How to Hold and Control Your Pencil

[@ProkoTV]

Join the biggest online art community and learn alongside other artists by creating a free account on Proko - www.proko.com/signup 👈

[@dinosharttt]

Your so right

[@MarioRossiAncora]

"With just a few short years of practice" was my favourite part! No shortcuts!

[@callouttogod7788]

Lol i was like, f*** that

[@dayanalopez7841]

Matteo Prayer - Art its been 1 year already

[@fatimafernandesfernandes109]

Very helpful.... Thanks....

[@jordanjenkins5169]

Matteo Prayer - Art I heard that and thought haha funny then realised he was being serious 😑

[@KilluaZoldyck-jt8jw]

I cried(inside) when he said that

[@anthonyscott16]

Wow. You don't know how much you don't know until you're in the presence of someone that truly knows a lot. Thanks so much for these tips!

[@hildajimenez9568]

Hahahahahahahahha 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@ricardoromero222]

KKju i

[@catfish3499]

😂😂

[@Lnnacosmo]

this is so true!

[@bruhpog429]

Basic tips.... Yet many people ignore them. Which limits their versatility as an artist. The way he displayed these tips really shows how far we can come though.

[@EvynnexEvynne]

Fantastic video!! I’m a jazz drummer that recently decided to take up drawing, and it’s fascinating how similar drawing technique is to drumming technique The concept of treating your fingers/wrist/elbow/shoulder as different “gears” in order to execute the most effective strokes is the same. With drums, the smaller muscles (fingers) are more efficient with creating faster and softer strokes whereas the larger muscles (shoulder) are more efficient with creating slower and louder strokes I find the comparison between short thin lines/fast quiet rhythms and long thick lines/slow loud rhythms worth noting. Makes sense that the sounds and visuals created by the same muscles would share a certain “rhythm” Anyway, this video really made something click in my head!! Thank you

[@marias5149]

That's such a neat way to think about it! Great comparison!

[@laura79613]

Wow😃 what an interesting comparison

[@AlbertoGomez-oi5ou]

the same with violin and guitar :v

[@dutch_asocialite]

"Use your shoulder" *Knocks over my entire setup*

[@dutch_asocialite]

@Dream ! I bought a new one.

[@FionaLovesbunnies]

i imagined someone absolutely swiping everything off their desk LOL

[@windums560]

@@dutch_asocialite I can't stop smile. Your 2nd comment crack me XD

[@r_4yman]

your name scares me

[@dutch_asocialite]

@@r_4yman ​Good. The fear makes your toes taste better.

[@skadi8830]

Proko:"Are you tired of messy, wobbly lines??" Me:Ha imagine drawing like that Proko:"Are you only capable of drawing series of strokes??" Me: **sweats**

[@youneskasdi]

Strokes are basically the "artistic" way of people who can't draw curvy lines or circles

[@sourcandy_account3632]

@@youneskasdi what?

[@hotep7942]

"Stay tuned to find out how you can change your life",that cracked me up

[@lilggs4813]

😂😂 the comment section always gets me man 😂

[@Inogat]

I felt seen ngl

[@andyoakley6861]

as a left-handed artist I found the overhand grip a bit of a revelation. I can now fully see the picture I`m drawing

[@jonathasfgoncalves1572]

Andy Oakley I think that if you wanted to see your drawing you just needed to start it from the right.... left-hand doesn't make a difference haha

[@RhinoHand]

Tbh being left handed doesn't change what you see... Just draw from right to left The only problem is writing lol, I get smudges along my hand every time I pick up a pen

[@levinussmeier7389]

@@RhinoHand as another left handed person I can say drawing from right to left is far more difficult than it sounds

[@RhinoHand]

@@levinussmeier7389 Honestly, when I draw, I'm all over the place so I'm not sure about that lol

[@premcharles6440]

Even l am an left handed

[@slantsix6344]

My advice after being an Illustrator and artist for 30 years is to experiment with as many ways as possible to find the grip that works for you. Every hand is different in size and shape, so there really is no right way vs wrong way. The key is to find what works for you.

[@msprikoloshaGames]

Funny how he says "Only two SHORT years of practice!"

