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The Classic Frozen-Peas Method
So, I have been noticing for the last two weeks that my hand is constantly tired, and just at the beginning of this week is started actually getting sore. I had a nurse look at my wrist today and she confirmed what I’d been dreading and suspecting all along: I’m developing tendonitis from constantly over stressing myself with the constant drawing. D:
You guys don’t see it, but each Sister Claire page takes between 6-8 hours of sitting and drawing at the computer, and that’s not even counting the sketches I make for my own reference for costumes/objects/backgrounds/vehicles/etc:
In addition to this, I spend almost ALL of the days that I’m not working on Sister Claire to draw other things, right now mainly fanart (which you can see on my DA page) or sketching things for my other comic ideas (such as Nightingale.) I saw the signs of stress, but when I have an idea, I just gotta draw! (I’m quite embarassing to take to a restaurant. I’m the type to ask for the kid’s crayons so I can draw on napkins and paper tablecloths. And that’s only when I forget to bring my own sketchbook, which I rarely do.) I’ll even stay up until 5am drawing if I have a good idea, because I like to see things finished once I start them. Part of this is because I don’t have many friends here in Belgium (actually none XD;) so I don’t go out much, I just draw, draw, draw all day and night. All in all, I’m not being very nice to my hand and as a result, it is going on strike. T___T
As soon as my hand uncurls from this tight claw-like shape, I’ll finish the next page (it’s about 1/3 done) and TRY not to go so crazy with non-Sister Claire related drawings for a while… as much as it kills me to find something ELSE to do. T_T I’m sorry for the wait, and I just want you guys to know I’m not making excuses. I am rearing to go with the next part of this chapter, it’s going to be the best one yet. Just my luck this had to happen now! I’ll be keeping everyone updated in the meantime.
Oh snap, sorry to hear about that. I hope you feel better but i’m sure drawing that beautiful sketch up top didn’t help any lol. You my dear are addicted indeed, but i wouldn’t have it any other way.
Get better soon.
Alisha
Take your time, girl! We don’t want any reoccurring injuries! That being said, I do hope you feel better soon – just don’t overexert yourself for us. =)
Take care of yourself. I might be a little disappointed at your not updating for a week or so, but I would be even more disappointed if this turned into something that forced you to stop drawing altogether.
Get Well soon
hope you feel better soon dont overdo it… and!! dont think: O the pain is less i can try it again.. please dont..!!
(dutch get well:) BETERSCHAP!!!
This first-time commenter says:
You sound just like me, only replace “drawing” with “writing”! I’m always having to scratch out an idea on a napkin or the back of a receipt or some such when I’m out in public. When I am out, that is. I do just write, write, write all day and night.
I’ll reiterate what the others have all said: rest for as long as your doctor tells you to! If you don’t, it’s only going to get worse and worse until it may not be surmountable anymore!
Take care, and enjoy your frozen peas!
I’ve had problems with tendonitis – *after* a good rest, when you do get back to drawing: you’ll need to take *very* regular breaks – I mean every couple of minutes, and loosen up the hand and arm muscles. There’s a couple of good programmes out there to help ‘force’ us to take breaks – Instant Boss (do a search at donationcoder.com) is the one I mostly use.
gute Besserung!
Yes! Rest is good! Much better to take a vacation than to damage yourself permanently!
Yipes! I hate it when that happens. Do take the whole week; rest is the best way to heal. I hope the nurse gave you some excercises to do too; cause getting back to drawing after can be a real *****! Also a tube support might help to keep some strain off depending where it is. Rest and relax, it’ll do us good to have some ancticipation and imagination time. Don’t cold burn yourself on peas ;-p and I hope you get better soon.
People usually get this because they draw too intensely for too long. Are you clutching your pencil in a death grip? You’re holding it too tight. Keep a book by your board. Draw until your hand feels tired and then stop and read. Sometimes you’ll find yourself stopping every two minutes. Don’t fight it. Get enough sleep. If you’re really been working it, wrap your hand in an Ace bandage overnight so that it can’t move.
Love the strip. Keep it up.
Take your time. It’s better to heal completely than rush through and reinjure yourself by coming back to it too soon. We’ll be here when you get back. Promise!
