Body posture when using drawing tablets
Overview
Depending on the kind of drawing tablet you have, your body posture will be very different.
To quickly summarize:
With a pen tablet, your back will naturally be more vertical
With a pen display, you will be hunched over a little or a lot
With a standalone tablet, you will also often be hunched over
The pen tablet posture
When using the pen tablet on a desk...
The pen tablet will typically lie flat on the desk, so it is parallel to the desk.
Your posture will be as follows:
Your back will be vertical
Your head will be looking straight ahead at your monitor
Your eyes will be pointed straight ahead at your monitor
One hand will be holding the pen on the tablet
The other hand will usually be on the desk, often placed on or near the keyboard to press shortcut keys
The pen display posture
When using a pen display on a desk...
The pen display will usually be at an angle to the desk rather than flat because people:
Tilt the tablet using the legs that come with it
Tilt the tablet to varying degrees using a stand. Some tablets come with a stand, and some are bought separately
Tilt the tablet using a monitor arm
Your posture will be as follows:
Your back will be leaning in toward the tablet
Your head will be angled down a bit toward the tablet screen. How much you look down depends on the tablet's tilt.
Your eyes will likely be looking down a little bit
One hand will be holding the pen on the tablet
The other hand will usually be on the desk, often placed on or near the keyboard to press shortcut keys
Which has better posture?
Most people report that using a pen tablet gives them better posture.
Even people who prefer to use pen displays typically have to be conscious of their posture and take breaks, stretch, etc.
Be aware that many people find the posture of a pen display very difficult to deal with. Many people buy a pen display, then return it and switch to a pen tablet for this reason.
For some people, the posture of a pen display is very uncomfortable and can cause real pain.
Here is an example:
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