[@rojadaman6397]

will if this gonna work I will do it even in 5 years but no one still can't get what do he wanna says

[@SwitchfootRocksUrBut]

Mick mick... Wat?

[@TheDestny117]

Though, at least for me, has really worked. I have been doing it for almost an year and it seriously helps a lot. I went from not knowing how to draw a simple line, to have a control that I am very proud of today.

[@robertgalloway7516]

JezzeBoy

[@jozllie]

Its true tbh

[@aparnamugwe8140]

This is one of the best videos I have come across. I personally loved overhand grip since my college years. But as a teacher to teach it to Grade 9-10 students in such a simplified manner, Proko you rock! i have been using this video since last 7 years, and trust me it never fails to amaze my students. They love the way it makes then understand the relevance of various grips for drawing.

[@marias5149]

I'm finally starting my art class for the semester, and this video is super helpful! I feel like I always put way to much pressure on my wrists, and I lack the results. Now, I have some new tools to try! And it always helps to know that people don't get it right away. It takes time and practice. And it's a journey! There is no big end goal, and the key is to learn new things while making what you love. I almost always need the reminder. Thanks for sharing!

[@seederism]

well..... went from drawing awkward circles and feeling frustrated to drawing really good ones just with the elbow trick XD. Thanks man this really helped a lot!

[@ProkoTV]

+seederism you're welcome!

[@josezambrano6520]

+Proko Do we need an overhand grip to use the shoulder? Or is it ok to use the tripod grip with shoulder movement? Thanks!

[@heyDian]

+Proko I have the same question as Jose Zambrano's. Also, whenever I try to do shoulder movements, my shoulder quickly becomes tense. Is it normal (as usually experienced by people who exercise after too long of not doing any), or am I making a mistake? Would really appreciate it if you could explain further about this.

[@FriaGram]

You need a large surface area, try 18x24 inches, and tape your drawing down to the board if you are using a3 (small paper). Many people are confined by the page borders when starting out. It may be easier to use butcher paper or cardboard boxes to test on, as you can have lots of space. Also, elevating the surface helps a lot.. hold your surface at an angle by resting it against the edge of a table, or your knee.

[@heyDian]

Fria Gram​ I used a large desk and A5 copier paper as I've been drawing lines and basic shapes. The desk's surface is horizontal flat, and I put my hand and arm on it, like when I'm writing. My hand moved in a pretty limited manner, pretty much fixed to my wrist, and whenever I tried to use only fingers/elbow/shoulder to move the pencil, I had to lift my arm off the desk, my muscles became tense, similar to what planking does to my abs. So that's why, hahahaha... OMG I'm so noob. Thank you! Now off to the store to get a drawing pad!

[@savannahlevy97]

"I will not draw naked art models in class." "I will not draw naked art models in class." "I will not draw naked art models in class." "I will not draw naked art models in class."

[@MrEtmer]

Unless of course, you are doing Life Drawing :D

[@savannahlevy97]

MrEtmer​ haha yep.

[@savannahlevy97]

CS my favorite company​ Nah, I'd rather stick to puppies and kittens.

[@xxlCortez]

Dove from Above I bet you did.

[@ruuuuudooooolph]

Dove from Above Then you can draw naked pornstars.

[@Uradamus]

As I focus on digital art, I use the tripod grip with my tablet, but I still draw from the shoulder. I just keep my wrist fairly stationary, except when doing fine details. I also don't allow my arm to fully rest on my table top, I make a point to carry the weight of my forearm from the shoulder to allow it to move more easily. Also I keep a little squeeze bottle filled with corn starch at my desk. I will squirt a little bit into my off hand, then rub it onto the outer edge of my hand, wrist and forearm on my drawing arm. This allows my arm to slide over the surface of my tablet and desk instead of getting hung up by the friction and causing the lines to jitter. Works quite well for me.

[@kyleismadness]

Ian S yesssss this is my little trick too - to keep my wrist steady and use the shoulder

[@manofnoplans4900]

Is that All you use the corn starch for?

[@nameihavenoname7546]

"I will not draw naked art models in class." Then he draws a naked art model

[@abdelslamawad3411]

خ

[@caraleehunte3581]

do you watch One piece

[@aj063]

still not in claz :D

[@AyushMishra-do5hk]

So, you are a man of culture. 😎

[@dudebuster1842]

0:51 - Video Start 0:59 - Tripod Grip 1:24 - Overhand Grip 2:06 - Controlling the Pencil 4:45 - Muscle Memory

[@afsl808]

That sholder trick really helped me. I mastered it in 1 month.

