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revisionstudios
Sep '17

I know some of us here are full time artists or at least have sensitive backs/wrists/etc., and I thought it would be a good idea to compile any tips that you guys have used to make yourself more comfortable at your work station!

There's a lot of advice out there already for stretches, to take frequent breaks, etc. but I'd like to talk specifically about comfort while drawing.

I'm looking for advice myself, because I've been getting more aches and I can tell what parts of me are being strained. I'd preferably like advice from people who use a large cintiq like device (I have a 22"). How do you avoid having to lean over? Where is your keyboard placed? I'm having a very specific issue where, for the arm I use for keyboard shortcuts, the hand and wrist are getting easily strained because there's no support for my elbow--it dips over the edge of the desk.

Even if you don't have solutions for me specifically though, feel free to post things that have worked for you or questions you might have! Let's help each other.

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    Sep '17

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    Sep '17
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LordVincent
Sep '17

I doubt my advice would be helpful because i don't use a desk. I usually sit in bed, a couch or a chair with a back that can be leaned backwards. When in bed or a couch i use pillows to support a leaned back sitting position.

I have my laptop at my right, and my cintiq in my lap on top of a thick pillow to raise it to a good level.

I've found sitting at any desk in any way hurts my back and neck.

J.Z.Castillo
Sep '17

setup.jpg3600x3600 403 KB

This is how I set up when I'm drawing. I have a backless chair because I find those annoying. My cintiq is almost at the edge of the table and tilted as high as I can make it go. I find this the best for me because I hate leaning over the screen, my back and neck thank me for it. My keyboard and mouse are behind my cintiq so I have to reach my arms out to use them. I find this comfortable because it gives me support and I don't get as tired when I'm using it.

I also have a smaller desk... more like a nightstand/dresser thing to the right side where I have an extra laptop set up for musics and videos and references. I'm also working on getting some screens hanging on the wall so I can have those up instead of my laptop.

Shanny8
Sep '17

Right now my drawing set up isnt that comfortable. Planning on getting an L-shaped desk soon that should give me a little more elbow room & make things a little better for my arms(the main focus).

candaceandco
Sep '17

I do a lot of coloring on my laptop, and I use the dining room table as my desk (space is limited in my home). For me, it works best if I can spread the work evenly through the day, rather than do it all at once (which usually ends up being the case). Other than that, I try to get in some physical exercise everyday, because all that drawing and coloring is tough on the lower back.

joannekwan(ง ˙o˙)ว here to help~
Sep '17

Here's the set up for my desk, excuse all my crap.

IMG_1710.JPG2088x1566 777 KB

I cannot work without that towel in the bottom left. My left elbow hurts like a bitch on hard surfaces when I'm typing/doing keyboard shortcuts.
Then I also roll it up to rest my wrist on when I game. Because my gaming position is: turn chair to face pc monitor, put wireless keyboard on lap (not enough room on my desk for it to fit comfortably, I don't like moving my tablet every time), swing back right arm to reach mouse (seen in the bottom right of the picture).
But yeah, that towel is everything to me.

joe_galindez
Sep '17

Nothing much. I have a computer desk I assembled myself and a solid plastic chair. To compensate I spend 3 out of every 45 minutes pacing the room. 45 minutes seems ideal. Any longer and my legs go numb. Any less, and I can't seem to focus on my work.

I'll probably keep doing this even after I get that standing desk.

Kura
Sep '17

Because I am short I have my citique at eye level when working, it's also propped up forward as much as it can go. So I don't get the back pain from leaning over because I don't actually lean over,

Several artists I know that have the bigger cintiq (or cintiq like tablets) have them attacked to something like a metal arm? Which can be used to adjust the tablet to eye level and prevent leaning. I have not used them myself as I don't need to, but the people that have used them seem to speak very positively of them.

