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yuumei — PSA for Artists! Don't make the same mistake I did
Published: 2015-12-11 21:10:01 +0000 UTC; Views: 207611; Favourites: 1933; Downloads: 0
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I've been posting some video tutorials to teach aspiring artists my drawing techniques, but I think it's very important to learn from my mistakes as well.
I'm 25 right now, and I've been drawing all my life. I started drawing a lot more and professionally when I was about 19-20. I drew all the time and didn't think much about it. I would draw until I'm in pain, from sitting too long, from not eating because I was in the flow and didn't want to stop. I would get terrible back pains and even heart palpitations from sitting in the same position drawing for so long.
That's when the nails on my right hand started to get weird and lumpy. At first I thought it was a dietary thing, so I took vitamins, went to the doctors, exercised, changed things up but it was too late. It's been years now and 3 doctors later they couldn't fix it.
If it were just ugly nails, I wouldn't really care, but the nails are just the tip of how bad I've been treating my body. One time during a particularly hardcore drawing marathon, my right hand swelled up for a week. Nowadays I try to take it easy and take long breaks in between but the damage that has already been done can't be undone. I can only draw for so many hours in a day before I have to stop or I will get pains from my entire hand, arm, and shoulder.
Now I have a standing desk, ergonomic mouse, hand brace, and all that. I wish I had done these things sooner so I can keep drawing without restraint. I used to update my comics more frequently, but I can't realistically sustain that speed without hurting myself. (Hence I plan on doing a Patreon in the future so I can hire helpers to do some of the comic's background drawings)
In those speed paint tutorials where I paint within 1-2 hours, it may seem like I have it made, dishing out art in hours, but after those hours I have to massage my hand and arm. I can't draw for more than a few hours a day now without hurting.
When I was in college all I could think about is how to improve my skills, practice endlessly, and all that hard work has paid off in some ways but not in others. So please take care of your hands, and your general health. It seems obvious in retrospect but I never thought about it when I was younger that, hey maybe, just maybe, if you overwork and break your body, you won't be able to draw and create all you want anymore.
Take breaks, don't grip too hard, do hand exercises, do general exercises, get ergonomic mouse and a standing desk if you can (I just piled a bunch of books on my regular desk until it was tall enough) These are some of the few ways you can help your hand last in the long run
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Comments: 647
the only time I draw by hand is at school, in to mornings, morning tea and lunch
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Thanks for sharing this ... I'm currently having problems with my right hand... I'll have to visit the doctor... It's so frustrating, sometimes it hurts so much that I have to stop inmediatly... T-T Why hand?? Why ???
Anyway Thanks!
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I don't draw that much.
I lay back in my chair, get comfy, grab a soda and a few snacks and draw all night with my mouse.
But that was a few month after my dad died, I didn't want to do anything but draw how I felt.
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Wow. The only thing that happened to me was a small writing callous on my fourth finger.
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Same, but on my middle finger
...it looks like a wart eeeeee...
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OMFG THANK GOD I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME!!!!!!! Thank you!!!
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Wait NVM I have a deformed fingernail on that same finger, I guess I'm fine still though
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that sucks, also another warning becareful the way u draw with ur hands. it can form some weird lumps on ur fingers, like this one dude was holding a pencil wrong and he had a gaint lump on his pinkie. >.>
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Oh shit! Thanks for the heads up man! I've started getting a pretty big writing bump on my middle finger and I am very over protective of my hands. Gosh if I hadn't have found this God knows what could have happened! OoO
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oh wow, my right hand started hurting a little recently and hot damn im lucky i found this journa. There's a small lump just above the nail of my middle finger(showed up this morning) and i have no idea why, after reading this, i picked up my tablet pen just to see how i held the pen, the pens body was inbetween my middle finger's nail and the lump above it, who knew ;o;
thank you so much for this warning!!! i'll make sure to be careful, thank you so much!! <33
bless you uwu
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A similar thing is happening to me now whenever I write essays in my exams (especially for art theory and biology) which means that I can't write stories or try to complete my novel anymore which really sucks so thank you for this
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[[ screm because thank you-- one time I had been drawing up until my entire thumb went ??? I don't even know how to explain it-
I will keep this in mind bc I'm still growing(more like shrinking tbh) and since I'm weak asf I'll probably end up getting into p bad trouble- ]]
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Eek, too late. I've had a writer's lump and deformed fingernail on my right hand since elementary school. It hurts after a while, but I'm kinda used to it...