[@mikea1831]

Man i enjoy ur clips.. U teach with passion.. I am always a fan of ur clips PROKO

[@ProkoTV]

Mike A Thank you!

[@florin_lw9714]

+Proko thanks men

[@chrissizemore3424]

@@ProkoTV thanks men

[@cory99998]

Turns out putting 4k hours into counterstrike develops the same muscle memory / shoulder usage as drawing. I feel like I cheated

[@pan_jam]

doneyes wow

[@anakay1184]

The problem is that I also play with my wrists and aim with small hand movements, I know I should use the whole arm but I can't, so my 700 hours of play are useless :c

[@pineapplec0ke]

I felt that

[@arcallium]

Youre all so funny *cries with left handed

[@ezekielvalmocena3743]

@@arcallium yeah, same. ;-;

[@janewindelynlegaspi6582]

I almost thought that this was one of those funny shopping commercials at the beginning.. *"LOOK HOW IT WOULD CHANGE YOUR LIIIIIFFFFEEE"* And you earned yourself a new subscriber, Proko😂

[@music8023]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ-4hIikbZeYgtk

[@rinashaowindi94]

Llokki

[@tylerjamesnewton1422]

Can confirm, I started practicing drawing like this because of Proko over a year ago. Since then, I’ve taken up a live figure gestural drawing class, and let me tell ya. Mechanical pencil is kind of a crutch when you figure out the versatility of charcoal. For figure and proportions, gesture is the BEST. Drawbacks are having to sharpen it every 10 minutes - you start to feel locked into the medium. Like, I could switch to mechanical pencil after the gesture portion, but then it will completely change the look. Cheers.

[@Hakari_Fan-m1v]

Finnaly found a comment made in this year

[@TerranceStewart-b4l]

I have literally never watched a Proko video I didn't like. I'm entertained every single time. and I learn so much. You're a gift to KZbin; thank you for your hard work and dedication.

[@KellySmith555]

"With just a few short years of practice..." >.>

[@kvarietyfan]

Hahahaha right?

[@10418]

Hannibal Lecter you are right ahah

[@hamody238]

Hey Kelly. It's been almost 6 years since your comment. Can we get an update about how your practice went?

[@rasrajartsandcalligraphy]

Thank you. A great help for beginners. By profession i m a teacher. I love art , painting, music, singing, games etc...but apart from that most of the time i devote calligraphy writing. I found you something different. Your tips will help me to tell my students the proper gripping. Thanks. You got me.

[@theartofrajgauri9613]

Been practicing overhand grip for few months now, and I see vast difference in my drawing strokes, at first it'd feel so uncomfortable to hold the pencil like that😄 And your way of explaining things is best 🙌👍

[@osvaldojunior1984]

You are a great teacher to teach the art of drawing. If I had someone like you when I was yonger... Eu nunca vi um professor de desenho tão talentoso, criativo e didático como você, que faz vídeos tão bem explicativos. Aqui no Brasil temos uma disciplina nas escolas q chamamos de Educação Artística, mas nisso não aprendemos praticamente nada, nem a segurar um lápis pra fazer um simples desenho. Eu percebo que só dez vídeos do seu canal ajudam mais que dez anos de educação artística numa escola brasileira. Quando eu tentava desenhar eu me virava com revistas técnicas de desenho, na época internet aqui era muito caro, não tinha. Hoje temos canais incríveis como o Proko, q oferece até legendas em português pra ajudar o brasileiro que deseja aprender a fazer bons desenhos.

[@Shafiq600]

Thank you so much Mr. Proko, you are the best teacher in the world. I’ve been drawing from my childhood, but always I had hand problem. But today I’m very happy cuz I’ve learned from you.

[@ProkoTV]

Shafiqullah Rafat Thank you for the kind words! Keep up the good work!

[@Shafiq600]

thanks.... one day I'll send all my arts which i learn from you... i proud u r my best trainer

[@Jthefilmguy]

6:38 - That was one of the most satisfyingly impressive things I've ever seen. Great vid btw :)

[@ryanstarlight8018]

It's interesting because learning how to use our hands, elbows and shoulders is also something important in karate and violin. I had never thought of drawing that way.

[@najahforehand4651]

Thank you SO much...I've been drawing since I was very small and had instructors try to teach us this technique and others you have covered. For some reason, I never understood the mechanics or the WHY until this video. I create very good work but it has always been extra laborious for me, and while I watched others draw I could sense that I wasn't as efficient as I could be. I couldn't understand how they could have so much control and how QUICKLY they could draw accurate forms (or why they were holding their pencils like that lol). Well, I just practiced what you said in this video and it took my drawings up to the next level I'm not even kidding. It has taken the frustration out of drawing. I still need to practice obviously, but to make an analogy, it was like everyone else was cleaning their floors with a mop and I was using a toothbrush. Keep up the good work, I'm definitely subscribing!!! Maybe I can actually start INKING now. All these years it's been like witchcraft or something lol

[@ArifRWinandar]

2:41 "How did you get to draw a perfect circle?" "Study and practice. Years of it."

[@thegirlfromfalls]

Where did he say that?

[@cee8226]

0:19 why does he looks like he's selling me that pencil XD nice tutorial thank youuu

[@music8023]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ-4hIikbZeYgtk

[@mook7297]

That pencil is nice tho.

[@Patapon1222]

So for the past years I've been drawing wrong? well shit time to redo all of those damned wasted years

[@bensanchez6912]

+Sonto Sontoloyo not wasted, you just gotta change form. Mechanical ability is still there

[@Patapon1222]

That's gonna take more time And I don't think art is my carreer

[@bensanchez6912]

Ya I know it's just a hobby, but when people are around and see how well you draw then they think you're cool. ;)

[@Patapon1222]

many don't appreciate art tho when tehy see you draw better than average they started to flock around asking free comissions

[@bensanchez6912]

lmao I meant in real life, not for money just to draw for kids or something

[@Mila897]

I'm just starting to get my Illustration minor and my teacher taught me this. Completely revolutionized my drawing. With this video and your pencil sharpening stuff, something I also just learned, you're definitely credible to me! I just subscribed to your channel, since as I'm not doing Illustration as my main major I'm going to have to find other ways to learn. I'm really grateful there are people like you to learn from! If no one ever tells you the arts secrets (teacher calls it "art hazing") then you'll never know the simplest things that save you from a world of hurt! Thanks for your sharing your knowledge in your videos! Please keep it up - they make me laugh, too.

[@Username-qu1jt]

My hands just won't cooperate It's shaking like an earthquake

[@BushraDrawing]

Please subscribe my channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2O1kp-ea7Web5o

[@weebmightylolz187]

Same. I think Im REALLY not made for drawing.

[@eligarrett4213]

Yeah I have ADHD and ODD and Anxiety. My hands shake constantly. Drawing is so damn hard

[@thegiantratthatmakesalloft9415]

@@eligarrett4213 wow, are you trying to some competition with all those self-diagnosed mental illnesses?

[@eligarrett4213]

@@thegiantratthatmakesalloft9415 not self diagnosed like the 14 year old girls lol. Just explaining why it's hard for some people to draw straight lines.

[@MAI_CHAN69]

This just made my lines and strokes 50% better within a minute. Thank you 😊

[@willtaps7671]

Him: uses shoulder Me: uses the whole body

[@danoconnor5138]

This guy has ascended

[@andreworozco8439]

3:41 AHH! Watching that makes me so nervous because I've broken many pencils that way.

[@aliyahscobey2717]

ME TOO one time i was having a bad day w drawing I guessss I ended up breaking 3 pencils like that

[@maanchenono1819]

the intro with the smiley face drawing is just epic ahah

[@bebob415]

"two short years" ive done this for 2 months and i never want to go back. it feels so natural, so good

[@AngelHernandez-ix7rp]

I had no idea that the way you hold your pencil made a difference when drawing that really caught my attention. I'll for sure be using these ideas.

[@tamarahhoughton4483]

I usually just scream at it for a while and eventually the paper rips and I'm able to give up :))

[@Katze123]

I see you are a man of frustration as well XD

[@chrissizemore3424]

"you are very dumb ripping papaer your sketchbook is for learning not destorying artworks" - "your moms gay"

[@music8023]

@@Katze123 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ-4hIikbZeYgtk

[@xandercorp6175]

"Since writing only requires our wrist..." Writing motions are actually supposed to be done from the shoulder as well. Benefits are similar to those you described in drawing: cleaner, longer, more fluid lines, with more endurance and less cramping also! If even an artist teaching about the virtues of drawing from the shoulder missed this aspect of writing, the death of penmanship in the current time and the constant protestations I hear that cursive writing is "much harder" than print-style handwriting start to make sense. Also, love your videos! Keep up the good work.

[@hmsgrandfox]

This is going to change my life about drawing, i asked a talented friend of mine and he recommended me drawing with my arm instead of my wrist. My wrist does hurt a lot when im not even done halfway, “pass the hump and enter a new world” ill keep that in mind. Thank you proko for opening my eyes to fixing my problems, thanks again ☺️

[@Akashic.artwork]

I’ve been making art For 20 years and I never learned the basics so this caught me a lot and just a few minutes. I’m definitely gonna buy the premium.

[@betray1077]

Don't ignore drawing with tip at 1:43 its really helpful...

[@marielleboborol8008]

Proko: Premiun Course 15 yrs old me: Wait for my return HAHAHAHHAA

[@kayp4273]

me at the beginning: "Yeah i got this" me after he says two SHORT years: chile anyways

[@JASSarts]

Proko that's the guy who really inspired me to creat my own KZbin channel I really appreciate its art and like the way he teach his tutorial is mind blowing lots of love from all over the world

[@dessyedeeclark1144]

I've been a doodler all my life, but recently decided to up my sketching skills for watercolor underpaintings. I'd seen a recent artist comment that people sketch poorly holding their pencils 'incorrectly' (what I now know is the 'tripod' grip) and they should hold them sideways (my term, before I heard people call it 'overhand'). Well my sketches have always been fairly good, but I was practicing elipses to improve muscle memory. The first 5 with the tripod grip. The last 2 with the overhand grip (before I saw your video). My elipses with the overhand grip were nearly perfect without having to overdraw and erase. Shockingly better. However, I DO appreciate the instructors comments about the benefits of tripod as well as overhand. I no longer believe I was "doing it wrong all along", using tripod grip, but now I realize that I can draw much BIGGER and with more fluid line using the overhand grip. Thanks

[@invisibleaznDJ]

perfect. was youtubing videos for this, and then bam proko drops exactly what i need on the same exact day lol

[@ProkoTV]

BAM!

[@eyesight8716]

Proko I have made pencils so many different sizes, and held the pencil every which way, however, not the overhand. I have some questions?... 1 Do you use this grip for drawing on the tip of the pencil? or do you turn your wrist as the video shows? 2 Will I be able to make straight lines in a precise way? as this grip seems to hinder steady lines especially my vertical lines? 3 do you maintain this grip through out the whole drawing? can you explain your yes and no answer? 4 last question, lol, do you keep your pinky finger and ring finger touching the paper when you draw? I find it a challenge to not make my lines look shaky when only my pencil is touching the paper. ooops, one more question, I lied lol...What vid should I buy first? I am a complete beginner. I am really obsessed in finding out how to hold the pencil..I use to play baseball and I did the same thing in finding my perfect batters swing. Once you find it, its automatic and natural. I will look in the meantime at your store. I have subscribed...thanks for these vids!

[@yohantsu5890]

Me watching this to make manga and then proko says: "With just a few short years of practice" Me:how can i-...?!?!

[@animesloversunited9069]

Then he said it's ok for small features

[@Chinchi0123]

This maybe a stupid question, but would this be practical if you draw with a tablet pen? I draw digitally, but also suffer from using short & "hairy" strokes.

[@ArcenyHax]

It applies to both traditional and digital. You'll carry the traditional concepts to your digital medium. Hope I made sense and helped. ;)

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

For anyone reading this comment 4 years later, wondering the same thing. Put away your tablet, and use paper/pencil. Otherwise, you'll stupidly think that a tablet can make you a better artist, when in reality, you'll be wondering and asking yourself the same stupid question as above.

