5 Writing and Art Supplies that Helped my Hand Pain

Adaptive Art and Writing Tools

For a writer, artist, student, or anyone that writes or draws, pain and inflammation can be devastating. After years of worstening symptoms and nearly quitting, I adapted both my style and set of writing and art tools so that I can continue to do both, even while the results are different.

Physical Limitations 

During my life, I had experienced occasional carpal tunnel syndrome. However, in my 40s a confluence of conditions (autoimmune and arthritic) brought me to being barely able to hold a pen, knife, or fork. Fingers swelled, as did my palm and thumb. I would wake up with trigger thumb. I went from taking (and teaching) art and comics courses and improving my skills, to being able to barely scratch out my name. These days, I have workarounds. True, I still cannot grip or use a regular pen or pencil alone, I cannot erase, and circles continue to be near impossible. But there is hope. I have found preferred writing and art implements and mobility tools. First, here are two videos where I tested some of them for the first time.

I am not currently paid for any of these reviews and products. These are my personal favorites; they might not work for everyone.

1) Foam Grips

For the first 12 months of my hand challenges, foam pencil grips were my favorite tools. They fit over most of the tools I was already using -- pens and pencils. Grips are comfortable, but the writing and drawing may look less precise. For anyone with arthritis, scleraderma, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (all of which I have), or any other hand mobility challenge, I recommend keeping these foam grips very handy. There are multiple shapes and brands at very affordable prices: here is a link to one set on Amazon. Mine is an oval; longer cylinders are also available.

Image 1. An orange foam grip on my HB art pencil.

2) Wide Barrel Pens

These are currently my favorite writing implements. I keep at least one in my purse at all times, and I take notes and write in my planner with them every day. If I write with a regular pen now, my hand hurts within seconds and the writing is illegible (my handwriting was once one of my proudest skills). When I write with wide barrel pens, my hands are happy. Here is a link to the set that I use.

3) Kuritake Brush Pens

I am currently in love with two different types of brush pens.

As a comic artist, I mourned the most that I could no longer grip my beloved Faber-Castell artist pens and ink brushes. This is what I used to ink comics for years. For a year, I attempted to use a foam grip over these pens, but it would only fit on the tip, would damage the tips, and was difficult to control. 

After much searching, I found that a comic artist who struggles with arthritis uses the Kuretake brush pens sold on Amazon. I've tried them and they are wonderful. I hold them very loosely like a paint brush and use strokes carefully and sparingly, especially since I have not been using a pencil layer (although while writing this post, I am wondering if a very wide grip pencil exists that could be comfortable and still support control, and also I need someone to erase the pencil layer for me).

On my Instagram page, any of the latest black layers were made with these pens.

4) Tombow Brush Pens

I love colorful Tombow brush pens for art colors and for calligraphy-style lettering. These use all of the colors of the rainbow. Luckily, I had practiced and used these for years with lettering. 

I find that the way I hold it loosely in the side does not hurt that much. 

Tombows are available at Michael's, Blick Art Supplies, and Amazon.

5) Waterbrushes and InkBrushes

I was introduced to inkbrushes through the Jane Davenport "Mermaid Markers" that used to be sold at Michaels. The Mermaid Markers set has the perfect seashore colors. Fluid flows freely from the inkbrushes. While I realize that using stencils is helpful for accuracy for these brushes, I enjoy letting them flow and making mistakes as I go. I now draw thick/rough panel borders using the inkbrushes.

Mixed Media with Accessible Tools

A combination of these options helps create a mixed media feel on the page. In my Instagram post, the drawing below was made with inkbrushes

and brush pens.

Image 2. Mixed Media Diary Comic with Inkbrushes and Brush Pens

Drawn by me during a Sequential Artist Workshop Friday Night Comics Class on Friday, May 31, 2024

I have also started using free tools I received from PA OwlTech, and hope to update with a review of that soon.

Let me know in the comments what you have tried and what works for you!