Survival guide for artists with a hand/wrist injury
What I've been doing over the last month
Dear subscribers
Thanks for your kind comments on my last newsletter! ❤️
My hand seems to have mostly recovered after resting it for most of September and October but I’m still careful not to overdo it right away.
The title of this newsletter is probably a bit clickbaity but maybe there is some advice here for somebody in a similar situation (obviously not medical advice).
What I’ve been doing over the last month (aka my tips)
Practical things:
Resting my hand as much as possible (NO drawing with injured hand)
Wearing a hand brace (especially at night)
Daily stretches (very gently)
Taking an anti-inflammatory medication my doctor had prescribed to me
Icing my hand after use or applying warming gel
At my office job I try to work mostly with my left hand (it gets easier with repetition) and avoid stress and tension in my body.
Consulting my doctor took way longer than it should have, because of 1) my irrational fear of doctors 🙄 and 2) me being sick and then my doctor being on vacation for two weeks. When I was finally able to consult my doctor again, the symptoms had already improved significantly (lol). I promised to make an appointment again as soon as the pain comes back. In retrospective, I should have gone to a doctor way earlier in the beginning of the year instead of pushing through the pain. NEVER ignore or underestimate hand/wrist pain.
Acceptance:
I put my current comic project away where I can’t see it. Up to the beginning of October, I was still thinking every day: “Maybe it’s all better tomorrow and I can continue working on my project.”. Not being able to do that put a lot of pressure and frustration on me. After a honest talk with my partner, I came to the conclusion that I had to accept putting it on hold for a while. I think it was a bit like a grieving process (I know, very dramatic, haha).
Focusing on other projects (no drawing/minimal use of injured hand):
I applied for a booth/table at Fantasy Basel, Chibi-Con and Comicfest Basel next year.
I attempted to print my comic book BELONGING at home. A while back, I purchased a printer, an Epson Eco-Tank ET-8550, which is a popular model for artists printing their own prints. Finding the right kind of paper and setting everything up correctly is a beast. Also, this printer is probably not ideal for printing comic books larger than DIN A5. But I love the idea of not having to order my comic books in bulk from a print company and instead printing on-demand/small print runs with more control over the outcome.
I put together a collection of sketches from the last years and should be ready to print some booklets soon. I will tell you more next month! 😉
Adjustments:
On a few occasions, I tried drawing with my left/non-dominant hand. It was annoying not to be able to make straight lines but it still felt better than not drawing at all. I discovered that I can still do exercises that require less precision, for example:
Value blocking
Gesture drawing
I am now experimenting with various pen holding aids to reduce the strain on my hand and wrist.
Possible long-term measures: Fewer drawing hours per day, more breaks, different tools..?
Sketches made with my left/non-dominant hand
We’ll see how things develop over the next few weeks. I’ll let you know next month. Until then, take care!
Ilona
The sketches with the left hand are still incredible, damn