Also, dayum if Claire isn’t getting an eyeful!
Do not mess with this. LET IT HEAL. The more you screw with it, the more permanent damage you could get. Think about that for a second.. imagine that pain every day.
It took me over six months to get over it myself because I wouldn’t just LEAVE IT ALONE, and it still bugs me every so often.
I recommend movies. Lots and lots of movies. TV serials and anime runs worked for me… gave me something to do that didn’t involve my arms.
Get well!
Two words: Wrist splints. They’ll save your arse, and your wrists.
I have carpal tunnel/tendonitis in BOTH wrists, and it was severely aggravated some years ago by my tendency to write by hand in my pre-computer days. I didn’t want to get splints; I felt like a cripple wearing them, but finally, when the day came that I could no longer grasp a pen and write a sentence and my handwriting had deteriorated to a painful scrawl–and no more than a few words before I’d cease feeling the pen in my hand–I yeilded.
Today I wear the damned splints when they act up. I can’t afford surgery, and I no longer write by hand unless it’s truly necessary. Other things–such as certain activites at work or falls–can aggravate things, but I can’t even write if I *chose* to….when I do, I lose feeling in my hand very, very quickly. My left hand and wrist is afflicted, but not as severely. Ice, painkillers, and a few days wearing splints will smooth you out, but until then, don’t strain anything!!!!
PS…I can still type when wearing splints. It forces my wrists straight and relieves the pressure, and can be bought in most pharmacies.
great comics, I like it lots! but be sure to totally rest your hand before continuing it! I need you alive and drawing
)
btw something is wrong with the site in my Opera browser for the last week, the picture (page) is shifted down
was ok just a week ago
I feel your pain… only that in another place, as a waiter i got a bad case in my feet, so rest assure that we your fans will wait for you to heal! btw, you have fans in Mexico too! thanks for the comic!
* kisses your writs* There does that help ??
Eat plenty of meat and use your other hand for this-and-that for a lil while :> you’ll be right as range! Hoo-ah.. cute legwarmers!
Hey, much as I look forward to the strip, I’m perfectly willing to wait for you to get healthy.
Okay you! rest that wrist, a hiatus is ok to deal with so long as you do come back. Skimping now will only lead to more ouches later. -hurgs-
I am a musician, I play piano. We often suffer from tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrom as well. I’d strongly encourage you to investigate the Alexander Technique if you haven’t already done so. You might think of it as physical reeducation–an Alexander Technique instructor will show you over a series of private or group lessons how to find better ways of using your body both in your work and in every day tasks to avoid injury. Many musicians, actors, and dancers have made use of this technique to learn how to release the chronic tension that most of us develop which leads to injury if not corrected. Perhaps it could be useful for an artist too? http://www.alexandertechnique.com is a great internet resource maintained by an Alexander Technique instructor which introduces the concepts and has information for finding nearby instructors.
D= Heal up quickly yamino-chan! *holds up left hand which is droopy* and don’t wory you’re not the only one suffering!
Oh no! Pleeeeease be considerate of that wrist, m’dear. The last comic artist I know about that pushed themselves when they should have been resting ended up damaging themselves to the point where ALL their projects had to be put on LONG TERM HIATUS! Don’t let Sister Claire join the ranks of mothballed comics sites due to ‘acute overzealous illustrationist’, just rest up that wrist and avoid the MRI, torn cartilage and cortisone injection and that await if you persist.
wow sorry to hear that
try some tiger balm, it’ll work wonders but don’t work even if it does feel better X) its far better to take the time off needed now than to suffer long term injury 
lol as long as ur alive and ur hands intact we will always know ur comic will return and ull be there for us and in ur time of need we’re all here for u …. feel better …
p.s. … found this today just surfing through icanhascheezburger and thought everyone and u would enjoy it lol …
http://icanhascheezburger.com/2009/08/10/funny-pictures-impure-thots/
Be very careful. I’ve been a computer guy for 30 years and last November carpal tunnel finally caught up with me. I’m extremely fortunate: it doesn’t interfere with my typing, but it does screw with me writing. Scott Adams of Dilbert fame has had problems and found he was able to adjust his drawing method, but his final solution was to go Wacom with some alterations to his style. So watch what you’re doing, be very cognizant of your posture while you’re drawing, and pay attention to the least discomfort.