Regardless, I hate how it looks and the pain is still hindering. Wish I knew when I was younger to protect my hand.
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Yes I know , my hand joint has been hurting (wrist) I went to a doctor but, he said it was fine I realised that I had to have hand support but, it looked like I was ill while I was walking on street so, I just wear a wrist band now and look sporty but it helps . I will care for my hand like you said .Thank you for posting such an awareness .
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Yuumei. 
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I don't why, but I noticed the bone/joint that connects my fourth finger to my hand has grown weird lately.
Now, I don't know if this has anything to do with what happened to you, but I'm scared now. >.<
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Pain, I can handle. A stiff neck, sure. But physical effects would freak me out. Thanks for the valuable info.
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I normally shrug off pains in my hand, since 1 I can barely feel pain from the neck down, and 2 partially due to my motor dyspraxia, and I draw constantly.
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I had no idea about these kinds of risk from drawing o.o thank you for the post
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OH NO. Recently I have been drawing at lot (to put together an art portfolio to apply for an arts high school), and right now drawing does NOT sound appealing (T-T) because my hands have been hurting like hell. I have never gripped my pencil right, plus I gip it with too much pressure, but holding a pen any other way hurts more. It's been like this for nearly a month (which is not very long but long enough for me to be a bit concerned). Last week I was drawing and my hand was hurting a lot and when I finally released my pen I found that the end of my middle finger was actually flat from holding a pencil.
Last night as I was doing math homework, after working at equations for about 30 minuets, when my hand was hurting so bad I could not even pick up my pencil. My hand still hurts, and it's painful to hold a pencil for over 30 minuets. Its this an issue I should to worry about?
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Thank you for reminding all of us to take care of ourselves, I mean it. Its very important to realize what not taking care of ourselves can do. I havent been drawing for nearly that long but Ive become very worried about hand problems. My family insists that nothing bad will happen but I know that if I dont be careful I could hurt my hand/arm. I started stretching my wrists a lot last year, and Ive also begun to utilize the Pomodoro technique to remind me to take breaks. Im sorry that your hand is in such a bad state and I hope theres a way for it to get better; youre a huge inspiration and we all love seeing your beautiful art.
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I guess I'd better not do too many 24 hour art streams
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I read this when you first posted it and I hope you don't mind that I re-posted it in my wattpad account; a lot of people on there draw as well, some hopefully your message will get through to them.
(of course i mentioned you and this journal entry XD really though, thank you.)
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Going to a manicurist might be a good idea, if they work with massage. Not one of the fly by night, throw some acrylic on and be done kind. When you have bad nutrition, and low circulation, it can cause things like that to show up in your nails, so yes, its your body signalling that something is going on. Massage will bring back good blood flow, as well as moisturizing lotions/oils, (your hands get very dry when you draw alot). Turmeric has been having some amazing benefits for people, and MSM and Glucosumine can be a benefit, as well. You are doing good on the other parts, with the standing desk and such. Take care of yourself. You do amazing work, and there is only one of you to last your whole life!
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My left side hurts alot because I lean on that side when I'm drawing and my collarbone hurts for your exact reason. Good thing I saw this before anything else happened to me, thank you!
But whats good for me, that I don't like, is I stopped drawing as much as I did when I was little. It's probably a good thing but when I hear all these awesome people saying that they got so good at drawing...by always practicing...it just makes me feel like I'm not trying hard enough. i cri evry tim.