[@d3v1lsummoner]

@@Adrian-wd4rn Telling someone who works in a digital medium to not use a digital tool seems silly. The question isn't about whether a tablet will make you better, its about whether the same skills are applicable, which for a variety of reasons is a reasonable thing to ask. First, if you are using a smaller tablet then your range of motion is limited and the benefits of training your whole arm are less. Though, should you decide to use a larger tablet then you may regret not training that shoulder. That said, long, confident lines are the result of actively practicing lines which can be done both physically and digitally. Second, tablets inherently handle line weight differently from physical media. Not all styli support tilt or rotation which is half the technique in the video, and you can program pressure to affect more line variables than just weighting. Your comment is kind of like telling someone to put away their watercolors and use oils instead. There are many things similar between the media, but there are enough differences to make it worthwhile to understand which things are medium specific.

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

@@d3v1lsummoner Yeah, great points, however, digital art supports many bad habits, such as undo. Traditional media also takes far more patience which teaches you many valuable things. I stand by my statement.

[@itch433]

@@Adrian-wd4rn This is a fair statement that has absolutely nothing to do with the original question. For anyone reading this comment 4 years later, here is what you need to know: In digital media, using your whole arm to draw still applies, resulting in much smoother curves. Keeping your fingers loose also applies, adding more energy and flow to your lines. However, the overhand grip DOESN'T apply. The tablet pen is not as versatile as a physical pencil, it only reads the pressure vertically, so you're actually better off holding it as vertical as you can. Not to mention that screen tablets have parallax effect so you'd have to recalibrate it from scratch every time you switch grips. There are tablets that can read the angle of the pen, which with the right software can result in somewhat caligraphic-ish feel, but probably still not precise enough to warrant the overhand grip.

[@brendahart9930]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. This is how I learned to draw and everyone thinks it's weird. I keep telling them their drawings will loosen up, but no one will try. But you explained why! Love your tutorials.

[@Chris-b-2]

Ideally, you will also use the entire arm for writing as well. Using just your wrist and fingers can cause RSI and cramps the writing. You can make surprisingly finer movements via the shoulder than you can your fingers, and over the same amount of time, the consistency of a full arm writer tends to be higher than one of a wrist writer. It is, however, much easier to teach writing with just the wrist.

[@nameyoulove]

i clicked this video thinking it was about telekinesis.

[@kamalanaral926]

ha ha ha lol

[@boringman6491]

@@kamalanaral926 s ddxxzzzzz

[@andicarusfell8387]

I...

[@littlebae9272]

lmfao

[@cnash5647]

Just some things that I noticed and I want to share: 1) Pay attention to the distance between his thumb and his index finger, and between his index finger with the tip of the pencil, not too close and not too far away. 2) Fix your wrist no matter what, even the smallest detail, just use your shoulders. (This is just a way to train your shoulders)

[@animus-al-djinn]

Proko for president

[@purpleglizzy2623]

I am so glad you do tutorials on the least important things in art. It's just so helpful for beginners like me

[@heatheroram3696]

The introduction to this is super funny lol... I just started a basic figure drawing class two Mondays ago, and i'm given homework, but your videos are basically teaching me most, not to mention the professor has referenced proko quite a bit. Thank you for these videos!!! Greatly appreciated

[@anonymous_me345]

"Our friends at Wikipedia say..." Highschool teachers: ThIs iS nOt A RelIaBlE sOUrCe!

[@NylaTheWolf]

OH MY GOD THIS HAS BEEN MY ENTIRE SCHOOL LIFE

[@dsadsa726]

Because it's not

[@ratherbfishing455]

Great advice. Maybe not from a professor?

[@ratherbfishing455]

@ZeR0's BuLLeT Do you know what a boomer is?

[@barabara9855]

All of the fact checkers that put hours into making sure that they have the correct information: ..... -_-

[@debbiecruz3599]

lol, I love that infomercial-style opening.

[@allluckyseven]

Ah, Proko... Always entertaining.

[@AVUltra]

Without exaggeration this single video has changed the way I’ve been able to draw. Thank you for your work. -Stanislaw Luberda

[@jumbo4billion]

The most helpful advice I've ever had, it actually addresses big problems. It's so common to be told "Just keep practicing", that doesn't help if you don't know WHAT or HOW to practice. This guy is a great teacher.

