Drawabox Lesson 1: Drawing From Your Wrist and Shoulder 

It feels like i'm in a rpg game and i am learning the new controls

Note to self (for when i come back here): -Focus on flow and fluidity over accuracy -think about how your whole arm is moving, try to engage the whole arm from the shoulder

I've just finished lesson 1 and have to say the updated video is a huge improvement in both content and production quality. The audio especially is 1000% better.

Coming back to Drawabox after falling off years ago and completely mindblown by the realization, mid video, that drawing from the shoulder has become second nature since. Sorta does feel like being conscious of how you walk. Thank you past me and Drawabox 😭

I'm now holding the pen with my armpit just to make sure i wont use elbows and wrists

5 minutes into this all and i'm already confident this is what i've been trying to find for a while

after years (~20) of drawing primarily with my wrist, i had a really hard time to draw from my shoulder no matter what i did, i just ended up using my elbow for the first few pages of exercise so i did a bit of digging, watching videos about drawing with your shoulder and one tip from reddit actually switched my whole mindset: imagine your shoulders being able to write this solved all my problems for whatever reason so if you're struggling with the same problem, give it a try

Honestly, drawing from the shoulder is actually drawing from the "shoulder + elbow". And not just in a "the shoulder is what moves and the elbow simply responds to it" way but in a "the elbow actually is equally if not MORE responsible for the line ending up being straight. The shoulder simply "extends" the length of a straight line that the elbow can create in space.

I have such a hard time with this. I considered myself "okay-ish" at drawing before, but not using my wrist I feel like I am back in Kindergarten. But let's go, practice makes perfect!

Today I will start and follow all these lessons. Unfortunately I completely ignored all fundamentals when I was young resulting in me ONLY being able to replicate a photo.

literally spent months doing this not moving my elbow. Here you are moving your elbow

I've been doing the course for so long that he started updating old lessons...

For people struggling to "find" their shoulders and if they're doing it right. Straighten your entire arm. Stretch it out in front of you holding your pen. Now draw a long straight line without pulling in your elbow. Ideally draw in the direction that your elbow is facing because you physically can't extend your wrist or elbow that far. There you go, that's your shoulder.

I’ve been drawing for as long as I’ve been alive, which I guess isn't much, being a high school student, but over that time, I’ve just been drawing without learning the fundamentals. I’ve been drawing without any real instruction, I guess. But now, I actually want to change that so my drawings will improve. Thank you! I hope I can look back at this comment to see how much I’ve grown.

thank you for breaking things down with humility. demonstrating the line variation at each joint helped me visualize my own movement. when it comes to drawing hair, I’ll try to encorporate my shoulder rather than my chicken scratching wrist

Face reveal!

I think you should clarify "drawing from the shoulder" on the website a bit more. When you show yourself drawing from the shoulder, while your shoulder is moving, your elbow also is. Especially from the diagram on the site, some people could get the impression that your elbow should stay completely stiff, and _only_ your upper arm should move.

I was afraid using my elbow even though I didn't lock my shoulder. But I rewatched the video and saw that you also use elbow. So basically I should "drive" motion with my shoulder without locking elbow or wrist.

Dude. This guy is a phenomenal instructor.

After a long term procrastinating, I finally decided to get better a art, So I'm starting this course today. I really hope I can finish the course and get better at drawing. Wish me luck guys.

Nice seeing the baby animation out in the wild. This new video should hopefully cause less confusion than the old one. The number of people trying to lock out their joints and asking about it on the discord was worrisome. Great update. One of my favourite things about Drawabox is how you continue to refine and update the lessons using your teaching experience. It evolves. Love it.

OMG, I'm at lesson 4, and I just felt the concrete ability to draw from the shoulder after praticing so much (like I can actually feel the contraction of the muscles). This change the game! TY for Drawabox!

I have never really drawn a lot before. I am now starting my drawing journey with Drawabox. Let's GO

2:00 Comfy: Often you'll find yourself drifting off in thought, it'll happen, so re-assert control 2:16 A bit of dust drifts in front of the camera and completely captivates me

Oh, an update, I like it.

I'm just starting lesson 1. I'm glad you de-emphasized locking your other joints. You can't physically do that and keep the pen on the page except for a simple arc across the page. For example, trying to draw a line with just your shoulder, starting from close to your body and driving your arm away would just lift your arm up and off the page. I think what you want us to do is relax the wrist and elbow, and let them flex naturally. The driving force comes from the shoulder, and the other joints are just along for the ride. Anyway, thanks for all the hard work. I'm very enthusiastic, and looking forward to the homework and lessons.