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I have been having pains in my right hand and wrist "AGAIN!" from pulling all nighter's last month. I'm trying to take it easier lest I have to wear the my now groddy and worn wrist braces. Still I find it hard to not put in at least an hour or two on my Intuos every day, Its now reunite to me!
Now after reading this, I'm gonna take... Taking it easier more seriously lol.
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Thanks so much for sharing this. I have tendinitis from jewelry making. My hands tingle and go numb if I work too long.
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I am very happy you said something...
Currently, I am 22 years old and I've begun having heart problems from sitting in a position for far too long and I've also gained more back pain than what I use to have. Originally, I attuned it all as to me not getting out much, and while that still may be very true, I've forgotten to take it easy with my drawings at home. I don't have deformed fingernails just yet, but I'm sure if I had continued, I would have gained them. Thank you for the heads up. It's nice to know that I have more than one thing to blame for my heart and back conditions. I always thought it was just lack of exercise.
I know you're far from a doctor, and I know that drawing is what you love to do. Don't let your love and hobbies get in the way of you staying healthy! You're one of my favorite artists, and I always look forward to what you draw and have to say, even though I don't always comment. It's nice to know you're looking out for your fellow artists. ^_^
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If you don't have one already, a mechanical keyboard is a great investment as well, just as great as a vertical mouse. They take a lot of stress off your fingers and wrists. You can get new ones on Amazon for as low as 70 bucks.
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Wow Yuumei... I'm so sorry to hear about your hands, but as an artist myself, I can relate. I started with Arthritis at a young age, here when I was 10, 11-ish? I have constant pain in my wrists. My left is worse than my right, though I'm right handed.. And the older I get, the worse it becomes. It was my second year now that I spent my entire winter in bed, unable to draw, due to pain. Back when it started, it was just in my wrists. Now it's all over in my body, even my fingers, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, toes, and I discovered so 4 or 5 months ago, it's in my spine also too now..
I hope you would be able to find relief.. You should maybe go see a reiki doctor? A herbalist would maybe able to help also?
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Hey guys, I got some info I could share from my experience!
One tip you can do is to touch your wrist once in a while after drawing and compare it to your other wrist. Like testing your heartbeat, put two fingers on your wrist and feel the warmth. Compare it to your non drawing hand, if your drawing hand is warmer than your non drawing hand then be cautious! You're starting to put a strain on your wrist, lie your hand down on something cooling and leave it for a while. (This may vary for different people)
For those who's wrist starts swelling after drawing its good to dip your hand in cold water and leave it there for a while to reduce the swelling! Sometimes my swelling can get really bad but I don't have a basin big enough to fill it up to my elbows (even with bending) so I'd use a cold item and place it on my wrist/inner elbow.
The cold item doesn't have to be from the fridge, in my opinion I find that using ice cubes just makes you feel numb and makes it difficult to tell if you're hurting still. The cold item can easily be an empty metal water bottle, your cold table or just sticking your hands out of the window in cold weather!
If your wrist is still swelling by the end of the day, I'd suggest using the analgesic gel: Counterpain cool. Try not to use the warm one, it'll feel worse when your wrist is already so warm from the swelling. Rub a bit of it on your wrist and other swelling spots, its only effective if you do it alternate nights. Putting it on your wrist every night will become less effective. While its not the right kind to treat swelling per say but its a general direction you can head for, this is a bit expensive but cheaper ones might do the trick too.
Last one which is probably not something a lot of ppl seem to like, is acupuncture. It won't magically treat your arm, the doctor might make a few decisions:
1)acupuncture
2)a salve
3)both
My sister had both while I just got an acupuncture since mine wasn't so serious, I found out the salve that she was given was very very effective. I DO NOT SUGGEST going to the doctor until you're absolutely sure your wrist is hurting really bad and none of my suggestions above have helped.
