The Art of Movement – Artists version - And no, it’s not about core strengthening

Do you know that flow state we all get into, when creating art? How long does it last before your body starts to get achy?

Being a self taught illustrator I got to experience a lot of discomfort in the past month when drawing and doing my work: cramps in my fingers, sore wrists and elbows, neck pain, tight shoulders. And I thought of creating an article and share my own experience and what has helped me.

When being immersed in a piece of art, it can get quite frustrating to have to pause after only a few minutes because of body aches, but the truth is that our bodies are made to move. So, the first lessons for all to learn are:

1.        Listen to your body – get up and move around in the living room, make a cup of tea, do a bit of stretching, open a window, put to wash that pile of laundry.

2.       If you experience any acute pain – do not brush this off and seek medical advice. I had neck and wrist pain and I went to see a specialist.

3.       There is no right posture/position when doing your art work. I sit at my desk, lie down on the sofa, on the carpet. I will try standing soon! At times I slouch, cross my legs on the chair, while eating some chocolate and sipping a coffee.

4.       Keep active – we are so fortunate to have access to lots of different movement types. That can be sports, swimming, cycling, Pilates, yoga, strength and conditioning, boxing, walking, hiking.

Now that we are aware of the above, how about some movement ideas to help us maintain our fitness levels? Disclaimer: the below suggestions are general fitness ideas; as mentioned above, if you experience any acute pain please consult a medical professional.

The main things that help me manage the above challenges are:

a.       Wrist mobility and strength exercises

b.       Thoracic spine/middle back extension exercises and rotations

c.       Neck mobility and strength

d.       Upper body strength

I haven’t given any specific exercise examples because we are all unique! And what works for one, might not work for the other. It’s important to choose wisely your exercises so they can suit your needs, limitations and goals and I highly recommend working with an experienced movement professional!

If you found this helpful please like this post and share your thoughts.

Here to support as needed.

Love,

Magda