To make your workspace ergonomic, try the following:

 ✓ Place your equipment, art supplies, and drawing area within easy

reach and access. You don’t want to constantly have to reach, bend, or

twist to reach your supplies.

 ✓ Buy the right chair. You can buy a chair made specifically for working at

a desk or drawing table, and if you can afford one, go for it. The money

spent is a good investment. Make sure you try out several chairs before

choosing one, because what fits someone else may not fit you comfort-

ably at all. If you can’t afford a well-engineered but expensive chair, make

sure the chair you’re using is comfortable for long time periods. (Check

out the “Buying a chair that won’t break your back” section later in this

chapter for more information.)

✓ Check your body position. The way you sit in the chair in relation to

the angle of the table top and the access to the equipment you use often

makes a big difference in your overall comfort. If your chair is comfort-

able but it sits at right angles to your workspace, you’re going to end up

with a sore back and a stiff neck!

 ✓ Sit up at the table. Hunching over your workspace will have your back

screaming for mercy in no time.

 ✓ Adjust the angle of your table. If you have a table that can be angled,

adjust it so that you can place your paper on top and work comfort-

ably, but not on so much of an angle that your work constantly slides

off onto the floor. Obviously, this won’t work if the kitchen table is

your workspace!