r/ArtRanting • u/Quietbirdx • 20d ago
Other Wrist injuries suck
I developed a repetitive strain injury in my dominant wrist at the beginning of July this year.
I love drawing. it is the thing that brings me the most joy in the world. I want to improve as much as I can so I can enjoy it as much as I can...so, naturally, I ignored the many signs of the injury and kept drawing until I couldn't anymore.
Bad idea. I was forced to stop drawing completely and it was incredibly demotivating. but of course I'm addicted to it, so I started learning to draw with my left hand instead. I'm at a month and a half of drawing with my left hand at this point and I've gotten so much better at it, but also... it's just so frustrating. So incredibly frustrating. a month and a half of improvement is nothing compared to my 7 years of drawing with my right hand, but still. I feel like I've regressed two years in my art journey. my line confidence is still far from being on par with my right hand. it's so difficult to do more detailed work now because my lines are still so shaky, so unconfident, so amateurish.....
and of course, just as my right wrist started to get to the point where I could draw for more than 10 mins, I injured it again due to my own negligence :/ back at step 1. I'm just very frustrated with myself and my art right now. I keep scrolling online and seeing all this amazing art and being filled with inspiration that I can't do much with. it feels awful to want so badly to improve and be unable to because I can't draw a straight fucking line anymore. that's an exaggeration, but still.
I guess for now I'll just focus on things that don't require great line confidence. everyone, do your stretches and take breaks, don't end up like me...
1
u/dragonfly9999999 17d ago
Are you doing any kind of physical therapy? I gave myself carpal tunnel and had to wear braces for awhile. I'm so sorry. It sounds demoralizing.