• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

ChrisOatley.com

Disney Character Designer answers your questions about Concept Art, Character Design for Animation, Digital Painting & Illustration.

  • PODCAST
  • TUTORIALS
  • MENTORSHIP
  • ABOUT
    • ART
    • CONTACT
  • SUBSCRIBE

Exercise At Your Desk: How My Standing Workstation Works

By Chris Oatley

Every day at 3pm I was hit with back pain and fatigue.  Coffee didn’t help.  Lots of stretching didn’t help.

I consulted the ergonomics department at Disney about creating a sit/ stand workstation and I’ve been in love with it since the day we set it up.  I used to sit all day, hunched over my Cintiq and now I stand pretty much all day, every day.

My back pain has been alleviated and I stay more focused throughout the entire day.  It keeps me energized throughout the day AND I’m burning calories the entire time!

Since I recorded an episode of Chris Oatley’s ArtCast mentioning this, many people have expressed interest in seeing exactly what my streamlined setup looks like…

I can’t post a photo online due to Disney’s “closed set” policy but I’ve drawn a diagram (above) to help you get an idea of what my workspace is like.

I work at a very tall desk, which needed a little extra boost due to my height.

The woodshop built some risers for it, so that when I stand completely straight and have my arms bent at a 90° angle my forearms rest flat on the surface of the desk or Cintiq, depending on which tools I’m working with.

At home, I use an IKEA table top with adjustable legs because the desk itself doesn’t need to be anything fancy to achieve great results. Ikea Sit/ Stand Desk: Legs :: Top

I use a Comfort Crown Anti-Fatigue Floor Mat to keep my legs from getting exhausted. I stand pretty much  all day, every day. (I get a 6-8% commission if you order through my Amazon link!)

I occasionally clear all the clutter off my chair (coat rack) and sit for an hour or two – but not very often. I highly recommend standing while you work!

Check out my entire audio explanation of the workstation in ArtCast #50 :: Digital Comics, Ergonomics & How To Deliver Every Time.

 

Please Share:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Subscribe To The Visual Storytelling Podast

Disney Visual Development Artist/ Illustrator Chris Oatley helps Artists and Writers find healthy, fulfilling careers in Animation, Games, Comics, Film and Illustration.

iTunesRSSEmail

Footer

Become A Professional Visual Storyteller

Art careers in the Entertainment Industry are flourishing. Subscribe today, never miss an update and learn what it really takes to break in…

Subscribe Now >>

  • VisDev
  • Character Design
  • Concept Art
  • Illustration
  • Mindset
  • Story

Copyright © 2023 Visual Voice, LLC · Privacy Policy · Terms Of Service · Cookie Policy · Community Guidelines · Log in · Contact