| | Artists' Equipment To lessen tremors and gain control without smearing work, look for leaning bridges or handrests at Art Supply Wholesale (ASW). 1(800) 995-6778. Mouth-sticks For artists who use their mouth because they can't use hands, a mouth-stick is a paintbrush holder that fits comfortably into the artist's mouth to work for extended periods. A telescoping mouth-stick has adjustable length. Try eSpecial Needs, 877-664-4565 or Patterson Medical, 800-343-9742. Mouth-sticks are also available through rehabilitation hospitals. Reachers A good reacher will not only extend your reach, but will also provide you with the ability to grip many objects from a single sheet of paper to a tiny tube of paint, your water jars, canvasses, brushes, and even something as fine as a coin. The Gripcert® is an excellent reacher, available at the Northcoast Medical. Similar reachers are sold at Gold Violin, or Allegro Medical, and anywhere aids for independent living are sold—from $10 to $45. Easels:TableTop Easels or Motorized Easel Most larger art supply stores carry tabletop easels that are comfortable for seated artists. One consideration, however, is some tabletop easels are too tall to work with on a standard-height table. Before you buy one, bring your table measurements to the store and try it out. It may be useful to buy a low or adjustable table. This table top easel is a portable easel with a rotating top on ball bearings and adjustability to 3 different heights. There is a motorized easel as part of an equipment lending library available through the Dreamfit Foundation. Motorized easels can be positioned into various heights and angled in ways standard easels cannot. A motorized easel helps compensate for limited strength reach and movement. Adjustable Height Drafting Tables or Drawing Boards Tables that have an adjustable tilting work surface may cost $100- $300, depending on the size, manufacturer and other features. One good deal offered by ASW is a table with a 23" X 33" work surface that tilts from a flat to 70 degree angle, has adjustable height, locking casters for mobility and 2 drawers attached for easy access. Other suppliers include Staples and Dick Blik. Dick Blick Stores and Web site offers more adaptive art supplies than we've ever seen in one place, such as wheelchair accessible tables, easels, scissors, and easy-to-grip drawing tools—pencils, paintbrushes, chalks, and more. This table is designed for wheelchair access. The 30" × 40" top is constructed of scratch-resistant Melamine® and has a raised, black, PVC edge that prevents items from falling off. Easy-grip knobs adjust telescoping legs to a height of 29" to 44" and to angles from 0° to 45°. (Appx. $425) Pots of Paint, Rather than Tubes Although it's often advised to use tubes for better control of blending pigments, an artist with limited hand or arm motor function may have an easier time with pre-set pots of paint. (Look for Windsor-Newton or Pelican for the best quality.) Magnification devices Any device, hand-held or on a stand, lighted, or CCTV can be used to magnify your work or the subject as you draw or paint. Experiment with several to find one that works best for you. (See Infinitec's Daily Living Aids in our Total Resource Guide for Blindness or Visual Impairment). Verilux utilizes a new fluorescent technology which stops vibration of filament. The end result is that a lot more people can see significantly better with it to read or paint, even those with low vision. Arts for All art tools are one-of-a-kind products that offer individuals of all abilities an opportunity for creative expression through arts and mobility. Art tools are designed so participants with limited movement or lack of fine motor skills can be successful in using what mobility they have to create, paint, draw, print and more. Individuals will roll out paint and draw with chalk - all while working on mobility skills and coordination through creative expression. Note: Infinitec does not endorse or recommend the above-mentioned products and has no liability for the results of their use. Infinitec has received no consideration of any type for featuring this product on this Web site. The information offered herein is a summary; it is not comprehensive and should be carefully evaluated by consumers with the assistance of qualified professionals. The intention of Infinitec is to offer consumers a brief overview of various assistive technology devices and their applications. |
