I have this issue constantly, back and forth, I draw digitally, then suddenly on paper I revert to chicken-scratching even small lines... and when I draw traditionally for a bit, I can't draw anything decent on my tablet, no matter what stabilizer/brush settings. And so it goes, without me ever feeling comfortable. But I know I was able to draw more confident lines at some point :anguished: Must have gotten worse because of constant artblocks...

Maytinee
Mar '20

I used to mostly be traditional in art, but I didn't have the most steady grip resulting in many sketchy lines. I also used to use S-7 in SAI when I first started drawing on my laptop, lol. Needless to say, my drawings weren't that great in the beginning. I think it just takes some to adjust back and forth from traditional and digital. Though, when switching to another art program, I realized my lines always come out strange on Paint Tool SAI compared to other art programs for some reason.

I've gotten used to digital art because I draw in it almost daily. Recently, I've been trying to do some traditional art and I find that it feels so strange drawing on paper. Everything turns out weird and felts a bit weird like how it was when I did digital art for the first time. Maybe doing some more practice with hand strokes and simple drawings should help readjust yourself between the two mediums? It'll certainly take some time, but I feel that it can at least help somewhat.

SleepingPoppy
Mar '20

I recommend you do warm up exercises before drawing, and perhaps simply institute them as a daily thing regardless. A page full of circles, using the loose hold on your pencil, and maybe two or three gesture drawings of whatever is handy. May or may not help with the shakiness, but it's good for you regardless, so it won't hurt~

I don't use a stabilizer when I draw digitally, but I do find hopping back and forth between digital and traditional awkward. Especially early on. But I've really enjoyed doing some traditional stuff lately after a long time of only digital. Give it time! :heart:

Make sure you do your guideline shapes loose- don't try to draw perfect shapes, or that's what will make them messy. Loose and sketchy is fine, because it's way easier to refine as you go that way. :thumbsup: