Wheelchair - Tumblr Posts - Page 3
first adventure in the new wheelchair:
boyedfriend and i walked/wheeled over to some fast food places for lunch now that i could tag along! i've been having an awful flare-up for the past three days that has left me unable to stand for even short periods without discomfort, so being able to get the wheelchair today was great!!
i was already pretty aware of just how inaccessible some of the sidewalk in my neighborhood is, but actually BEING in the wheelchair showed me even more (rolling up over ramp curbs is way scarier than i thought LOL)
also, a LOT of buildings around here could work on their level of accessibility. i struggled a lot with narrow doorways, automatic doors that didn't open fully, slopes and ramps that were too steep, counters that were too tall, etc. (i made sure to point these out to the boyfriend so that he was aware, too)
it wasn't my first time using a wheelchair (the local mall has complimentary wheelchairs that i use frequently), but it WAS my first time using a wheelchair that I OWN (!!!) so overall the experience was great!
i might talk about more experiences and adventures i have with the wheelchair in the future!
love having an asthma attack so bad that i can't fkin stand or walk w/out feeling faint or being in pain a month l8r and then being told by my dr that i don't need a wheelchair since im not an old person and 2 "drink lots of fluids"/s
speaking as a wheelchair user myself who has tried both electric and manual wheelchairs i thought i would add my thoughts on this since OP is asking
so first of all, i really like how comfy and cozy the design looks, it looks like it would be very comfortable to sit on (more comfortable than my wheelchair tbh 😅) the design overall i think is just very nice and has a cozy feel 2 it but im going 2 give some notes, not exactly criticism but just stuff 2 keep in mind 4 if u were drawing different poses ect
okay so the 1 small piece of criticism i hav is that i don't c where the battery 4 the wheelchair is meant 2 go, this is a fairly easy fix tho and wouldn't require changing much of the design since in most wheelchairs the battery is stored in a small compartment under the chair itself
so as 4 just notes:
1) not necessarily an issue but the edge of a couch style backing like it looks like this chair has i find can b quite hard but that's from the perspective of some1 w/ chronic pain, it might b worth considering what specific needs ur character has and if they would mayb need a higher backrest that stopped above their head or a backrest w/ a seperate headrest or some extra cushioning there or so on, as some1 w/ chronic fatigue and chronic pain which is especially bad in my back i really benefit from having a bigger back rest with head rest
2) this wheelchair looks 2 b a little on the wider side, not an issue some wheelchairs IRL r just like that, however it does mean that going thru narrow spaces and doorways might not b an option
3) the wheelchair looks similar 2 a couch chair so it's probably going 2 take a lot of maintenance 2 keep it clean if this person is going outside if its made out of standard fabric instead of something they can just wipe down
4) the wheelchair looks like it's 1 where the main wheels r in the back instead of the middle or the front, this is pretty common but it also leads 2 a bigger swing when turning the chair and less of an ability 2 make tight turns so this likely wouldn't b ideal 4 a character that needs 2 make tight turns regularly
5) not a criticism since some IRL wheelchairs also have this problem so it's just realistic but since we can't see the back of the chair im assuming there isn't a wheel at the back 2 prevent tipping, meaning that the character could tip over in their chair, since im not sure what genre of story or art ect this is 4 i thought i would bring this up, that combined with the chair being probably slightly top heavy means that the character wouldn't be able to safely make many risky maneuvers in their chair that could result in them tipping over on their side or backwards, so no sudden tight turns or trying to go up kurbs probably unless the character in question is the type to decide to do this anyway and is then shown having some wobble on their chair maybe?
so yeah hope this helped!/g
Hey! Bit of an odd post but i wanted to ask for people's opinions on this electric wheelchair design/concept!
I know its not very realistic (like a real world design?) but i tried to go for something more stylized/cartoony and comfortable looking- but im unsure if i strayed too far into unrealism. The character is also still in very early developement- so i cant tell much about them yet. (apologies)
Any/all critique would be extremely welcome and very appreciated!! 😀🌷💖💕💖💕
I think one of the first things Leo would do with the wheelchair is try to do a wheelie, but I think whatever he’s about to do on the skate ramp is dumber
Result from trying to do a wheelie.