Thank you this is excellent! Trying to begin Drawabox, so appreciate you physically showing the movement.

Thank you very much, people like you make the world a better place.❤❤❤

You’re godsent man! Although I’ve just started, but I am already feeling grateful for the drawabox! Thanks a lot!

Describing it as a "driving force" truly helps so much! Previously I was struggling, trying to wonder how I was supposed to sort of... _move only my shoulder._ thanks for the update lol

Nice to see someone go over the basics

Thank you so much for putting so much time and effort into this. I really enjoy the course, even if I just started. Especially the multi-medial teaching style is awesome!

Was about to move onto lesson 3 but my main weakness was pointed out as line confidence. Talk about good timing! I'll go through these videos and redo some of the basics to hopefully pick some more things up. Thanks again for all these resources and videos! The fact that its free for everyone as well is amazing.

Thanks for the update! The new format with you talking at the camera is way better.

Thank you! Thank you! I've been struggling with this for some time. I messed up this whole time, I didn't use my elbow properly. I finally understand it now and am ever si happy. The video (you showing your elbow) and a comment under this video helped so much! So thank you!

Thank you so much for the updated videos. I appreciate the amount of care you put into this work. I started your course some time ago, but life got distracting and I wandered off. Seeing all the updated videos come through my feed inspired me to want to jump back in and start again. ::grateful::

This course is a literal lifesaver!!

This is by far the biggest thing that's been holding me back. I always tried to draw from my shoulder, but end up just doing it from my wrist. Not only did this put so much strain on my hands, it ended up with me chicken scratching everything and lines just looked awful and hard to pull off. I will focus the next few weeks on building my arm dexterity.

The other methods I've seen haven't worked well in the end, however I've come up some tangible ways to draw from the shoulder and keep your arm straight that are something you can actually physically control: One way is to sit as far back and as high as you physically are able to while being able to reach your paper/screen, so your arm is forced to be locked because of the distance, even for small drawing areas, and move your chair back or forth to keep your arm locked depending on your distance from the intended line For vertical lines, do the motion of punching outwards or bringing it back inwards from a punch essentially, but with your pencil/pen on the paper

Oh thank god we learned how to write and draw in 1st grade from the shoulder. I thought that's how everyone learned. Drawing from the wrist will be new for me.

Another good indicator is the burning sensation you feel when using the joints. If you feel a constant burning in you wrist or elbow and no burning or fatigue in your shoulder, it means your leveraging them instead of the shoulder. Another tip is to relax the wrist and elbow instead of locking them. Locking means putting unnecessary stress on them, which forces you to use them unintentionally. But if you relax them to the point where they become limp (but not too relaxed you drop your pen) your body will ignore them and focus on your shoulder. This is really difficult as your body will keep going back and forth into tensing your wrist and elbow and you consciously trying to relax them. I've been doing it for 2 months now and I still struggle with it, but it drastically improved the way I draw smooth and confident lines.

i love your t-shirt, the raven looks so adorable with the eye like this, its staring into my soul kinda xD

Now the lessons look more dynamic! Thanks for your videos, them help alot!

I like how these released after watching lesson 1 yesterday during work

Thank you for making these videos and making Drawabox!

It's my 3rd time watching this video coz I'm starting 3rd time 🙂 I hope I won't quit this time😔

I'm really excited to start this!

starting those lessons today, so exited!!

Just starting DrawABox. Finished Lesson 0, starting Lesson 1. Excited to get drawing!

Thank you so much again! Such valuable information. I had never even thought about drawing from anything but my wrist before I had seen your last video on the subject. By the way, this video is more comprehensive than the last version of it. It helped me understand how to use each pivots when you mentioned that the upper arm remain still if you draw from the elbow or the wrist, but everything moves if you draw from your shoulder. Have a good day! :)

So... i just got into the course and there's an update already! 😃 Thank you so much guys, all these lessons for free is a blessing! Love from Brazil! 🇧🇷

This new video is fantastic in quality.

Really good and thank you for showing me the difference between my motions of the hands..it's very exciting

Starting my journey today. I will take look at the this comment once I complete this course. Don't know how long but will complete this :)

this is pretty great, extremely helpful info

Great content. This video is great.

شكرا على تعبكم

When i tried to draw ellipses from the shoulder I noticed a huge difference between drawing it from my wrist!!! Usually ellipses i draw are kinda wonky.. thank you so much for posting this on RU-vid!!! :D

Thank you so much for this

updated video!! so cool :o

Thanks so much!

