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So i was painting one of my current batch of gaunts today and i was thinking about ways to improve how steady my hands are. I also work in a job where i have to start iv's and a steady hand is a must. That being said i always am looking for new techniques to improve my brush control and have found some of it even crosses over to work. So where is what i have found that works for me 1. NO coffee, im a hug caffeine junkie and it has an obvious effect on my hands especially if i haven't eaten. 2. Anchor my pinkie to my model giving a steady base 3. No work outs or heavy physical activity just before painting 4. Drinking lots of water seems to help. So what are the things you guys do to help?

Those are great tips.

usually in addition to those, use something big to hold your models, (cork paint pot.) and i paint with my arm resting on my table.

It's funny you mention workouts... I've found the same, but coffee doesn't hurt me in the slightest. I used to think a glass of red wine helped to steady the hand too, but I hardly drink now.

The best thing for me was a HIGH desk and/or a LOW chair. Duct tape a towel on the hard edge and you have a landing for your forearms... the low-chair/high-desk means that while at rest (your arms anyway) your hands will still be very close to your face/eyes.

 Gunzhard wrote:
(...)glass of red wine helped to steady the hand too(...)

Or two. Maybe three...

I found that wide steady desk helps a lot. Wide enough, so you can rest both elbows on it. Towel under painting wrist is ok. Steady chair.

Cheers.

This is a great question. I have Young Onset Parkinson's Disease, so taking my Sinemet really helps my shaking hands when painting, but for your average everyday painter there is one really good tip I can think of. It's the same thing they teach you in the military when you learn to shoot... breath control.

When you shoot you need a steady hand, especially when you're aiming at something that's 100-300 meters away. Making your strokes on the tail end of the exhale ensures that your hand doesn't shake.

A very brief explanation of breath control as it pertains to snipers can be found here: http://www.ghilliesuitsonline.com/brteforsn.html If it works for someone trying to take out a target at 500 meters it ought to work for someone painting a 28mm miniature.

Now if my patience matched my steadiness I would be a force to be reckoned with.

I don't find any of that helps, except the workout bit but then I'm too tired anyway. For me I just hold by base edges with my elbows either resting on the desk or locked firmly into my body.

I always rest my painting hand on my tub of flock or basing sand - it means I only have to control wrist movement and not worry about elbow movement/height.
When I'm doing freehand I also hold my breath, but I don't think I do it intentionally! lol

Muscle training to some extent. The easier it is for your arm to support itself, the more control you gain.

Other than that? Training. One very basic exercise for drawing (2d) is drawing straight lines. Muscle memory and all that jazz.

I like the breath control thought. And work outs are a huge one for me as thats my main hobby. Weight lifting being the worst to my painting, a run early in the morning seems to help painting later in the day though.

This has helped my painting significantly. More area to rest your brush hand on and you can rotate the model 360 degrees with your thumb, keeping it and your hands stable. Model blu tacked on top as with the usual cork method.

RELAX! Remember that this is just a hobby. Don't stress out if the small line you want is done on the first try. You will get it soon enough. So if wine or anything else helps use it.

And if you have Parkinsons, you could probably drybrush like a MF'er.