Poor boy's been stuck staring at the ceiling for 30 minutes. :]
Edit: I'm gonna tag the ask-er so they know I answered! isn't that right, @a-simple-gremlin? ;)
So today I’m going to a pride parade!!! But my EDS decided to flare yesterday, so I have like an hour or two to convince my parents to rent a wheelchair cus yall. I cannot walk in the parade rn. I’m also anxious bc my ex will be there and also I don’t want questions about “omg Calla why are you suddenly in a wheelchair what happened?”
having some thoughts about my wheelchair and how that’s going to change things. I’m worried it’ll be harder to find people who want to date me (even though I know that I’m not lesser for being disabled). I’m worried about all the questions I’m going to get because people have seen me walk. I know my wheelchair is going to help so much, but I’m still worried
A guide to designing wheelchair using characters!
I hope this helps anyone who's trying to design their oc using a wheelchair, it's not a complete guide but I tried my best! deffo do more research if you're writing them as a character
does anyone know where I can find good reference images of victorian-era wheelchairs? I want to draw the jovial contrarian but all the wheelchair art refs/tutorials I can find are for modern wheelchairs
A guide to designing wheelchair using characters!
I hope this helps anyone who's trying to design their oc using a wheelchair, it's not a complete guide but I tried my best! deffo do more research if you're writing them as a character
Wheelchair costumes courtesy of the Magic Wheelchair
Former Hero Gets a Wheelchair
Today was the day.
After months of hardly getting out of bed, months of fighting the agency’s insurance plan, months of insisting that the hero’s condition was, in fact, service related, they were finally getting a custom wheelchair delivered.
Today, they got their independence back.
The doorbell rang and Hero had never moved faster on their cane, rubber tip taps and accompanying footsteps echoing through their entryway as they reached the door. Opening it, they were greeted with a beautiful sight. A smiling worker stood behind their brand new chair.
The rigid frame was coated in a metallic blue, with shining push rims to match. Black metal completed the footrest and backrest support, blending into the black wheels and side guards. It looked sleek; It looked perfect.
Waved in by the former hero, the worker lifted the caster wheels over the door frame, pushing the chair up and inside before locking the small silver brakes.
“You ready to take her for a spin?” They asked, and the hero grinned from ear to ear. They took a seat, sliding back till their hips were settled. The worker pointed out the buckle and Hero clicked it shut.
“Safety first,” they nodded and the worker chuckled in response.
Brakes unlocked, they pushed, and they glided like they were on a cloud.
They sighed at the ease of movement, moving down the hallway with little pain. It had been so long since they could just move. They missed moving just for the fun of it, for the rush of wind in their hair and adrenaline coursing through their veins. They missed jumping across rooftops, turning their feet on a dime, climbing walls, and starting fights that they could actually win.
Overwhelmed with the return of that feeling, they found themselves increasing their speed more than what may have been advisable around the house. Consequently, when they tried to turn around, they clipped the doorframe, leaving a scuff mark on the plaster and a slight damper on their confidence.
“Takes a little getting used to,” the worker assured.
Hero continued, slightly abashed at their excitement. The worker watched, then suggested they raise the footplate a little to accommodate Hero’s thin soled shoes. After a moment with an Allen wrench, Hero was properly fitted into their new wheelchair.
Now, it just needed a name.
In their time as a Hero, they had practiced restraint when fighting countless villains. They never aimed to maim or hurt more than necessary, even if the villains pointedly did not return the favor. Ever since being forced to retire, Hero carried that sentiment into their civilian life too. However, there were times when they wished to be a little petty. Sometimes, when people blocked ramps or stared at them a little too judgingly, they wished warm pillows and bad hair days upon them. Their prayers for minor inconveniences rose especially when they saw news of a certain villain, who Hero suspected to have a set of very crushable toes.
Maybe, Hero would have to pay them a little visit, with the help of the brand new Metatarsal Muncher.
They couldn’t wait to get out of the house, to be able to function on a daily basis. They were going to get groceries, get out to retirement-events, go outside with a sense of focus not being spent on trying to stay upright, shop without a mind clouded with pain.
If only it hadn’t taken them this long to accept what they needed.
The worker showed them how to disassemble the chair. The ultra-light wheels came off with a button press in the middle, the cushion was removed so the back could fold down. Hero got to assemble it back themselves and, satisfied, the worker bid them goodbye with some maintenance and care instructions.
Far too excited to wait, the former Hero loaded their chair into the car and headed for the park, thrilled to go watch the robins and blue jays hop between the trees. Once, the former hero had envied their freedom, the ease with which they traveled and lived their lives. They had wished they could soar above the sky and dive down back to the ground. Now, as they followed the smooth concrete path through the oaks and the birches, they made peace with their own kind of freedom.
