What do you do when your hand hurts from drawing?

[unknown_user]

When I become too much enthusiastic (and have too much free time), I can draw for a several hours a day (mostly using computer mouse, but also sometimes doing pencil sketches). If I doing this more than two days in the row, my hand starting to hurt.
I've started worried about it after reading that Yuumei (author of Fisheye Placebo) have got some permanent damage to their hand because of drawing too intensely, and now can't draw as much as before. Of course, I'm doing it much, much less than that (very productive!) artist, but nevertheless...
How do you handle this problem? What are you doing to keep working hand healthy?
P.S. Sorry if this question is sort of naive or seems like overthinking. I'm just looking for advice.

[BobbyjoeX]

i stop for a while, its that simple

[clockrealm]

Hi! I think this is a real legitimate concern This summer, I also went on an extensive draw spree, and I could start feeling a soreness in my hand. As I follow different, more experienced artists on Instagram, many of them really encourage you to take healthy breaks every hour or two to either rest your hand or massage it. You can do other things while you take a break.

I personally like to get up and eat food, or watch YouTube, or even do some chores (despite how much I hate chores lol) while I take breaks from the drawing strains. Or I go out an interact with people...but this isn't usually the option I pick cuz I'm an extreme introvert LOL...sometimes it's necessary lolol. But, I've gotten into this habit of just massaging my hand once in a while. I'm sure you can look up massaging techniques or ask someone about them. I was taught awhile ago how to massage my own hand so that's what I like to do.

But bottom line, breaks are REALLY necessary if you don't want long term damage to your hand. Keep it healthy now while it's still healthy. Hope this helps and good luck!

[bear1]

I had some issues like that in the past week.
I started to take longer breaks in between, switched to softer pencils (so I don’t have to apply that much pressure while drawing anymore) and used some massage gel specific for aches and apply that on my hand and wrist.
Also stretching exercises hand help to prevent long term problems (such as carpal tunnel syndrome)

I guess the big thing is to take breaks every so often and you should be fine

[phen]

Definitely not a naive question, there's quite a few on the topic. But yes, ultimately it's important to take breaks! Getting into that zen of drawing, when you just don't want/can't stop makes breaks seem so frustrating but as you noted with Yuumei, absolutely vital to a long, happy drawing life.

Here's a great video for quick exercises to do between drawing crunches!

Personally, I have just recently started to encounter pain in my left hand and wrist due to increased use so I eased up a bit and take 5 minute breaks every hour on the hour. The pain has completely gone away in a couple weeks and breaking the habit of drawing for hours on end has really refreshed my production. I highly recommend it!

[Wumbl]

Take breaks. Do arm stretches. Maybe put a grip attachment on your drawing utensil, or if using a mouse just handle it more gently.

If you draw for hours without stopping you're causing repetitive strain. Take a moment here and there to rest. Also a lot of artists find that they're gripping too hard on their utensils. Some people strap a foam grip to their pens, or something like that.

It could be that you're drawing the "wrong way" as well - maybe you're not using the most comfortable hand and wrist motions. A lot of artists have a "natural curve" when drawing smooth lines and if you follow that curve (rotating your canvas rather than rotating your arm) you'll actually lessen strain.

Using a mouse in particular can cause repetitive wrist strain - all the clicking can't do your hand any good. It's a repetitive motion. I think when using the mouse the best thing for it is breaks and stretching.
Personally I never use a mouse for this reason. You can get a cheap drawing tablet online from brands like huion if you want to invest in one. That way you're not constantly making that clicking motion and hurting your wrist and finger tendons.

There's all kinds of things you can do to lessen strain on your arm.

[racarter]

I stretch out my wrist, hand, and fingers using stretches to help with carpal tunnel (which I have).

I also wear a wrist splint at night, take breaks, wear a different wrist splint that has more room for my fingers to move and I draw while wearing it.

If it’s too bad I just stop for the day.

