Hand cramps

[paulieboy23]

Hi everyone,
Since I'm brand new to air brushing, I was wondering if anyone else ever got cramps and pain in their right hand from pushing down and pressing on the lever of a dual action ab when they first began using it? I don't know if I'm holding the ab too tightly, or that I'm holding it in the wrong fashion but something's not quite right. Any help would be greatly appreciated, because I can only go for a few minutes and my hand begins to tire and weaken. Maybe I'm too old (63)to do this and should stick to painting my bird carvings with brushes? Thanks in advance to all the people that always help me out.
Paul

[brushbyair]

pauliboy, hang in there. I get cramps all the time, they do seem to go away after painting for awhile. I mostly get them when I am trying to do very small daggers strokes, I think it comes from gripping the brush too hard when doing smalll detail.

[mustbechevy]

Paulie,
I too suffer from hand cramps, as well as tendonitis, and carpal tunnel, and arthritis.
Ease up on your grip like you said, it will help. I also find that if I do some stretching of the fingers and wrist before I set in, it helps a lot.
Good luck and keep at it. I don't have alot of time to paint and I don't put out alot of finished work, but everyone here is very helpful and honest.
Chevy

[Snuff]

LIGHT GRIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have serious carpal tunnel and get pain all the time if i grip too hard.

Hello Paul, the ol' bones get creaky & sore don't they ..once I get down it's a little hard for me to get back up again & I used to be very agile..If you haven't suffered with arthritis & such before this I think it will ease up.. As a beginner you will work very tense--try to practice on something that precision isn't a neccessity & you might loosen up..I think you will love what the airbrush can accomplish with carvings & taxidermy..You've left your comfort zone & there your other brushes lay, but I think you'll be glad you've started this & coupled with the other brushes it will compliment your work ..

[paulieboy23]

Thanks for the help everyone. I'm gonna try to lighten up my grip. I think that's got a lot to do with it. Plus the arthritis and other great stuff.
pb23