It may not look the same as it once did, but life moved on.
If they had earned nothing else in their time as a hero, it was the right to live their life in the least amount of pain possible. Despite any reservations, they would use this tool to help them, and if anyone had a problem with that, they would meet the wrath of the Metatarsal Muncher.
I was at work today when I saw an old man in a wheelchair but he wasn’t of moving around in a traditional way, pushing himself forward with his hands or using a motor. Instead he was pulling himself along with his feet. My best attempt at explaining this was he would put his left ankle on the ground pull himself forward then put his right ankle on the ground and pull himself forward continuing with this until he got to wherever he was trying go. It almost looked like walking but whilst sitting down.
I saw this dude multiple times in a roughly five hour time span and every time he was moving he was using his feet to do so. I understand not all wheelchair users are paralyzed and that ambulatory wheelchair users also exist. However, I have never heard of someone using a wheelchair like this man and I’m honestly more confused than anything. If anyone knows why someone would move their legs to propel their wheelchair forward please let me know.
everyone should know how to use a wheelchair before they need one bc the fates think they’re funny and destiny never tells what he knows
he can't form sentences anymore Henris. 84, suffering from Alzheimer's disease
(it's not canonical that he ever used a wheelchair (at least not yet if I decide later) but I wanted to experiment w drawing wheelchairs and also fuck drawing beds. i hate drawings beds. why did i decide to make him bedridden...)
Postman Pat sketches
I made some sketches of Pat Clifton in two pieces of papers in a month and 23 days and each one has six of them.
Left: Postman Pat sketch no. 1 (Black pen outlines) - 1st November 2022
Right: Postman Pat sketch no. 2 (Magic coloured marker pen outlines) - 24th December 2022
Ok so at this point I've had two people roll up to me in manual wheelchairs, well, one of them was somebody pushing somebody who was nonverbal at the time, but it still counts. They asked me why I had zip ties around my tires.
It's winter where I'm living and we have really bad snow. And the snow plow people are really bad at their jobs probably because there aren't snow plow people who clean sidewalks. As a solution I got to thinking about how I could increase the traction on my wheels. And the most redneck thing I could think of was taking a bunch of zip ties and tying them around my wheels. They last surprisingly long, and work surprisingly well. It's basically the same premise as chains for your tires during the winter.
I chose to space them out pretty evenly so there's about one for every spoke. You could probably do more or less depending on how many you want and how much traction you get but I wouldn't go more than three per spoke. I realize that it's a bit later in the winter, and I probably should have made a post about this sooner, but I came up with it about a week ago. So please share this, even if you're not disabled, because there are tons of people I know who are stuck in their houses because they can't get around in the snow. A pack of zip ties costs about $5, which compared to $200 knobby snow tires is a big save, and if you want to invest you could get colored zip ties.
Manual Wheelchair Tutorial by Fade31415
So... I technically drew this 3 years ago but forgot to post it. I think I was going to clean up the end and make a nice recap, but I ran out of steam and then just left it as a wip for years. I got reminded of it because I was talking to a friend about how to draw wheelchairs today.
This covers most of what I view as the most common errors when it comes to drawing characters who use manual wheelchairs. I hope it helps you a lot.
Image description is in alt text, but there is a back up image description under the cut in case that does not work for some reason
[image description: a 4 picture long wheelchair tutorial. the background is white and the text, when it appears, is black and in calibri. each step will be labeled with "Step #" and a description of the drawing next to it, and "text" and then the text that is written to explain it to follow.
Step one text: So, you want to draw a character who uses a manual wheelchair? Awesome! I can't approve more. Drawing characters who use wheelchairs is a bit different than drawing standing characters, because of obvious posing differences. But to start, you need to know what parts of a wheelchair you will draw. So, without further ado, here are 3 wheelchairs!
