Ergonomics for 3D artists? Left/Right hands...

[tofu-water]

Hello all, I wanted to see if anyone on geekhack is a 3D artist to hear how you may have tackled ergonomics. I sit at a computer all day and mostly use a wacom, and was curious about anyone's solutions. My personal main issue is that I use the pen left handed and most applications (maya, zbrush, etc) are build for right handed people, but still need to use mouse righty.


So far my solutions have been mostly rebinding program hotkeys and changing my keyboards layout. Ideally I would have control, alt, and shift on both the right and left side so I could comfortably use them in my programs with either my pen or mouse. (I know its sorta weird I used pen lefty and mouse righty, just feels natural that way). Maybe an atreus62 or ergodox or something similar would be a good move. Thanks! Stoked to see if anyone is in a similar situation.

[tp4tissue]

n0t enuff..  TENTING.. !!

[tofu-water]

n0t enuff..  TENTING.. !!

Honestly a good point. I know it sounds silly but I think I like a solid "thing" instead of freely split. Maybe making a sweet tented ergodox housing once I find my ideal angles..

[ErgoMacros]

Another approach, depending on your needs is to add another keyboard, devoted to macros/special-functions.
I like this guy's: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82868.msg2497979

[tp4tissue]

n0t enuff..  TENTING.. !!

Honestly a good point. I know it sounds silly but I think I like a solid "thing" instead of freely split. Maybe making a sweet tented ergodox housing once I find my ideal angles..

If your elbow while resting 90degrees at your side is "above" the table plane where the keyboard is placed, you want 55 Degrees.

If your elbow is RAISED and ABOVE the table plane, (Not at your sides)   you want 30-40 degrees..

[tofu-water]

Another approach, depending on your needs is to add another keyboard, devoted to macros/special-functions.
I like this guy's: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82868.msg2497979

This is an all out macro pad! Love the ingenuity. I would prob not even need to fill a whole 40, maybe sweet16 would be a solid fit, ill have to plan it out. Thanks!

[tofu-water]

n0t enuff..  TENTING.. !!

Honestly a good point. I know it sounds silly but I think I like a solid "thing" instead of freely split. Maybe making a sweet tented ergodox housing once I find my ideal angles..

If your elbow while resting 90degrees at your side is "above" the table plane where the keyboard is placed, you want 55 Degrees.

If your elbow is RAISED and ABOVE the table plane, (Not at your sides)   you want 30-40 degrees..

I definitely rest, ill have to test out some angles. 55 will take getting used to but would be great!

[Tom_Kazansky]

When using software like PTS, ACAD, I really hate it when I have to move my left hand/right hand to press some hotkeys.

so I came up with this:

as you can see, on default layer, I can type Q W E R T but when Fn1 is held down, I can type P O I U Y (same goes for other keys)
keycaps's gonna be a problem, but if you can touch-typing, you should be able to use the keys... ehh... promptly

with this macropad, my left hand won't need to move much and my right hand won't need to leave the mouse at all.
---
this macropad is only for using such softwares, for normal usage, you need "normal" keyboard.
---
you use the pen left-handed so I don't think this specific macropad would work for you but it's a suggestion. 

[tofu-water]

When using software like PTS, ACAD, I really hate it when I have to move my left hand/right hand to press some hotkeys.

so I came up with this:
(Attachment Link)
as you can see, on default layer, I can type Q W E R T but when Fn1 is held down, I can type P O I U Y (same goes for other keys)
keycaps's gonna be a problem, but if you can touch-typing, you should be able to use the keys... ehh... promptly

with this macropad, my left hand won't need to move much and my right hand won't need to leave the mouse at all.
---
this macropad is only for using such softwares, for normal usage, you need "normal" keyboard.
---
you use the pen left-handed so I don't think this specific macropad would work for you but it's a suggestion. 

I have thought about making some macro pad for my right hand like this. Seems super practical, my only thing is I need to be able to swap hands depending on the task, so I need access to things on both sides. It's a weird issue lol. I think a macro pad could help a lot, though I wish it could be on both sides and in one board. I think I might be drifting more towards heavily using thumb clusters with my software. I just hear its hard to make them ergonomic.

[DoY]

Extremely interested about this too but, for PS... The closest I have get so far to my goals is using AHK where I can get each key to do up to 4 different things with max 2 keys combinations. This is an example of my current work, the goal for me will be to have all that inside the keyboard memory to don't have the need for third party programs.

[tofu-water]

Extremely interested about this too but, for PS... The closest I have get so far to my goals is using AHK where I can get each key to do up to 4 different things with max 2 keys combinations. This is an example of my current work, the goal for me will be to have all that inside the keyboard memory to don't have the need for third party programs.

(Attachment Link)

Yeah autohotkey could be helpful. Unfortunately I gotta switch through so many programs it makes stuff a little confusing. Maybe I'll literally just have a print out of all the keymaps on the wall, lol.

[DoY]

Extremely interested about this too but, for PS... The closest I have get so far to my goals is using AHK where I can get each key to do up to 4 different things with max 2 keys combinations. This is an example of my current work, the goal for me will be to have all that inside the keyboard memory to don't have the need for third party programs.

(Attachment Link)

Yeah autohotkey could be helpful. Unfortunately I gotta switch through so many programs it makes stuff a little confusing. Maybe I'll literally just have a print out of all the keymaps on the wall, lol.

I have programed AHK to open an image with the mapping on the second monitor when I switch programs and AHK mapping but, after 2 weeks muscle memory took care and I don't need it anymore. I know what you mean if you are switching between too many programs but, it is the same to what is like when you begin to use a new program, it is a period of adaptations learning the new shortcuts, etc...

What I am looking for is a way to use QMK to send the keys like (F23 down, a down, a up, F23 up) so, the AHK script which I have export as an exe, only respond when that F23 is trigger in the one hand keyboard. I have tried with macros but then, when I use Shift the result is not a capital A. Working my way around this to don't have the need to use also interceptor.

This is the best I have manage to achieve so far and it is way better than doing acrobatic moves with my hands. F.e. To shift between blending modes in PS I had to use 2 hands before (alt+shift+ either + or -), now is one key for going down the same key + Shift for going up all in my left hand.