Grips! The best for drawing, and NOT getting carpal tunnel!

I recorded one on this ages ago, but it's kind of low rez and I have better gear now, so time to revisit Getting A Grip!

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[specialkrj]

I am a physics major who gave myself carpal tunnel in my right hand from taking lecture notes and doing practice problems. I'm struggling to keep up now because my right hand can't be used, so I tried that between -the-fingers grip on my left hand and immediately my handwriting is actually legible. I am so grateful to you. You might have just saved my semester (and my wrists)

[robertaragon]

It doesn’t come easily at first, but the more you alternate between the various grips, the more you will start to do it automatically. You’ll even invent your own hybrid grips without thinking. The pencil will float around in your hand without any thought at all, sometimes line by line. It seems like a hassle when you’re learning but it ultimately becomes an easier, more natural way to draw with much better control over all aspects of line—thickness, direction, straightness, curvedness, darkness, etc. Hand dexterity isn’t innate, it comes with practice, even if you’ve got sausage fingers like me.

[justin-rshb]

Your comment on the illusion of accuracy by using a tighter grip is so good. It’s a questioned I’ve asked myself so many times during my time on fps video games using a mouse.

[nomadicwolf]

Thank you for this! I've been struggling for years w/ progressing my fledgling skills due to time constraints brought by the inevitable pain that always came from how I grip the pencil. That final grip is extremely comfortable & doesn't feel like losing control. Thank you!

[moga_]

Thank you for this great video. I had a horrible writing and drawing grip for years (basically making a fist with the pen wedged between my middle and ring finger) and this is the first time I've really understood why a real tripod grip is important. As a lefty I've been trying the tripod grip with the pen between my pointer and middle fingers, and it's a game changer. I always felt hopeless even at drawing fundamentals but now my line ghosting and other practice is showing monumental progress, AND my hand no longer cramps up every 10 minutes!!

[UkuleleEllie]

Great suggestions, thank you! I’d never heard of that last grip before and it does look useful.

[lukasmarks]

As a leftie, thank you very much for that last grip between index and middle finger! Was actually searching for something like this after my cramping hand forced me to pause my drawing 😅

[leojpowers]

Great video. I'd never paid much attention, but switching from the not-quite-a-tripod against the middle finger to the tripod felt really good and I noticed the increase in control right away. Thank you.

[WanJae]

Oh wow! I tried the grip with the pencil between the 1st and 2nd fingers, and it gets the body of the pencil out of the way so I can see the area around the point of the lead better. Excellent for detail work! Thanks for all this!

[chantalrochon]

Wonderful teaching. Thank you for sharing your knowledge 🎉🎉🎉😊😊😊

[jobrown]

Thank you. This is a very good and detailed video about pencil grips. I've just tried the last one and really like it.
Before finding this video I've been practising strokes and moving my hand up the pencil but when I did a drawing I noticed that I immediately went back to my normal pencil grip. This one might be the solution.

[tinktwiceman]

Great video. I'm very heavy handed and have always struggled with controlling my pen/pencil. This has resulted in bad handwriting and lines that don't look aesthetically pleasing. Could you make more tutorials on how to fix this? Thank you for this amazing knowledge which seems simple but is important.

[Laine_]

Thank you so much. My wrist has kept me from drawing but these techniques really take the strain. 🥺

[abelrrant]

i came here after learning the attack on Titan creator draws this way to avoid carpal tunnel

[jobrown]

GRIP NAME: *Adaptive Tripod Grip* - 8:30 mark

[Lumpsack]

Loving that grip near the back end of the vid - really useful on my quick test just now, thanks

[oldhorseshoe]

I have enjoyed your work for some time and appreciate this video. I never considered grip and origin of motion (shoulder/elbow vs. wrist/fingers) when I used to draw as a boy. I try to be mindful of it now. Thanks for the insights. As a lefty, I will give the last one a shot! :-)

[tommymeyer]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I found this video because i noticed some pro inkers wrapping the thumb around the pen, kind of tucking it under the pointing finger. I'm usually a tripod gripper myself, but i want to learn about the "thumb tucker grip", and if it has any advantages compared to the tripod grip.
By the way - being left handed myself, i would argue that it makes no difference what hand you are drawing with, because a drawing doesn't have a set direction, unlike writing.

[Salgood]

Hi @paintedwyvern13 AbyssWraith Kaameus For some reason while I can see your question in notifications it's not showing up when I click through to here so replying like this.

I think part of the issue is if there is one, will be around how long you're using/applying more pressure?

If it's just a short time to get a bit more dense color in a spot it's probably not doing any harm unless you already have a reparative strain injury. Otherwise it takes a sustained period to cause strain.

But you could also minimize any strain by using an overhand grip rather than a tripod.

I also know from back when I used to use color pencil more that you can build up the color density/darkness more gradually using a lighter pressure but going back over on multiple passes in the same areas.

I learned to do that mostly because I was just sloppier when I pressed harder and I was able to be more precise if I didn't do that and just went back over the same area as multiple times.

Also really got into color mixing that way using multiple passes of different colors to get an interesting hue.

[adjvic]

Fantastic video! I'm definitely gonna pay more attention to how I hold my pencils. And you were right about the left-handed people mistake (I'm left-handed and I do it sometimes). BTW, you're very good at teaching and conveying information :)