Right now with my current set up I don't have the keyboard at an optimal position so I get really sore when trying to use both it and the tablet (why I keep loosing data because I don't hit ctrl+s, I'm pretty much working without a keyboard because it's too painful to use with the tablet at this moment) I am currently working on trying to get a better set up, but desks be expense and I just haven't had the extra money. What worked before was when I had two small desks with keyboard trays, one for the monitor and one for the tablet, and I would move the keyboard to whatever desk I was using.

ryoko
Sep '17

I have my laptop raised up and everything set fairly far back so that my arms rest flat on my desk while I draw. This has helped a lot with avoiding wrist strain and elbow pain. I do sometimes need a towel under my left elbow if I'm doing a lot of editing and require the keyboard. The biggest thing that has helped me was a really good computer chair. It wasn't an expensive one, but it has serta memory foam in it and it's really comfortable and I can sit for hours. Also, having a footstool under my desk has helped. I can shift around and change my leg level.

desksetup.jpg2048x1536 186 KB

Chopythes
Sep '17

I've set it up like this:

20170910_002631.jpg2548x1433 979 KB

I'm a traditional artist at heart, so I want to draw on something that has a bit of an angle.
It's a laptop board from IKEA that I've put a sawed to bits closet door on, the surface is just perf<3

20170910_002751.jpg2548x1433 919 KB

It also gives my cintiq a nice leaning that makes me sit better, as well as making it less straining on my wrist (I've had tendinitis since I was 13) so anything will go into make myself more comfortable.
Mouse is on the left, I scroll A LOT, and I realised that my right hand couldn't take it so I had to shift it to the left hand and no there's no more pain in my right hand <3

punkarsenic
Sep '17

a really important thing is your chair situation. i have major joint pain in my legs and i sit funny so i think abt this a lot. apparently, youre supposed to have your chair set up so that when sitting in it, your knees are lower than your pelvis (the annoying thing for me is with that setup the chair gets caught under the desk and jerks everything ://// )

when it comes to keyboards, i keep my laptop as far from me on the desk as possible (15 centimetres away?) so my entire forearms are leant on the desk when i type, and i have space to put my tablet down on the desk too. this setup also means that while im just using my laptop as a laptop, my arms are fairly straight.

aaaaaand thats the only things i can think of mostly my desk situation is a mess lol

revisionstudios
Sep '17

Thanks for the replies everyone!! Would've responded sooner but I got kinda busy yesterday.

@mrjonzap This is actually the setup I had at work for a long time and it worked out, but I don't think I could do it at home :frowning: the biggest problem is the keyboard. my desk has a keyboard tray, the keyboard is wired, and the desk isn't wide enough for me to have it behind the cintiq and still be able to type normally. Guess I just need a new desk D: I did have one question though, if your cintiq is right at the edge of your desk, how do you support your elbow while drawing? Is there just enough room in front of the screen to set your elbow down?

@Shanny8 Seconded on the L shape desk, I think having that corner would help me a lot too! Wouldn't be able to have one in my current room though, it's too tiny.

@punkarsenic Lower than your pelvis, huh? I actually don't quite understand how, like do I have to sit at the edge of my seat so my knees drop down? I sit funny too though, I switch a lot between sitting normally and crossing my legs just because it feels more natural to me. So I need chairs wide enough to accommodate that ahahaha;;;

punkarsenic
Sep '17

i think you just need to have your seat high enough that when youre sat normally, your thighs arent bent up, so the bottom of your thigh should be pressed against the chair for your feet to be flat on the ground.

J.Z.Castillo
Sep '17
revisionstudios

I forgot to mention that part lol. I use the keyboard tray or push it back just enough to give me a ledge to rest my elbow, but most of the time I just rest my forearm on the edge of the desk and draw. I'm a classically trained painter so I find that natural since it's what I am used to.

But yeah, when I get tired I just use the keyboard tray. I customized it to be higher than usual with about an inch between desk and tray so I don't have to lay my elbow all the way down there.

PaulDevers
Sep '17

I don't have a desk; I just use my laptop and my couch. I start out sitting upright, but sloooooooooowly but surely I just slink down further and further until my computer is on my stomach and I'm half off the couch. Then I readjust when I get up for a drink or somethin'. Tablet to my right, hand just sitting on keyboard for CTRL+Z when needed.
Probably not the healthiest position, honestly. Back hurts and my CTRL+Z hand falls asleep about every half-hour. Probably should try and find a better solution. Can't put a desk in my room though, as it's about as small as a walk-in closet.

scarlet_wings_kaili
Sep '17

I put my laptop on the edge of my desk and the tablet on my lap. I also sit cross legged because that's more comfortable for me, but I don't know if it's actually any good. Sometimes if I really ache I use heat pads :o
I dunno if it'll be any help :o

15 days later
doraliu1008
Sep '17

I’d suggest to add a FlexiSpot (disclaimer: I’m a part of the team) to your existing desk, a standing desk converter allows you to transit between sitting and standing without getting rid of your existing desk. The desktop is spacious enough for illustration artists.

Here is a picture from one of our reviewers who is also a Cartoonist