This is super helpful! I'm finally trying to pick up drawing again, once I put aside my d fear and need to be perfect I've been having fun with it, just like I did as a kid. Looking forward to starting your lessons! Honestly it can be daunting with all the information out there nowadays.

hey @Uncomfortable thanks. Congratulations on the lessons. I tried to do the DaB a while ago but ended up giving up (griding 😥). But now I will make it to the end, thank you

All this time i draw with my wrist and it looks decent. When i start over with shoulder it just turns into a preschooler drawing. My self esteem just drop into oblivion lmao

Wew shoulder drawing looks helpful !

there is a face of the voice. the universe is answering its questions

Wow, playing on low DPI in FPS games actually helps/helped ALOT with this shoulder movement

So I'm out of school and I'm going to spend this summer trying to get better at my drawing. I've always considered myself good at it when just copying a picture, but just drawing something out of my head? Nahhh. All the materials are really overwhelming, but I trust this site can help me. Anyways, wishing myself luck!!

Nice!

Aside from the valuable lessons... that's a super-cool shirt design

Utilizing the elbow for drawing has always felt strange to me - for its movement is akin to that of a door’s hinge. Nonetheless, endeavoring to use the shoulder pivot for drawing has proved beneficial. I won’t forget how instrumental this website was for reshaping my understanding of how to draw properly (alongside the fundamentals).

thank you

Thanks

Nice your vedio are more attractive than old one .

195 likes and no dislikes! That’s a sign that this video is quality

thanks

I understand the concept, but for smaller lines my elbow always moves more than my shoulder. I think the video shows the motion for long lines very good, and for circles/ellipses its very natural to use the shoulder. But in the moment, you draw the small lines, it also looks like you move your elbow more than your shoulder, so the whole concept is kind of confusing for me. The only way were I really feel that I use my shoulder for small lines is, when I “pull it back” (so draw a line from the top the paper to the direction I sit). But in most cases that leads to wobblier lines. Maybe that this obsession thing you talk about and its okay when elbow moves a bit more than the shoulder or maybe I should try to hold my elbow more stiff, when I try to make a line.

Ever tried drawing from the hips? I was just experimenting with it and I think it works well and it's quite fun wiggling around on the chair

Really interesting

Love that shirt.

it's nice seeing a face to the voice 😊

I've never imagined that drawing with the shoulder could be so hard, especially controlling the pressure in the pen.

I never thought my art lessons from middle school would become so handy in the future lol

I tend to draw with my elbow a lot so it's going to be hard not to slip into that but here we gooo

Why draw from your shoulder, when you can draw from your hip?

note to self: fluidity > precision

is this law of attraction ? I started to learn drawing and Drawbox videos are now available online

Even breathing is something many of us need to learn .. at least when it comes to meditating and using breathing techniques to relax.

So you revising the lesson every year? Thanks for the awesome work man.

That shirt though 🔥🔥🔥

so my journey begins

TY

Draw box is amazing thank you for this!

refreshing to finally see your face xD

Keeping your elbows of the table will also help immensely with your posture and back health in the long term. One of the big benefits of a drawing hobby vs. just sitting behind a damn computer.

I typically rest my pinkie (similar to fingerstyle guitar) on the page while I'm drawing. It seems to help my confidence and accuracy. Also drawing from the shoulder was very confusing to me starting out but as soon as I started drawing ellipses it become a lot more easier to distinguish/use. I'm currently procrastinating my way through the 250 box challenge :`)

Hey, I'm new to the world of art! I'm wondering, is this course also suited for me if I plan to primarily paint with acrylics?

Dangit, trying to draw lines to make notes on the distinction between mechanical movement of wrist vs elbow vs shoulder, I automatically and instinctively made my lines straight by using multiple at once :p

Interesting... i prefer to draw or paint standing up as it feels better (less back/bum discomforrt, more energy) and i focus easier and feel the 'flow' better and just now, practicing shoulder drawing while seated - it feels like how i draw when i stand? i'll have to test it out but i'm pretty sure i've been practicing this already somewhat inadvertently through my little adventures in art-while-standing

Somewhere on the website I think you mention that beginners can’t switch from drawing from with elbow to drawing with your shoulder or else the stroke will be inconsistent or have hitches. Can you explain what that looks like and why it happens? I’m always doing this when I draw, especially when I was first starting out, and I never notice any “hitches.” It feels very easy to transition from using your elbow to using your shoulder within one stroke