To effectively use your whole arm while drawing, focus on increasing the scale of your work and adjusting your drawing setup.
Drawing Bigger Encourages Arm Movement
One of the most straightforward ways to engage your whole arm is to work on larger surfaces.
- Size Matters: Try using paper sizes like A2 or larger. When you need to cover a larger area, your hand and wrist alone won't suffice; your arm will naturally get involved.
- Fill the Space: Consciously try to fill the entire page. This forces you to extend your reach and utilize the full range of motion your arm provides.
Adjust Your Drawing Setup
Your drawing setup significantly impacts your ability to use your whole arm.
- Use an Easel (or Improvise): An easel is ideal, but if you don't have one, prop a board against a chair or other support. This will position your drawing surface at arm's length and at a more comfortable angle for full-arm movement.
- Distance is Key: Having the page further away from you encourages broader strokes and prevents you from getting too detail-oriented too soon. Think about composing the image as a whole, which necessitates more arm movement.
- Stand Up: While not strictly necessary, standing can encourage more whole-arm drawing compared to sitting. Standing gives you more freedom of movement.
Practice Techniques for Arm Movement
- Loosen Up: Before you start drawing, do some arm stretches and loosening exercises. Tension in your arm and shoulder can restrict your movement.
- Focus on Big Shapes: Initially, focus on establishing large shapes and the overall composition of your drawing. Don't get bogged down in details too early. This naturally encourages broader arm movements.
- Exaggerate Your Movements: Intentionally make larger, more exaggerated movements with your arm. This helps you get a feel for the range of motion you have available and breaks the habit of relying solely on your wrist and fingers.
