How do you take care of your condition?

[Waterdrain]

Every time my eyes start to hurt or my back starts to strain itself, I put on some music and walk around the room a bit. I also like to pace and think out my ideas, so it's easy for me to get up and move around.

[sbattale]

I started using a variation of the Pomodoro method when I'm working: I work for an hour, and then i get up and stretch and take a break for ten to fifteen minutes. I also don't try and force myself to work on something. If it's not working, or I've been staring at something for too long, I get up and do something else for a little bit.

[mg78]

if i work for comics or similar (so, to the table or the the pc), after 2h i always move out from the room and i spend some minutes to look outside in the world. this help a lot my eyes... and i do stretching. most to shoulders (argh) spine (dho!) hands (fu!!!)
BUT the real help come from sport! i always tried to do some sport, even when i was without money... because: "mens sana in corpore sano" (Satire, X, 356) so, now im back playing ice hockey XD and this help without doubt.

[Doubtcent]

I work on computers all day for work, then I spend even longer sometimes on drawing. So I get up and move once in awhile. That way my wrists get a break, my eyes aren't as shot, and I can enjoy other things. I like reading manga a lot (plus it gives me good references) but I've been neglecting my writing and reading in place of comic making and videogames. At least the videogames I'm playing have huge story elements. In this case, the Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney trilogy.

[mattcleaver]

Yes, people don't appreciate the physical strain it takes to make comics! XD

I myself didn't appreciate it... until it was too late of course! Eventually my eyes decided that it was no longer necessary to see into the distance, as I was always looking at a screen or paper 30cm away, and my hips have started to rebel from awkward sitting positions.

Oh and the back, can't forget the back!

[endlessuprising]

Oh it's good to see people talking about this!
Yes working out is important when you sit about making comics lol- so exercise is pretty key!

I use "essential balm" which is like "tiger balm" (Holland and barret stores, or similar) for my hands when they are particularly nasty, and it really does help to take the edge off of the pain so I recommend that! It just won't help with numbness and tingling though. Hot and cold therapies are generally helpful for looking after aching hands and joints.

Aaaalso, you can get these cool eyemasks from amazon which have extra material underneath to block out light and have a gel-pack in them too- so taking a break to rest your eyes and cool them at the same time will really help.

Also, cooooooffffeeeeeee. :3

[KSlinger]

Ah, the 'did you clean your room yet' of the art world. Body care is a pain in the arse, but it's just as important as mental health and there seems to be a lot of support here for that.

For me, I know I don't sit healthily because I don't have a desk, so I have some super cool memory foam cushions on the sofa to help with that. Still get pins and needles quite a lot though. And I'm sure I'll look like a quaver when I'm 50 from hunching so much.

I walk to and from work every day (up a mega hill), but on my days off I can be stationary for hours on end, so I try to get up every hour or so to make a coffee, talk to my bird and cuddle the cat, and to look out the window into the distance. Stretch your eyes, guys!

I always reserve the right to drop whatever I'm working on to jump in a hot shower. It helps me think and relax. And, you know, stay clean, which helps you feel like less of a failure to your mother.

At night the comic plays out like a film in my head so I have a notebook and pen there to right down any developments I'll forget in the morning. Doesn't help me sleep better but it's better than nothing.

That's all I can really think of for now, but tutorials made for intensive gamers on how to stretch your hands would probably be a good think to look into if you suffer from RSI. Also watch out for tendonitis, that's a serious bastard to get rid of once you have it.

[zjwestbrook]

Oh really? I live in Korea (though, I'm not Asian, either) and that's a common misuse of the word condition among the locals.

[endlessuprising]

I feel so mean for laughing at your future-quaver status but you put that so amusingly... so amusingly that some would say it was amusing.

[SpavVy]

Well I switched back to traditional inking with my dip pens and such because it's better for my back and eyes, a fellow artist also told me I should stick to my traditional inking because he said it was better.

To help with my condition bought holders and pencils that have vary squishy grips so I can work in comfort and for a longer time because when I draw I draw for hours.
When I color on the computer I tend to lay down on the bed with the computer and tablet on my lap.

[phen]

I've always noticed that inking via tablet wears me down faster, too! Going traditional and inking by hand saves your eyes and wrists, doesn't it? I wonder why that is?

[SpavVy]

I think part of the reason is with traditional inking you need to really take your time because if you screw up there is no "undo" button :,D I always found traditional inking more fun anyway. Not to mention with traditional inking you get to look down at your work instead of up at the screen if you don't have a cintiq.

[phen]

Oh man, totally agree with you on that! I did a project for an illustration class where I counted the number of times I used crtl+z for a piece and it was over 500 times. Ridiculous! So yeah, you probably end up spending more time inking due to re-drawing little lines over and over, heh!

My Intuos pen is pretty chunky, too, whereas my drafting pens are much slimmer. Gotta put that stylus on a diet!

[krisjack1234]

Our body and mind are the most valuable assets. Every day in the morning I do a little exercise which goes a long way to reducing all my stress. Last month I had installed walk in tubs in Seattle so after my exercise, I take some few moments to relax in walk-in tubs which give me peace of mind with safety, comfort, and therapeutic benefits. After my bath, I do some relaxing activity like reading some books and novels that help me escape from the pressures of my lives.