Step one image: a simplified drawing of a chubby woman sitting in a quickie GPV manual wheelchair and resting her hand on the handrim of one of the wheels. this is labeled "the artist"
step two: next there is a lineart drawing of three wheelchairs. one is a tilite TR series 3. this is an ultralight wheelchair with a bucket seat (the back is lower than the front), a big cushion and a short backrest that kind of contours to the back of the person who would sit in it. the caster wheels (front wheels) are very small and the footrest is just two little metal bars. next image is a quickie GPV. this is also an ultralight wheelchair with a low back, but its caster wheels are slightly larger, the back has regular upholstery (it does not look like it was made to conform to the back of the person who sits there) and the frame is boxier -- there is no bar underneath the seat where the wheels would attach, rather each wheel is attached to the side of the chair. the next wheelchair is an invacare tracer. it is how most people imagine wheelchairs when they hear 'wheelchair'. it has no cushion and it has a high backrest with handles. it has high armrests that would be comfortable to rest your elbows on if you were just sitting. the wheels are not bicycle wheels like the previous two but are rather plastic. it has big footrests and big caster wheels.
text: the wheelchairs on the left are the ultralight, sporty kind. I have one of them (the quickie). the one on the right is a more standard one you might find in hospitals or as the public wheelchair in grocery stores or the mall.
step three: first is text to accompany the tilite. "This wheelchair has a really thick cushion - it's pressure relieving, which you need if you use your chair ufll tiem and especially if you have a spinal cord injury. This wc has the smallest caster (front) wheels. They are hte most handy for turning in small circles." next there is text to accompany the quickie gpv: "This one has the one I use -- it isn't pressure relieving, but is still useful." next is text to accompany the invacare: "this wheelchair has no cushion - you do not want to sit on it for long. This one has the biggest caster wheels - they are useful for not 'tripping' when your front wheel gets caught on an obstacle.”
step four text: like with all complex drawings, you want to break it into simple shapes first. I normally have a box underneath the seat, a rectangle for the backrest, and a trapezoidal thing for hte area from the box to the footrest. these are the most important shapes, because your character will rest on them and they will move with your character.
step four image: the lineart of each wheelchair has been put on reduced opacity, so we can see the square representing the backrest of each seat (the square is the smallest for the tilite and biggest for the invacare), the box for each seat and area underneath it, and the trapezoid for the footrests. the next step labels the images of these simplified shapes as the lineart is removed. "Note the proportions of each set of shapes is not the same - just like how you wouldn't draw all your characters with the same proportions on their faces!"
step 5: we see the same shapes to form the wheelchair, but now with blue circles drawn where the back wheels would be.
text: next shape is the wheels - two circles
step six: next we see the wheels and shapes have been reduced in opacity and the basic structure of everything about each wheelchair: footrests, caster wheels, upholstery details, axles has been drawn on in orange.
text: the next stage is everything else that's structure - front wheels, handlebars, cushions, footrests.
Step seven: we see the lineart on top of the lowered opacity sketch.
text: you can then do detailing like axles, spokes, upholstery, etc and lines
step eight: next we see three drawings of different characters. there is patience, a skinny white woman sitting in a blue invacare wheelchair. kelley, a slightly chubby black woman wearing a stripey dress sitting in a red quickie gpv wheelchair and doing a wheelie while smiling. then luke, a white man with short blond hair wearing khaki pants. he is sitting in a tilite chair.
text: once you get your wheelchair basics, you need to find out which kind your character uses. here are three characters who each use one of the example WCs. patience uses the invacare. she needs one with a better cushion, but circumstance prevents it. Notice the chair is a bit wider than her hips - it's not custom fitted. Also notice she has to turn her elbows out awkwardly to move. the high armrests prevent a smooth push. her wheelchair has big caster wheels and far-back back wheels. it is made for stability and difficult to turn,but also difficult to knock over. Her chair indicates a lack of resources or temporary injury, and is primarily a transport chair
kelley uses a wheelchair like mine - it is fairly sporty, but has a box-y frame underneath. this makes it heaver than if it didn't.she has a mediocre cushion - it protects her, but only some. her back wheels are further underneath her body than Patience's, which makes it possible to do the wheelie (demonstrated here). her wheelchair is supposed to look line one you'd use full time, but it is a little old.
luke has a spinal cord injury. he has a very thick pressure relieving cushion for medical reasons. his chair is also ultralight, with no boxyness under the frame. his chair is the newest and lightest - it indicates his wealth/resources, but also that he needs to use on full time.
step nine: just a drawing of me sitting in my wheelchair holding my hands up to show fingerless wheelchair gloves. we're looking at me from above.
