Inspiration

When your condition seems to progress fast from the onset and you aren't sure how much you are going to be left able to do it is easy to give up and think 'there's no point starting that new hobby as I wont be able to do it for long' etc.

So finding a new hobby based on what I like now and what is adaptable to many levels of physical ability has proved a challenge but I think I have found it!

Based on my enjoyment of water colour painting but difficulty with the finer aspects of drawing detail with a pencil I started to look into those Digital pens and tablets. They were often very expensive and my worry was how long I'd be able to manage the pen for and whether it would be a waste of money.

With a new range been brought out with the 'Hobbyist' in mind, which comes with some good programs and the tablet having 'touchscreen' ability I decided to look into this option in much further detail.

However the lower pricing of the 'Bamboo Fun Pen & Touch' (in comparison with professional tablets that artists/architects use) and inclusion of excellent software has made it worthwhile, even if the pen can't be used in future the software is worth the money on its own (you get 3 with the medium size Abode Photoshop Elements, Corels Painter Essentials and another art program I haven't heard of before) All 3 also include the Mac version for the same price, which as a Mac user is another bonus on its own, as I often have to pay more for Mac Software when I can get it.

Before I decided whether I would buy one of these I looked into future access methods and found this inspirational video from a guy paralysed from neck down who is still able to 'draw' using an Headmouse and has his own business making designs for T-shirts, painting pictures and doing photo editing work.

This is his video on how he uses his Assistive Technology and Mac's to draw and access a computer and run his own business:
http://www.assistiveware.com/videos.php?video=Giesbert&format=mp4

Here is his own website with his designs and products on:
http://www.laesieworks.com/beeld/index.html

OK, he doesn't have Ataxia but based on fact I'm hoping mine won't go that far its a case of 'if he can still find a way to draw, surely I can?' and also hoping that as it would give me ability to draw for longer, it will somehow help with slowing down the speed of progression.

Due to the way you can zoom in on small detailed areas and make them bigger you are then not needing as small movements to draw that section as you have enlarged it, once finished you zoom back out and the finished picture will still only be the size you want (A4 for example). My plan would be to use it as a way to create guidelines on water colour paper which I can then paint onto with regular brush while I still can but also learning how to make other things like cards etc by painting within the program and using my Fine Motor skills as much as I can.

I also found a video of a guy paralysed from Motor Neurone who used an Eye camera to create graffiti, it was then projected onto buildings as art work for passing motorists to see. This technology is still in its infancy but it gives hope that no matter how physically disabled you may become there is always a way around doing things!

http://www.eyewriter.org/

These guys - along with the 'typewriter artist' I also posted a link to some time back, have inspired me to keep going with my art and find a way to continue with this hobby.

I hope to get a Bamboo Fun tablet for xmas with money from family which will go towards it.