For those who love to draw, you know it's hard to take a break when you just want to practice and get better at your art skills. So whether you go to art school, take art classes, or just do art for fun, practice is important to you!
What I didn't know in college or even outside of it, was that taking a break every now and then was crucial! I learned that the hard way :(
From paper and pencil to computer and Wacom tablet to canvas and a paint brush, I was determined to get better in art! So I barely took breaks. This led me to have a severe case of tendonitis of the wrist on my right hand, my dominant hand. Yes, you can damage your wrist tendons by drawing, painting, or even from using the computer too much! The repetitive movements may seem small but over time, it can cause damage from overuse. The stress on the tendons can make it inflamed and can be painful. Now I am not a doctor, so I am going from my experiences and what I had to do when I got my wrist checked out.
Having gone through this, I had to wear wrist guards to bed and throughout the day to prevent further damage. Soaking in hot water with epsom salt and icing also played a great role to recovery. I highly recommend! When you damage your wrist in this way, the best remedy is to take care and take a break! Now I know it's hard to since you probably do art on a daily basis or are constantly at a computer when working. Luckily, there are plenty of lightweight wrist guards / support that you can wear in the meantime before the weekend.
Even though now I don't have to constantly wear a wrist guard and I can finally draw again, even as I am typing up this blog, I can still feel the tension in my wrist a year later. After all, the discomfort never really went away so I find myself occasionally with the wrist guard back on. It's my dominant hand; can't really stop using it for a year straight!
So I know you want to get better in your art skills. That's great! I know you will get there! Just don't forget to take a break. Skip a day or two to let your wrists get back into shape. Break the chains. It's okay. Your medium of choice will wait for you.