Yeah, take as long as you need. Use the time to go out and meet a bit the city you are in! Sometimes, in an alien enviroment, it’s a normal defensive reaction to huddle at home, the place you can strieve to make familiar and where you can do the things as you used to do them. But your new home is out there, waiting for you. Learn to love it and you’ll see it has as much to offer you as your last one. Meet people and make new friends too!
And whenever the drawing bug attacks, if you are not fully recovered, draw with your left hand! You’ll develop dexterities you didn’t know you had and exercise your brain altogheter. Your fans will love to see the results even if they don’t look like your usual stuff and shall keep us appeased until you recover. God bless!
Hey you! Get better soon! btw, I heard a rumor that you hurt yourself practicing NUN FU
Maybe you should learn to draw with the other hand, too.
Joking!
I hope you feel better soon, honey, and don’t worry about the hiatus, because as the artist you have every right to take breaks – besides which your well-being is considerably more important.
Oh crap now I’m confused, is Yamino a girl or a very cute boy?? D:!!
Let me join all your fellow fans in saying take a well-deserved rest and let that hand heal. Maybe, if the artistic itch proves irresistible, you could temporarily take up photography?
Also, I call upon Web artists who read this strip to help out with some guest sketches. You can make them totally OOC — as long as you keep them PG, OK? — and it’ll give Yamino some new material for the front page.
I hope you wrist heals soon, take as long a break as you need
awww tendonitis tat hurts a lot
Yikes, that’s scary. Take all the time you need to get better.
In the meantime, time to get better acquainted with your left hand. And if you cam yourself doing adventures with your left hand, I won’t be complaining because so far they’re turning out to be funny as heck. :> You could call it the Left Hand Chronicles.
(Something in this post sounded dirty. I swear I didn’t mean it that way.)
Sorry to geek out about another comic, but Phil Foglio commented right above my last post. If you don’t know who that is, click on his link. His comic just won the newly created Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story.
I keep checking back here cause I want there to be another comic. No rush though! Get better!
You’re icing your left hand!!!
You’ve got the peas on the wrong wrist!!!
AAAUUUGGGHHHH!!!
I hope you’re right hand heals soon. And keep practicing with your left. If you get good at it, you might not have to worry about this problem again.
Good chapters! Get well soooon!
Feel better soon, Yamino, PLEASE take all the time you need! <3
If it was a super-effective shot, be grateful it wasn’t a critical hit otherwise you would’ve fainted.
You’re left-handed too?!?
That’s too cool!
Take of that south-paw
Hey. You should DEFINITELY take a break. Meanwhile, you can play Nun-bowling with your good hand…
http://www.amazon.com/Nun-Bowling-Sinfully-Mega-Mini/dp/076243094X/ref=pd_sim_b_5
get well soon i been enjoying this comic sens i found it awile back
You take care of yourself. Tendonitis sucks, and it can lead to permanent damage (which I’m sure you already know by now, but nonetheless). I’d rather not have comics for a month and hear that you’re completely better, than hear that a person with your amazing talent for both art and storytelling had to give it up permanently. Wishing you a speedy recovery, all the same (for your sake, that is).
Huh, so that’s what Yamino looks like. You’re adorable! Lol, hope your wrist gets better soon!
So is Yamino a boy or girl o.O I don’t mean to offend, just wondering if I’m a lesbian or not
aww poor guy, i might be getting the same thing here sinds i draw,game and paint a lot. if your in the netherlands let me know. i live there
Noticed something about the sketch… Claire has quite a view while Gabrielle is skating in this position… Yes, I am a bad person and yes, its is good that way.
Wow, is that THE Phil Foglio? Listen to him, Yamino: he’s been drawing for who knows how long.
And KikiTiki: Yamino’s a girl…..
Hey ! well if you want to relax and go do domething , there’s a festival next week (PukkelPop ) in Hasselt. Really cool !
I’m going anyway :p
*hugs* Take good care of yourself! All parts of you are supposed to last a lifetime.