{"id":648,"date":"2021-04-08T22:23:06","date_gmt":"2021-04-08T22:23:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/artofmakai\/?p=648"},"modified":"2022-01-24T18:30:27","modified_gmt":"2022-01-24T18:30:27","slug":"how-to-draw-holding-your-tools-properly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/artofmakai\/2021\/04\/08\/how-to-draw-holding-your-tools-properly\/","title":{"rendered":"[How to Draw] Holding your Tools Properly"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today’s post will be fairly brief – for real this time. I know I say that fairly often, and end up writing a lot more than I expected, but for the sake of time, I’ve got to keep this one short.
Taking some inspiration from Alijah Peper’s blog post about holding glass cutting tools<\/a>, I figured I’d talk about the importance of grip when it comes to drawing.

Consider this a bit of a filler post. Please check out my last two posts about my game development inspirations<\/a>, and\/or the game I’m currently developing<\/a>, if you’d like something more detailed and carefully thought out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Holding a Controller<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This might seem like a bit of a non sequitur, but.. I think it’s easier to illustrate the importance of grip by discussing some methods for holding a controller, since there’s a few different grip styles that are relatively equal in terms of viability.
Pencil grips, on the other hand, are a bit less subjective, I’d argue. This also gives me an excuse to talk some more about video games.

I’ll be using an Xbox One controller for these examples, but the grip styles highlighted here can be used across just about any standardized gamepad – whether it’s a DualShock<\/a>, GameCube controller<\/a>, or some other comparable gamepad.
Note that across all of these grip styles, only the position of the right hand<\/em> changes significantly.<\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standard Grip<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is definitely the most common, and most natural<\/em> grip style. I’d wager that most people, whether they’re familiar with video games or not, would likely default to holding a controller like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

the most familiar, comfortable grip style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This method for holding a controller is universally solid, and is almost always practical. Unless you play a lot<\/em> of (obscure or extremely challenging) video games, this is probably the only grip style you’ll ever use.
Standard Grip is especially comfortable for FPS games, because of the way this layout emphasizes control over the trigger buttons<\/strong>, along with a neutral focus on the face buttons<\/strong> and right control stick<\/strong>.

This is an extremely balanced grip style that is useful for just about every game in existence.
That said, there is one flaw with this grip style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

in this example, I’m able to move the right control stick while pressing the X<\/strong> button, but it’s rather imprecise, and I can only point it to the left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you can see, it’s practically impossible to move the right control stick while pressing any one of the face buttons.
This brings us to the next grip style…
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Claw Grip<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Claw Grip is probably the second most common style of controller grip, and my personal favorite.
This grip style takes some control away<\/em> from the trigger buttons<\/strong>, while giving players full, simultaneous<\/strong><\/em> control over the right control stick<\/strong>, and face buttons<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

although initially uncomfortable, claw grip has become my preferred grip style for most games, thanks to its higher degree of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This makes Claw Grip an extremely practical grip style for third-person action games<\/strong>, like Dark Souls<\/em>, or Monster Hunter World<\/em>, where Claw Grip allows players to perform actions related to the face buttons (like dodging, running, or attacking), without sacrificing control over the game’s camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

in this example, I’m able to comfortably move the right control stick<\/strong> in any direction<\/em>, while pressing any of the face buttons<\/strong> (in this case, the B<\/strong> button).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In these cases, having full control over the game’s ‘free cam<\/a>‘ is often the difference between life and death.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arcade Grip<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There might be a more proper name for this grip style – this is just the one I’ve made up for it, named for its visual similarities to playing games on an arcade cabinet<\/a>.
This grip style takes away practically all control<\/strong><\/em> from the trigger buttons<\/strong>, and instead places emphasis entirely <\/em><\/strong>on the right control stick<\/strong>, and face buttons<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

usually, I’d have the controller resting on my leg.
for the sake of this example, I’m resting it on my desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a grip style I’ve only ever utilized for a little known PS2 title called God Hand<\/a><\/em>, which is, simply put, the most violently difficult action game I have ever played – it’s practically a one-way ticket to carpal tunnel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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