[@javierbonilla5907]

I have found that what really helps me alot to keep the pencil still is....this is an awesome tip! I don't think I've seen anyone else do it so here it is..lol i wear a lose wrist band and loop the brush or pencil in it so you kind of push against the bracelet to create tension making you're strokes more stable...I'm just a beginner and was having trouble keeping the point still my fingures are a little shaky so this helps me alot

[@lalaithan]

Holy crap, why didn't I think of trying to turn my hand over to draw overhand? It's a world of difference for my sore joints. Thanks for this video!

[@apollyon25]

I have a drawing tablet and I want to learn digital art, should I still learn this technique even if I won't be using it much? Also, why can't I use my should with just the tripod grip? It seems to me I have just as large of a range In motion.

[@ProkoTV]

+john linstin you CAN use your shoulder with the tripod grip. If you're using a tool that only has a tip, such as a digital stylus, you should use your shoulder with the tripod grip. But if you're using a charcoal pencil or paintbrush, overhand grip allows you to use the side of the pencil or brush.

[@kyleshepherd8639]

Exactly what i was going to ask about half way through this video. Thx!

[@heybaberiba]

Gripping your stylus vs gripping a pen is fundamentally different in the sense that the scale of your drawing surface can be varied when drawing digitally. If you are to make a long swooping stroke on the tablet, you can zoom out and still get a flow with much less movement than if you draw on paper. I've noticed that practicing old school calligraphy and using the elbow while drawing larger shapes helps a lot with the stylus grip and digital drawing. But I have yet to feel the need of working from the shoulder when painting digitally. Though I have not been working regularly on surfaces larger than A4 size.

[@Chirpingler]

Beware though, Digital drawing tablets have tilt sensitivity, so tilting the pen is still desireable, then the overhand grip applies for drawing tablets as well I presume (?)

[@loloman117]

I've been drawing my entire life and i finally know how to use the pencil

[@petrap.7256]

the nicest drawing teacher ever

[@timothymcguire5126]

Omg this is literally the best. I feel like I have been holding it wrong the whole time. This just feels so right to me

[@sakaguchianne4852]

i laughed at the "hairy lines" i'm so sorry 😂

[@arnaudfg]

Even his "messy lines " look better then mines😂😂

[@mitigiant5328]

You are my favorite online tutor :)

[@nokillbill7304]

Happy to hear it only takes a few years. No but really if you're looking to improve its all worth the time. So, take the time and get better! All luck to you!

[@fabriccioman]

This was the missing link in the portrait course. Very useful thank you.

[@alexsandraguerra6561]

This is hilarious. Thanks for having such a good sense of humor 🤣

[@SodaPopBot]

Stan turned into Saul Goodman in the beginning

[@johnwayneatthefirstthanksg9105]

Tru

[@petersimms8290]

Better call Stan

[@DerekMoore82]

Nah, he was portraying Billy Mayes, the infomercial guy.

[@manuj9570]

He looks like Aaron Paul

[@the-stig-nickname]

0:34 Proko's Troll Face XD

[@allineedismusicnlove]

+The Stig "beautiful stroke" ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@feckless2eshourse877]

I need to spam memes if these

[@ismailbassam8669]

As a beginner, I saw a different level of drawing just unlocked 😇🥳 Thanks man 🤗

[@Ben-Oni-BT]

I love how hard this guy sells it in the first minute!

[@gramarson9562]

Guess I’ve been drawing wrong all my life...and i’ve done some good stuff with wrists...god dammit

[@andrewgarfield9898]

Any update ?

[@gramarson9562]

Andrew Garfield relearning to draw on big scale by using your elbow is way more effective. It also works for smaller scale. However, using your wrist can be useful on occasion. Thanks Spidey

[@andrewgarfield9898]

Gramarson95 so did you switch to shoulder drawing now?

[@thepredecter2065]

Intro: Are you tired of- Me: ShamWow Flashbacks.

[@alexanderleeart]

Great video, it has already helped me a lot. Do you rest your fingertips on the surface of the paper while using the overhand grip?

[@pagani8]

Your incredibly logical approach to everything you do always amazes me.