Wow my arm is already hurting from typing this, but anyway.
Be safe everyone, stay healthy!
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Part of me respects the fact that you drew yourself thin... but a much larger part of me respects that you recognize it was a mistake, and that you're giving this kind of warning to a lot of people who aren't aware of this kind of problem! It SUCKS that you're so heavily affected by this though... Here's hoping you'll get back some of your drawing stamina with some tlc for yourself and your hands ;A; *hugs*
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Would it be possible at all for you to take a photo of your set up, or to draw a diagram? I also have problems with my shoulder and arm, but I also have problems with my knees, so I'm not sure if I could go with a standing desk - do you stand all the time or do you have a high stool to sit at for a while? Do you hunch at your tablet at all?
Sorry for all the questions, I'm trying to find as many set ups as possible just so I can find out what to do myself, by mixing and matching.
Best wishes for the future. If you haven't got one yet, consider buying an anti fatigue mat to stand on, they're supposedly really good!
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thank u 4 the warning! 
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Hai there :3
I really liek your webcomic, Fisheye Placebo, and I'm sorry to hear about your hands and about the Victoria fiasco. However, I have a family member who would be able to help you (free of charge!) with your webcomic. If you're interested in some help, or would like to see a sample of his art, please send me a way of contacting you! Thanks, and happy New Year and belated christmas
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poor yuumei T^T
sorry about your hands, thanks for the warning
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i have injured my shoulder, actually damaged the tendons and ligaments that hold my shoulder together, i havnt been able to draw properly in months, thankfuly with careful care it will not be perminant
then add the crippling depression that goes with it aahhh
yes everyone must look after themselves! especially if art is your life then do NOT risk your drawing arm
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Wow dude! I'm a semi-woodsman out in the middle of nowhere, so both my hands have gone through the rockies.
What the hell have you been doing to yourself!?
I like to think of myself as a budding hobbyist of the arts - so I spend a bit of time doodling when I can - but I always
remember to step away every so often. I've never had heart palpitations, starvation, not even a sprain too horrible to have
forgotten already.
Glad you're warning people and all, but it kinda speaks volumes of the over-worked artist community if people are putting
themselves through serious pain just to get a few drawings up.
Also, hope you get well and ease up awhile. Just because people say they'd "draw until their hands burn off into nubs,"
doesn't mean they actually have to. If you need some time to recover, your greatest fans can wait until you're in tip-top
shape. I always worry more about the health of my favorite artists than when they'll upload their next image.
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Just going to be honest, I'm not really sure if my fingers can have that happen to them. When you have fingers that can bend backwards to your wrist and thumbs that can protrude and rotate in every way, it's hard to believe that you'd feel a lot of pain.
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Actually I think the more flexible fingers you have the more prone you are to arthritis. I know this is the case for people with hitch hikers thumb.
www.healthline.com/health/hype…
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Well, thanks for the news. Guess I'll have to worry about arthritis every time I draw !
I definitely don't have a hitch hiker's thumb, though. I think I have more of a hitch hiker's ring finger, if that's a thing.
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It's not just the fingers. When you draw nonstop, you're applying a lot of pressure to your entire arm. Actually, the pain on the fingers specifically is rather minimal compared to other areas.
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Ooh. Thank you for telling me that. Although, I don't draw nearly as often as yuumei. At most, it's 2 hours of nonstop drawing. I don't know why, but I have to get up after an hour or so and just do something else. And when I finish a page of sketches and a drawing or two, I can't draw anymore, it's just some weird thing where I feel like all of my motivation and creativity has been destroyed.
TLDR; Thanks for telling me this, I'll keep this in mind, though I don't think I'm at a huge risk for something like this to happen.
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Yeah, it's good you get up after an hour or two. I keep telling myself to do that, but sometimes I just lose track of time and draw til my arm's asleep/numb.
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