It might be useful to consider the eyes' health for people new (or old?) to drawing. Maybe it's just me, I do have somewhat sensitive eyes. Or I might be doing it wrong, but every time I look at something closely, I end up with stressed/tired eyes experiencing pain. Eye exercises and drops help, but maybe some sort of eye muscles need to be built :). Eye sight too might be an area to add to drawer's health. (I've seen seamstresses, knitters etc. making experiencing similar eye challenges.) I am curious to hear what others do w.r.t their eyes :)
Good point, Beenish, I know that feeling too. You can try this: rub your hands vigorously to energize them. Then close your eyes and gently place your hands over them for a few minutes.
Person with a degenerative eye disease, so lots of experience with eyes. One of the best things you can do is follow the 20-20-20 guide: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away from you, for 20 seconds. Drawing tends to be close-up work, so this helps give a break to the muscles that pull our eyes to focus.
Indeed there are many exercises for eye muscles. The most basic is to look away from close work every 5 minutes. Life eyes and focus on an object at least 20 feet away for 5-10 seconds. Best to you!
Thank you, Wendy! As someone experiencing the tinglings of carpal tunnel at 39 (!!!!) from hardcore stitching marathons without breaks 🤦♀️ , I appreciate this! It’s all too easy to get in the zone when you’re so engaged. Thanks 10 minute timer! (If only I could stop crocheting after 10!)
There are some really great eye exercises that help me a lot.As a bespeckled person for eons, they are most helpful. I don't think link sharing is allowed so maybe I can suggest searching for" eye exercises you can do at home". The best resource link is from optometrists org. I hope this is acceptable and helps soothe the tired eyes of those in need.
I had to have my left hip replaced last year too! (And the right one the year before) Same reasons and the same age when my hips started bothering me. Signed, your fellow Bionic Woman who draws (who never knew she was born with dysplasia until it hurt).
We share our drawings in the chat feature (this is the Comments). Look for the speech bubble icon. There’s a thread for each day’s assignment. Just scroll up from the current thread to find the appropriate day’s thread.
It might be useful to consider the eyes' health for people new (or old?) to drawing. Maybe it's just me, I do have somewhat sensitive eyes. Or I might be doing it wrong, but every time I look at something closely, I end up with stressed/tired eyes experiencing pain. Eye exercises and drops help, but maybe some sort of eye muscles need to be built :). Eye sight too might be an area to add to drawer's health. (I've seen seamstresses, knitters etc. making experiencing similar eye challenges.) I am curious to hear what others do w.r.t their eyes :)
Really good point, Beenish. My eyes aren’t working so well these days either.
Good point, Beenish, I know that feeling too. You can try this: rub your hands vigorously to energize them. Then close your eyes and gently place your hands over them for a few minutes.
Hi 👋🏻
Person with a degenerative eye disease, so lots of experience with eyes. One of the best things you can do is follow the 20-20-20 guide: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away from you, for 20 seconds. Drawing tends to be close-up work, so this helps give a break to the muscles that pull our eyes to focus.
https://www.optometrists.org/vision-therapy/guide-to-vision-therapy/eye-exercises-you-can-do-at-home/. I like to do some of these myself- optometrist recommended.
I really like eye exercise charts to practice focusing in every direction
https://www.optometrists.org/vision-therapy/guide-to-vision-therapy/eye-exercises-you-can-do-at-home/
I like to do some of these optometrist recommended eye exercises
Indeed there are many exercises for eye muscles. The most basic is to look away from close work every 5 minutes. Life eyes and focus on an object at least 20 feet away for 5-10 seconds. Best to you!
Here is the full link. https://www.optometrists.org/vision-therapy/guide-to-vision-therapy/eye-exercises-you-can-do-at-home/
Thank you, Wendy! As someone experiencing the tinglings of carpal tunnel at 39 (!!!!) from hardcore stitching marathons without breaks 🤦♀️ , I appreciate this! It’s all too easy to get in the zone when you’re so engaged. Thanks 10 minute timer! (If only I could stop crocheting after 10!)
There are some really great eye exercises that help me a lot.As a bespeckled person for eons, they are most helpful. I don't think link sharing is allowed so maybe I can suggest searching for" eye exercises you can do at home". The best resource link is from optometrists org. I hope this is acceptable and helps soothe the tired eyes of those in need.
I believe you can add a link, so give it a try. I could use those exercises.
As a musician/singer this is also incredibly important.
I’m liking the full body version the best & don’t typically draw this way.
I had to have my left hip replaced last year too! (And the right one the year before) Same reasons and the same age when my hips started bothering me. Signed, your fellow Bionic Woman who draws (who never knew she was born with dysplasia until it hurt).
How to I include a drawing?
We share our drawings in the chat feature (this is the Comments). Look for the speech bubble icon. There’s a thread for each day’s assignment. Just scroll up from the current thread to find the appropriate day’s thread.
Here’s a link to the FAQ. Scroll down a bit to get to the section on sharing in the chat, but read the whole thing, especially if you’re new to Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/drawtogether/p/30-days-of-drawing-faq-2026
If you still have trouble, you can DM me or email Kyle at community@drawtogether.studio.
I look forward to seeing your drawings.
Love my full body drawing the best. Not cramped.
John L.
This is intriguing
Going to dig out some larger paper
I did an assignment /project like this with a grad class - art as a social practice
We had classmates stand along a wall of history he butcher block papers with pastels
Or on a floor sitting or kneeling
Amazing bunch of overalappi g circles were created