But yeah take care of your hand and wrist, I got carpal tunnel pretty quickly and my hand is hurting slightly almost all the time now. My grip has weakened a bit (tho I’ve always had an iron clad grip so I’m still okay). Sometimes my fingers start tingling. I feel numb around my wrist and hand. I get tingling up my whole arm sometimes. It can be incredibly painful. Also if I hold things at certain angles my hand goes numb.

I’ve just lived with it for a few years now so I’ve adapted to it and I’ve always been able to ignore my usual pains since I’m pretty much always in some sort of pain. But I’m lucky cuz I can still grab stuff. I’ll be up a creek without a paddle if I become unable to grip stuff.

Anyway you get this from doing repetitive motions everyday. That’s why breaks and also wrist splints are great. At night wearing a splint helps cuz you never know what weird way your wrist and hand will move during the night and just stay that way and it puts unnatural and unnecessary strain on it.

Also I wrap makeshift pencil grips around my pencils. I tear off some paper towel strips, wrap it around, then over that I wrap a large rubberband where I usually grab my pencil. You could use other pencil grips but most of mine come with built in grips that just ain’t big enough so store bought grips wouldn’t fit. Plus with rubber bands you can make it as big as you want.

Like so:

It helps a lot.

[unknown_user]

Thanks for all who answered so far!

• It sound like a good idea to shedule mandatory breaks during the day (maybe using alarm clock on smartphone)
• Massage and stretching seems interesting too, I'll try to find more about it
• And yes, I'm thinking of buying tablet for drawing. I just not sure, how much it will reduce the load on hand.

[Chopythes]

It's not at all a silly question, but rather a serious one that can cause tendinitis or worst case scenario: CTS. (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, it's a nasty one and some never recover even from an operation)

Like everyone else has said:

• Take brakes. OFTEN.

• Try to draw with the whole arm instead of just the wrist. (It takes a while to get there, but it's totally worth it!)

• Avoid small strokes and go with larger. Esp if you're sketching.

• Get a stress ball that you can squeeze every now and then. It'll help building muscles where it's due, or use a rubber band on your fingertips and stretch out your fingers.

• Sketching with pen, or even writing for that matter: Loose that grip on the pen, try to sketch lightly and write!

If your hand starts to hurt: STOP. RIGHT NOW.
It means your hand needs to rest, and try to use your other hand more than the main one, it'll help, trust me on this.
(I've got tendinitis in both lower and upper arm on both arms 8D go me)

If it has however, started to hurt more and more: Try to massage the upper muscle above the wrist, close to your elbow or on the underside of it.
This is mainly because where we think the pain is, it's not. It's usually one step up.
Your shoulder hurts? Check your neck.
Your wrist hurt? Check your elbow!

Take care of yourself, don't get wrist pain at age 13 (like I did and no one believed me 8D So now I got pain in both arms but I've learned how to handle it tho)

[vworksart]

Depending on what I'm doing, I'll either stop for like 10 mins. Or I'll power through.

[PaulDevers]

Probably crack my knuckles! Then keep drawing until I'm done for the day!

crying

[Kann]

I take a break. I can't focus anyway if it hurts. xD

[Shanny8]

Trying find(buy) a grip for my Wacom stylus(CTH-680)- need something that wont cover & effect the switch/button on the side of the pen...any suggestions?

[simplykit]

i feel ya bro

that feeling when your hyped to draw an image or your next comic page but your hand is all shakey and burnt out

i just stop, watch some anime or a movie

play video games

then get right back to it

[akemikae]

Sometimes when I have a lot of work to do, but don't want to strain myself I do the 20/10 rule. It's usually used for cleaning or a lot of work, but I think it works well for art as well.Draw for 20 minutes, get up and walk around, clean something, idk, pace for all I care, just get away from that computer and don't use your hands. If 20/10 seems like it's too frequent (cause let's be honest, it totally is) then go for every 45 minutes take a 15 minute break.I like to use this to get a snack, or look out the window (helps prevent eye strain). I don't care what you do during your break, but please, just don't use your hand and wrist too much if you can help it, that kinda gets rid of the point. Haha.

[Greetings]

I'm not an artist, but do you draw with your wrist or your arm? I've heard people have gotten less damage/strain from learning to draw with their arm instead of their wrists.