WHAT IS SELF-CARE FOR ARTISTS?

TENDINITIS IS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

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If you are an artist, cartoonist, or other creative type suffering from repetitive stress injury and you have an extra $17, the easiest way start on a self-care regimen of improved work habits and corrective exercise is to go by my book Draw Stronger.

But, as many of you know, musculoskeletal injuries are not the only health issues that keep us from creative practice. Chronic illnesses like cancer, epilepsy, migraine (my personal fave!), and more, can keep us from being able to physically sit our artistic butts in a chair and get to work. States of mental health like depression, bipolar disorders, and more can also keep us away from creative time. The kicker is that these states are not exclusive! You can experience them separately or in various combinations with different degrees of severity. What combination(s) do you experience? PTSD and carpal tunnel syndrome? Lupus and bipolar disorder? Cancer, anxiety, and disc herniation? Oh, yeah – don’t forget eye strain! The possibilities are endless!

This is a slide from a talk I gave at the Massachusetts
Independent Comics Expo (MICE) in 2018,
called "Drawing Deep: Physical and Mental Self-Care Strategies
for Comics Creators." Art is Georgia Webber's.

Let us a agree to say that a drawing injury is ANY state of your body-mind-spirit that keeps you from, or affects, your drawing (in a bad way.)

Since finishing Draw Stronger, I have been involved in many panels and events, at comics conferences, bookstores, and colleges, exploring the definitions and parameters of “self-care”. I am thrilled at the work other artists and health educators are doing to help people care for themselves and live more creative and productive lives. And, of course I’m thrilled for me too! Not only do I give advice, I follow the advice of other people and am happier for it.

UNIVERSAL TRUTHS

 On May 12, 2018, I was on the panel, Practical & Personal: Communicating Health in Comics, at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF), with Iasmin Omar Ata, Julie Rocheleau, and Georgia Webber. Whit Taylor moderated.

During our talk, Iasmin and Georgia laid out a few universal truths about good health and making good comics:

1. Every person has their own version of health.
2. You have to be in touch with how you’re feeling.
3. Know your limits because…
4. The consequences of not learning health lessons fast enough can be extreme.
5. Find a balance between passion and what’s right for you.

  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFO AND RESOURCES (by me)

For the last year (or so) I have been writing a column for the ComicsBeat.com called Get A Grip! It’s a self-care column that includes as many facets of healthy creative practice that I can think of. There are articles on Graphic Medicine, mental health, eye strain (coming soon!), using Styrofoam rollers, interviews with creators, and more! You can even find a transcript of Iasmin and Georgia’s discussion at TCAF. 

SOME REVIEWS OF "DRAW STRONGER"

Sure, I've been telling you to buy my book, Draw Stronger: Self-Care for Cartoonists & Visual Artists, but now you don't have to take my advice. Frankly, I don't blame you for not paying attention to mercurial me. But listen to your pain, and consider the reviews from these reliable sources.

Publisher's Weekly.com
"Artists, designers, writers, and anyone else who spends their days hunkering over keyboards, squinting at screens, or posed over a drawing board will appreciate Willberg’s nerdy, pun-heavy advice for better self-care...This practical, handy volume is a worthy addition to many workplace bookshelves—preferably high up, requiring a standing stretch to reach it." (Apr.)

Intima: a Journal of Narrative Medicine
"What makes "Draw Stronger" different from other self-help books is Willberg's sense of humor that infuses every drawing, tip, fact, exercise and quip with originality and a lightness of being. While there will be pages you'll want to photocopy and tape up near your computer or sketch table for easy reference and reminders to stretch throughout the day, the book will also be a useful reference guide whenever a lightning bolt of raw pain shoots up your arm, neck, or back." —Donna Bulseco

Library Journal 
"Willberg’s straightforward yet lighthearted delivery makes her advice enjoyable and easy to follow. This lively self-care guide should wake up artists, amateur and pro, and also apply to anyone who sits at the computer all day".—MC

Publisher's Weekly.com
This is an interview, so I'm not going to quote myself. That seems a little.... weird.

DRAW STRONGER!

APRIL 7 IS THE DAY!

The cover

Get set to Draw Stronger! With my new injury prevention and self-care book for cartoonists and artists. 

How do liniments mask pain? One explanation is called The Gate Theory.

How is this book different or better than the mini comics (No) Pain! and First Aid for Drawing Injuries? MORE COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION. Understand how injuries happen and what types of injuries commonly affect drawing professionals. Use practical first aid to help manage pain in the event of injury. Learn what types of symptoms should be diagnosed by doctor. Practice simple exercises to help correct posture and reduce fatigue and pain. The book also explores stylus grip, has expanded its exploration of types of repetitive stress injuries, and added exercises and info specific to back pain. 

Changing your grip for different types of lines 

can help reduce stress to the hand and wrist!

Publisher's Weekly interviewed me about health culture amongst artists and the new book. I'm curious to hear from anyone (you) about their attitudes about pain and creative practice. Talk to me! Comment, please!

Interested in purchasing a copy of Draw Stronger? You can find it online through the publisher, Uncivilized Books (okay, yes. Amazon, too.)