[@ProkoTV]

Yes

[@abrahemsamander3967]

The guy at concept art academy was right. You are great at teaching. This will help with art class. Thank you.

[@MegaPacosanchez]

Lol, i have been drawing for over 40 years. I graduated from art school and I totally just learned how to hold the pencil in your video. Why didn't my art school teachers say that? So simple.

[@minormajor12]

me: nice! i've learned a lot. my pencil: i dont have much time, kid.

[@toprakshn]

i will not draw naked art models in class

[@turqoisedude4972]

not in class ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@UkuleleVillain]

TRIGGERED!!

[@sherrigofdenmark2823]

I don't get why some cultures are afraid of nudity, it's not bad that they are different, it's just kind of interesting.

[@UkuleleVillain]

Sherrig Ofdenmark I don't think it's the entire culture of his. Just this dude.

[@sherrigofdenmark2823]

+StationaryParticles oh ok

[@Yoyou00]

That well sharpened pencil at 7:04 made me laugh. I’m new to drawing so It looked so ridiculous 😂

[@DJisAwesome]

Almost all professional artists who use pencils sharpen theirs that way. It's actually taught in artschool as the right way to sharpen a pencil. But yeah, it looks funny

[@Aagggyy]

Awesome DJ The thing is I keep having trouble with being able to sharpen with sand paper.

[@chrissizemore3424]

not funny tahts mean and i use it that way too

[@Spitfireseven]

When you didn't mention the state of your pencil somewhere during the video, I wondered. You need a knife to get it like that. Some things you can't do with cheap pencils. A sharpener is good for ordinary pencils. This is different. This is special.

[@JacobtheJobs]

Proko is the way to go.

[@sachinvaghela7217]

"Holding pencil correctly changed my life" . . . . No Artist Said Ever. 0:35

[@BenjiByt3]

My mind has been blown. How have I never thought of using my shoulder all this time?

[@chikito0331]

Hi Sir Stan, good day I'm a premium subscriber of your site. I would like to ask. Is it possible to do the overhand grip on the small sketchpad let's say same size as A5 paper? I've noticed the execution of overhand grip is mostly on large papers. Thanks in advance :)

[@sotothecreator]

new to drawing really needed this

[@lora3530]

This is the first time that I actually knew why we would draw using our shoulder because you're right it was very uncomfortable and I wouldn't do it,but now that I know why, it makes more since. Thanks for the insight

[@abdoo89]

This is great... but I really don't know if there is a way to draw from the shoulder when using a pen tablet, because I draw on the computer a lot, and I don't like the line quality of my drawings.. so, is there a way to apply this to drawing on the computer

[@ProkoTV]

Depends on the size of the tablet. If its really small then you can just use your wrist. If you have a large Cintiq drawing from the shoulder works well.

[@abdoo89]

what if I have a bamboo or intuos... having one of these resting on the desk makes it a little bit difficult to implement such technique... do you have any advice regarding this situation??

[@Hav0cc]

Abd El Rahman Magdy I tend to slightly rest my elbow on the desk, and so I'm still able to use my entire arm to draw and paint:) Im using a medium Intuos pro.

[@abdoo89]

Hav0cc this is what I began doing lately... I started drawing a lot with a pen to train my hand in this method, since pens are the closest of natural media to the Wacom stylus

[@abdoo89]

***** I think it won't be that good on the Cintiq, because I think there are limits to its tilt function

[@chloesunae]

Lol art teacher sent me here wassup😭😂😂.

[@Penguin9796]

hzhah I've learned so much from you. i can draw curves now, BUT I CANNOT DRAW A STRAIGHT LINE TO SAVE MY LIFE

[@xandredarium4209]

+Deja Davis Rulers! Not a crime to use them.

[@snowwonder9814]

+Deja Davis Try rotating the paper! I can basically only a draw a straight line going from middlle to top right, so I rotate/move my paper to the best position for drawing a straight line!

[@Penguin9796]

+SnowLeopard84 fangirl I will definitely try that...gahaha duh that's like common sense, I just never thought of it. thank you!

[@toolian3636]

It's much easier to draw circles with the overhand grip. I can connect the beginning and end of the line at least 90% of the time now, and it doesn't look like an oval. Thanks a ton.

[@MySpace662]

Brilliant advice, no one could have written it any better.