text: when you're choosing what wheelchair to give your character, think of both their disability and their resources and go from there. questions to ask yourself: is it made specifically for them or is it mass-produced or a hand-me-down (if it's custom, the seat will not be too wide or narrow in comparison to their body and their feet will rest on the footplate naturally). do they want more stability (further back back wheels, big caster wheels) or maneuverability (the inverse). do they need a pressure relieving cushion? how long are they using their wheelchair per day? how long have they needed a wheelchair? Do they have health insurance? do they have access to a lot of spending money? How much can they spend on their wheelchair? are they athletic etc etc
posing steps:
step one: a sketch of two people standing up. one just shows the outline of a person's body, with legs that are ind of triangle shaped, the other shows a sketched pelvis and rib cage to go along with the bones of the legs and arm. text: step one: Most people have this sketch anatomy they put before drawing their characters for real. I kind of scribble around like on the left, but some people use skeletons on the right.
step two: there are now too sketched pictures of people in wheelchairs. one shows lightly traced human form (arms articulated, curve for a stomach, legs that are kind of triangle shaped and pointing down) sitting in a wheelchair that is just the sketch of footrests and wheels. the other sketch shows the sketch of a body with a circle for hips and an oval for a rib cage and the person doing a wheelie (lifting the front end of the wheelchair off the ground and leaning back). their wheelchair is also sketched out and defined by a circle for their wheels and 2 lines, 1 of the seat and 1 for the backrest. text: you need one of those for your wheelchair character. important: they should have both the person's main anatomy features (Usually upper body and at least hips) and the wheelchair's. for me, these are the back wheels, footrest, and seat. why simplify to just those features? Take a look at this incredibly quickly drawn wheelchair.
step three: there is a lineart drawing of a manual wheelchair with slightly cambered (angled towards the seat) wheels, a backrest, and a footrest. the frame is light and there are no handlebars. there are labels pointing to different parts of the wheelchair: Backrest, handrims, wheel, axle, seat, footrest, and caster wheels (the ones in front). text: there are a lot of parts, and not all of them are essential to your pose. trying to draw the whole thing straight out of the gate will frustrate you.'
step four text: take a character in heavy armor: if you draw her pose without taking her armor into account, her armor will clip through her body. if you draw a wheelchair using character without keeping her wheelchair in mind from the beginning, the pose won't make sense.
step four image: next we see two lineart drawings of different characters. one is a bulky woman wearing plate armor. her hand is on her hip and she is trying to scratch her back with the other hand. there is the label "shoudlerpad clips through face" and "thumb clips through chestplate." the next drawing shows a woman in a wheelchair with one foot rested on her knee and her arms rested back, such that they would be rested on the back of a regular chair, but the back of her wheelchair is not wide enough for them to actually be resting on anything. the text here reads "elbows not resting on anything" and "foot not on footplate"
step five: there are two images, one is lineart on top of a 3d modelled apartment with sketchup, the other is a colored in version of that lineart with the background also colored in and no longer a 3d modelled screencap two characters, one old woman wearing a green jacket and one younger woman wearing a white shirt and blue undershirt, are sitting on a couch. the old woman is leaning forward and the young woman is resting her arm on the couch. behind the young woman is a bookshelf.
step five text: you may say you'll just draw the chair first and then the person, but while that works for regular furniture, it doesn't work as well for most manual wcs. take this comic panel with characters on a couch for example - I 3d modeled the room and then drew the characters on the furniture. it works because you don't move furniture in most poses - you rest on it. but your wheelchair needs to move with you, especially if it's an ultralight one.
step six image: there is a flat color drawing of barbara gordon in her wheelchair. she is wearing a black sportsbra and black shorts. in the first image we see she is doing tricks in her chair, zooming through the air (as if she has just launched herself off the ground in a skater park or somethign) while her left hand is resting on a structure and her right hand is heading towards the right handrim. the next image shows her right hand planted on the ground and her chair and body above her, such that she is briefly doing a one-handed handstand, but the motion line indicates that she is moving and this will not last. her left arm is near the handrim of her left wheel.
text: take exercise Oracle - she is doing tricks. Her WC is an extension of her body. That is crucial to getting natural looking manual wheelchair users after posing.
step seven: we see a lineart drawing of paula from young justice. she is sitting in a standard manual wheelchair with high armrests (goes up to the bottom of her ribs probably) and a high backrest (goes up to just below her shoulderblades). she is setting her hand on the armrest, leaning forward, and holding her other hand out.
text: of course, there are exceptions - if you have a clunky WC, it is harder to move with your body. Take Paula from young Justice - here, i drew her resting her hand on her armrest, because she has a clunker wheelchair. her pose is already mostly static - she's sitting down - and she poses around that.
A guide to designing wheelchair using characters!
I hope this helps anyone who's trying to design their oc using a wheelchair, it's not a complete guide but I tried my best! deffo do more research if you're writing them as a character