Drawing with the whole arm versus a small tablet

[cl0aked]

I've always read in several sites and books about using the whole arm to draw, and not the wrist. But recently, I've been using my tablet way more than pencil and paper, and it's a small one, 4x5 inches.

What do you guys do to counter this limitation? Or do you simply ignore and draw in a small tablet with the whole arm?

[Viridis]

"Drawing with the whole arm" is usually best suited to larger works-- gesture drawings, figure studies, basically anything on a paper bigger than 8 x 10". There's no real way to draw with your whole arm on a tiny tablet, so just make sure you're exercising your wrist to avoid carpal tunnel and you'll be fine.

[PieterV]

Using a small tablet for several hours a day for a prolonged period isn't ergonomical. It's kind of like squeezing and pressing too hard on your pencil every time you draw, and you'll have a sore hand by the end of the week. Personally I'dd try to get a large one (as in, at least medium/a5 sized). But that's just my oppinion.

[Jabo]

The small Wacoms aren't made for this stuff and are just buycatchers. A5/M is a minimum here.

[Viridis]

Personally, I think it's all down to preference. I've been using a 4x5" Intuos2 for about 5 years now, and the small size doesn't bother me at all. It's portable, and quite honestly, anything much larger wouldn't fit on the desk I have available to me. I have been considering an upgrade in the future to an Intuos 3 or 4 M size, but I think that really, as long as you're not jabbing your stylus into the pad (which will break it anyway) and you remember to exercise your wrist, there's not a huge problem in using a smaller one.

[darkwolf29a]

I have a tablet that size, and I've been forcing myself to use it all the time. What I've found is that, if you have the drivers correctly installed, you'll use a lot of muscles in your arms. But....also remember to exercise your wrist muscles.

There's another thread around here someplace about the Dynaflex Powerball. I have one, and I abuse the heck out of the thing. Why? Because it really helps after a few hours of drawing, painting, or just typing.

Here's a link to the web site:

http://www.dynaflexpro.com/

I bought mine from the Chiropractor in my area that swears by them. Best $30 I've spent. Just a few minutes a day, and I feel the difference, BIG time.

[cl0aked]

There's another thread around here someplace about the Dynaflex Powerball. I have one, and I abuse the heck out of the thing. Why? Because it really helps after a few hours of drawing, painting, or just typing.

Here's a link to the web site:

http://www.dynaflexpro.com/

I bought mine from the Chiropractor in my area that swears by them. Best $30 I've spent. Just a few minutes a day, and I feel the difference, BIG time.

That sounds really nice. You just hold it in your hands and it does all the work?