What It’s Like To Practice Art With A Shaky Hand

Hello Everyone!

I’ve always had a shaky hand. It’s not so terrible that it hinders my movement, but if I’m trying to do something intricate, like drawing a straight line or making a really intricate doodle. My hand doesn’t always want to obey my brain. Of course, that’s partly my fault for having coffee, right before I want to do something like that, but it’s also genetic. My mom has a shaky hand, and I developed mine thanks to her. It’s not a bad thing, per say, but when it comes to detailed work, I do get frustrated, because my hands don't want to listen to me. Regardless, I still give it a go, and try to make the best of the situation. So, here’s my perspective on what it’s like to create art with a shaky hand.

The Lines Will Never Be Perfect

One thing I will always admire about artists and their craft is that they can draw, freehand straight lines or circles. Unfortunately, with the shake in my hands, I would never be able to do that. I will always need tools and aids to help me draw straight lines and circles, and even then, it will never be straight or perfectly curved. If you’ve watched the videos in the My Bullet Journal Journey series, you’d have seen some of what I'm talking about, and you’ll know that my art is not perfect, and that’s ok.

For a long time, I would shy away from trying my hand at art because, every time I tried to draw a square or a circle, my proportions would never be correct. I’d always have a wonky oval, if I drew a circle, or I’d draw squares that didn’t have perfectly parallel lines. It would drive me up the wall, and I’d tell myself I’d never be good at art. However, as with all things creative, art is subjective, and when I started to create my bullet journals, I realised that art also doesn’t have to be perfect, after all, art is what I make of it, and for me, the art I create in my bullet journal is enough for me.

Spillage Is A Constant Threat

One of the most conscious worries, for me, is that I might spill something over and ruin the hours of work I spent on creating a piece that I would be proud of. Essentially, the furthest I’ve gone with the mediums, used in art, is watercolour (it’s not a huge step into the art world, but for me, it is), and because there is a lot of water involved, I’m always worried I might spill the water bowls or cups I’m using, onto my art. Now, I could easily avoid this if I had an easel. I do, but if you don’t already know, I don’t have a lot of room, to have a lot of art supplies.

So, I will usually practice my art on my tiny fold-out table, beside my desk, in my room, and I would always do it flat, because, of course, I’m working with watercolour, and if my canvas or paper is steeply vertical and I’m working on wet mediums, the colour is going to run down the page. That’s why whenever I practice my watercolours, I’m always working very slowly. I even move slowly, whenever I go to tip out or refill my water bowls. The space I work on is very wobbly, so I have to be careful whenever I’m working with my watercolours. Not only will it ruin the piece I’m working on, it’ll also ruin the carpet and maybe even some of the electronics around me. So, even though I’m no longer shying away from practicing some forms of art, I’m still constantly worried that I’ll ruin it, and maybe even my room.

 A Heavy Hand Vs A Light Hand

Whenever I see artists creating thin lines on their pieces, I get just a little bit jealous, because they can create those lines with very little pressure. I get scared every single time I try to attempt a similar image and results, because I’ve not yet learned how to lighten the pressure on my brushes. If I did, my lines would be shaky and wobbly, and I’d always be frustrated that they’re not perfect. Yes, I’m basically going back to what I said before, but it’s not just about the lines, it’s also about the fact that practicing control can go a little crazy. Sometimes, if I’m trying to make those thin lines, my hand will do its own thing and veer so far off what I’m attempting, it completely ruins the piece.

That’s why it’s a struggle to create delicate art. If you’ve noticed, in my bullet journals, I’ve not created any clean or minimalistic pieces, and many of the themes I go for have lots of smudges and flooded lines. This is partly because of the art supplies I currently use (they’re the standard stuff you might find in a stationery or arts and crafts store), and partly because I have to be a bit heavy handed with my art. I can’t create those thin lines, because my hand will do its own thing sometimes, and the mistakes I make can’t really be fixed. So, I have to live with it, and be ok with the imperfections.

Why Am I Talking About Practicing Art With A Shaky Hand?

Now, I know all of this might sound like complaints, but honestly, it’s just me coming to terms with the difficulties and struggles that come with practicing art with a shaky hand. Why? Because if you also have a shaky hand, and you want to be creative, or do your own art, it’s ok to give it a try. There will be things you’re good at and things you won’t be. For example, I know I am not great at perspective, and I’m slowly trying to understand and get better at creating pieces that uses that concept (which is pretty much all of it), but I am good at doodle art and flourishes. Similarly, you shouldn’t feel like you can’t do art, just because you have a shaky hand or something that makes you not want to give it a try. Like I said before, art is subjective, and when you create a piece, be proud that you created something. It’s better than doing nothing.

Well, that’s it from me today. I’m going to keep practicing my watercolour doodles. While I go do that, please don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, share and follow me, here on Feather’s Charm, on my YouTube channel, on my Twitch channel, on my other social media accounts (Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok), and on Patreon. Your support really does help me make more content like this, for you guys.

And as always, be kind be creative, and be unique.

I’ll see you later!

Feather, out!